Mincing no words: Gumbs calls for shared responsibility in education, youth, culture and sports

GREAT BAY--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa Gumbs used her closing remarks during the 2026 Budget debate to call for greater shared responsibility across St. Maarten, stressing that Government funding alone cannot deliver the outcomes the country expects in education, culture, youth development and sports.

Gumbs said the ECYS 2026 Budget reflects a balanced approach that supports operational needs while advancing strategic priorities through targeted investments in education, culture, youth, sports and innovation.

She acknowledged that the Ministry, like others across Government, continues to operate within fiscal limitations. At the same time, she said ECYS is working to rapidly advance externally funded programs and projects so that every available financial resource can be used effectively.

But the Minister stressed that financial investment can only go so far.

“You often hear and read, ‘but I pay taxes so Government has to take care of this,’ and those people are right,” Gumbs said. “But the reality is, financial investment carries you so far. There is no Ministry anywhere in the world that successfully executes their task with simply the investment of taxpayer money.”

Gumbs said successful education systems, strong sports environments and thriving cultural sectors depend on the wider community matching Government’s efforts.

She pointed first to parents, urging them to remain actively involved in their children’s lives and to push young people to achieve more. She also emphasized the role of extended family members, saying consistency and care from relatives remain important parts of a young person’s support system.

The Minister called on NGOs and non-profit organizations to collaborate more effectively and maximize the impact of limited resources, while also urging sports associations and their memberships to recognize the importance of dues and continued adult investment in youth sports programs.

Gumbs also directed attention to the physical and commercial environment surrounding young people.

She said Government departments and the Chamber of Commerce should be more thoughtful about the kinds of businesses permitted to open and where they are located.

“We cannot complain about students falling into alcohol and other vices when we plop bars and lottery booths right in front of where they spend the most time in their day,” Gumbs said.

She also challenged business owners to recognize their role in the quality and development of the workforce.

According to the Minister, employers cannot criticize workers without also considering whether parents are given adequate flexibility to attend school meetings, report card nights and other important activities involving their children.

She similarly called on workers in the private sector to take responsibility, specifically pointing to bartenders and the need to ensure alcohol is not served to minors.

Gumbs also addressed those involved in illegal activity, telling people on “the streets” that they too have a responsibility not to target children and teenagers.

“Once upon a time ya’ll had a code. Find it again,” she said.

Churches were also challenged to focus more on inclusion and understanding rather than fear and restriction, while educators, school managers and school boards were encouraged to remain open to learning and to meet students where they are.

Gumbs cautioned against imposing personal biases on young people or determining for them who they should be or what direction they should take.

The Minister reserved her final message for students and young people themselves.

She said many of the concerns she raised during her presentation were informed by questions, complaints and experiences young people have shared directly with her.

“Grow into advocacy, for yourself and for your community,” Gumbs told them. “If something bothers you, speak about it.”

She said young people too often share experiences that are later ignored or pushed aside by adults and institutions.

“If it is to be fixed, it must be dragged into the light,” she said.

Gumbs said young people have repeatedly expressed frustration that St. Maarten speaks about them, campaigns on issues affecting them and makes decisions concerning their future, without always genuinely listening to them.

Her message to them was direct.

“Be loud. Be expressive. Show up for yourselves, before you show up for any of us.”

The Minister said the broader objective of the ECYS budget remains the development of a more robust, inclusive, knowledge-based and active St. Maarten, but stressed that achieving that goal requires more than Government expenditure.

It requires families, educators, businesses, churches, sports organizations, NGOs, workers, institutions and young people themselves to recognize that they all have a role in shaping the environment in which the next generation grows.

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