Doran warns: “Less Than” mentality still holds Caribbean people back

GREAT BAY--MP Egbert Doran said internalized feelings of being “less than” can continue to live on long after formal colonial systems have changed, affecting confidence, ambition, and the ability of a people to fully emancipate themselves mentally and socially. He argued that without confronting that reality directly, meaningful progress becomes much harder, because communities remain constrained not only by institutions, but also by inherited patterns of thought.

That message formed a central part of a broader and deeply reflective discussion held by Members of Parliament Sjamira Roseburg and Egbert Doran during their recent appearance on Breakfast Lounge with Lady Grace, where both MPs called for a more serious and sustained reckoning with the enduring effects of slavery, colonial legacy, cultural disconnect, and identity-based discrimination in St. Maarten and across the Caribbean.

Their remarks framed present-day social, psychological, and institutional challenges as part of a longer historical continuum, one that cannot be ignored if the country is to move forward with greater confidence, fairness, and self-determination. Both MPs made clear that the conversation surrounding equality, justice, and national development cannot be separated from the historical forces that have shaped the Caribbean experience.

A major part of that discussion came from MP Roseburg, who said she deliberately connected current challenges, including mental health concerns and weaknesses within the education system, to the long-term effects of slavery. In addressing the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation, Roseburg said she chose not to treat slavery as a symbolic issue or a closed chapter, but as a continuing force that still affects Caribbean societies in real and measurable ways.

She referenced a recent report indicating that the effects of slavery continue to impact Caribbean communities, including in relation to mental health and broader social development. For Roseburg, that acknowledgment was important because it helped open the door for a deeper Kingdom-level discussion, one that goes beyond recognition and into responsibility, structural response, and action.

Roseburg argued that the matter must not be raised once and then allowed to fade. Instead, she said, it should remain an active and sustained item on the Kingdom agenda, particularly because the consequences of slavery are still visible in the present day. In her view, that means the conversation must now move toward substantive matters such as reparations, along with serious reinvestment in areas like education, where long-term damage must be addressed through policy and opportunity.

Her position was that if the Kingdom is sincere about justice and equality, then it must be willing to recognize that historical harm has modern consequences. She indicated that those consequences are not only emotional or psychological, but also institutional, especially where access, dignity, and long-term opportunity are concerned. In that way, she tied the slavery discussion directly to current public policy rather than leaving it confined to history.

Questions of identity and dignity also emerged strongly in Roseburg’s remarks on language. She spoke firmly about her decision to use English in Kingdom forums, explaining that while she can speak Dutch, she chooses to speak in the language her people understand because she is representing St. Maarten.

For Roseburg, this was not just a matter of convenience. It was a matter of culture, identity, and proper representation. She made clear that she is not in those forums to perform for the Netherlands, but to speak on behalf of the people of St. Maarten in a way that remains accessible to them. In that context, her use of English was both deliberate and principled.

She argued that language is deeply tied to culture and self-expression, and that St. Maarten should not feel pressured to suppress or dilute its identity in order to be understood within Kingdom spaces. Her remarks reflected a wider view that Caribbean representatives should not be made to conform linguistically or culturally at the expense of their own people’s connection to what is being said in their name.

That emphasis on self-definition and cultural confidence was reinforced by Doran, who spoke at length about the lingering colonial effects that still shape behavior, self-perception, and institutional systems in St. Maarten. He described what he sees as a continuing form of mental slavery, not in a literal legal sense, but as a psychological and cultural condition in which inherited inferiority and old power dynamics still influence how people see themselves and what they believe they deserve.

Doran suggested that without confronting that reality honestly, communities remain trapped not only by structural barriers, but by mental ones as well. His argument was that true emancipation requires more than constitutional change or formal equality. It also requires a break from inherited patterns of thought that continue to limit confidence and ambition.

He further highlighted what he described as a cultural disconnect between St. Maarten and the Netherlands, noting that decisions affecting Caribbean people are too often shaped by standards, assumptions, and judgments that do not fully reflect local realities. In his view, that disconnect can produce serious consequences when systems, policies, or rulings are applied without sufficient understanding of Caribbean context.

Among the examples he raised were differences in social norms and behavior between Dutch and Caribbean societies, which he said are often misunderstood or judged through the wrong lens. He used this point to argue that governance and justice cannot function fairly if those making key decisions do not understand the culture in which those decisions must operate.

He was especially pointed in discussing the justice system, saying there is a clear need for more local lawyers, prosecutors, and judges who understand St. Maarten’s people, context, and lived reality. His concern was not merely about nationality, but about cultural competence and fairness. In his view, when legal decisions are made by individuals who do not understand the community, justice risks becoming disconnected from the realities of the people it serves.

That argument fit into his broader call for self-emancipation and stronger local capacity. Doran’s message was that St. Maarten must continue building its own human capital, not only for national development, but so that more of its institutions can be shaped, interpreted, and administered by people with real roots in the society. For him, that is part of breaking old dependencies and moving toward a stronger, more self-assured future.

The discussion also turned to the deeply personal ways these historical and cultural issues continue to affect identity, especially among children. Roseburg linked the broader conversation about colonial legacy and equality to discrimination based on hair texture and physical appearance, making the case that these issues are not superficial, but tied directly to dignity, belonging, and mental wellbeing.

She referred to a motion on hair discrimination that had been accepted unanimously, using it to underscore that this remains a real and relevant issue within the community. By raising that motion, Roseburg made clear that questions of appearance and acceptance are part of the larger struggle over identity, respect, and who is allowed to be seen as acceptable in public and institutional life.

To illustrate the depth of the issue, she shared the story of a 10-year-old girl in Aruba who told her that she did not like her hair or her skin color. Roseburg used that example to show how early these insecurities can begin, and how deeply they can affect children’s self-image. For her, it was not an isolated story, but a sign that harmful standards tied to race, beauty, and worth are still reaching children long before they are old enough to understand where those ideas come from.

By highlighting that example, Roseburg made the point that the effects of colonial thinking and appearance-based bias are not limited to adults. They can take hold in childhood, shaping confidence, identity, and psychological wellbeing from an early age. In that sense, the issue links directly back to the broader themes of mental health, self-worth, and social development that she said must remain part of the Kingdom conversation.

She also referenced a natural hair lecture and wider community conversations centered on allowing people to be themselves, presenting those efforts as part of a necessary cultural correction. The broader message was that representation, acceptance, and affirmation matter, and that societies must actively challenge the subtle norms that teach children to feel inadequate because of how they naturally look.

The remarks by Roseburg and Doran amounted to a position that if the aforementioned realities are to be addressed meaningfully, then the conversation must remain active, honest, and tied to policy. That means treating reparations and educational investment as serious matters, defending St. Maarten’s language and cultural identity in regional and Kingdom spaces, strengthening local institutional capacity, and continuing to challenge the subtle but harmful forms of discrimination that still affect how Caribbean people, including children, see themselves.

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