SXM Daily

All news

Culture

10-10-10 and Constitution Day: how Sint Maarten became a country

On 10 October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and Sint Maarten became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Here is what changed in law, what happened that day, and how Constitution Day fits in.

By SXM Daily ·

Last checked: 14 October 2026

Next check: 14 September 2027

On 10 October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist and Sint Maarten became a country in its own right within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The date, written 10-10-10, marks the start of the island's own Constitution, Parliament and government. Each year, Sint Maarten has a public holiday for Constitution Day on the second Monday of October.

The front of the Parliament of Sint Maarten building in Philipsburg, with two flags, photographed in 2011

Photo: Richie Diesterheft / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

What changed in law

The change was made by a Kingdom Act amending the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, published in the Staatsblad (the Dutch official gazette) as Staatsblad 2010, 333. Article I of that act does three things:

  • New countries. Curaçao and Sint Maarten each become a country within the Kingdom.
  • Islands joining the Netherlands. Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba become part of the state structure of the Netherlands.
  • The end of the Antilles. The Netherlands Antilles, as a country, is dissolved.

The official consolidated text of the act starts on 10 October 2010, the date the new arrangements took effect.

What happened on 10 October 2010

The new institutions were set up on Sunday 10 October 2010, SMN News reported that day:

  • Parliament. Sint Maarten's first Parliament, with 15 members, was installed. Its members elected Gracita Arrindell as chair.
  • Governor. Eugene Holiday took his oath as Governor.
  • Government. The first Council of Ministers was sworn in, led by Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams.
  • Other institutions. The Council of Advice, the General Audit Chamber and the Ombudsman, Nilda Arduin-Lynch, were installed the same day.

What the new status means for residents

Since 10-10-10, Sint Maarten has had its own Constitution, its own Parliament, its own Council of Ministers and its own High Councils of State. The Governor represents the King.

For anyone living, working or doing business on the Dutch side, these are the institutions behind the island's laws and public decisions, and they all date from 10-10-10. Money matters on the Dutch side are handled in Caribbean guilders (XCG).

This article does not judge whether the new status has worked well. That is a matter of opinion and debate, and we leave it out of a reference piece.

Constitution Day

Constitution Day is a public holiday on the Dutch side, held on the second Monday of October. The Government of Sint Maarten's public holiday schedule lists it on:

  • 2026: Monday 12 October
  • 2027: Monday 11 October

The same second-Monday rule appears in the labour ordinance's list of public holidays, in the version published on overheid.nl. That online version is marked as no longer current from October 2022, so we rely on the government's schedule for the dates above.

What about the French side?

None of this applies to Saint-Martin, the French side of the island. Its own change of status, to a Collectivité in 2007, is a separate story.

FAQ

Q: What does 10-10-10 mean in Sint Maarten?

A: 10 October 2010, the day Sint Maarten became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved.

Q: Which law made Sint Maarten a country?

A: The Kingdom Act amending the Charter for the Kingdom, published as Staatsblad 2010, 333.

Q: What happened to Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba?

A: They became part of the state structure of the Netherlands.

Q: Who was Sint Maarten's first Prime Minister?

A: Sarah Wescot-Williams, whose Council of Ministers was sworn in on 10 October 2010.

Q: Who was the first chair of Parliament?

A: Gracita Arrindell, elected on 10 October 2010.

Q: When is Constitution Day?

A: On the second Monday of October: 12 October 2026 and 11 October 2027.

Q: Is Constitution Day a holiday on the French side?

A: No. It is a Dutch-side public holiday.

Sources

  • https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-2010-333.html
  • https://smn-news.com/index.php/st-maarten-st-martin-news/3813-institutions-of-country-st-maarten-established.html
  • https://www.sintmaartengov.org/Pages/Public-Holiday-Schedule.aspx
  • https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR142704

Source: https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-2010-333.html

More in Culture