Tied to Strings: Power, Puppets, and the Breakdown of Government-Owned Companies

Destruction does not always come with chaos. Sometimes, it arrives in a suit and tie.

Across the Caribbean, government-owned companies too often fall victim to politics masquerading as leadership, and St. Maarten is no exception. New appointments are made, and old ones are removed, and on the surface, it looks like progress. However, behind the scenes, the same script plays out repeatedly. Political interference has become a slow poison, eroding government-owned companies from the inside out.

Everyone sees it. These companies aren’t run as institutions, they’re used as tools of control. Boards are replaced at will. Managers are chosen not for what they know but for who they know. Appointments are handed out like political favors, often to those who understand the unspoken rule: toe the line or be replaced.

Strategic plans collapse at the first signs of discomfort. Policy decisions are shifted to suit political needs, and when things fall apart, the solution is not reform but spin tactics. Another press release. Another round of theater to distract from the real issues.

GEBE is just the most recent example. After years of dysfunction, the supervisory board is once again being pushed out, another shake-up in a long line of politically entangled exits. It didn’t follow an independent audit or transparent investigation. It followed a now-familiar pattern: public frustration boils over, power steps in, and the cycle continues. One board out, another in, but the same culture of control remains untouched.

But this isn’t just about GEBE. It’s about a system where supervisory boards and executive teams in government-owned companies operate as political extensions, not independent institutions. We’ve watched these entities overspend on contradictory plans while claiming that they can’t fund basic services. We’ve seen boards go silent during crises and then get quietly replaced. We’ve seen reforms stalled, not because they lacked value, but because they lacked political convenience.

While the games play out, the people wait. They pay higher bills, endure slower services, and watch public institutions weaken under the weight of interference.

The damage is not just operational; it’s institutional. When boards and managers are installed to obey, rather than lead, the entire system loses its integrity. No director can act boldly when their seat depends on political favor. No company can plan for the long term when decisions are made in backrooms.

Some might argue that political input ensures public accountability. In theory, this is true. Democratic oversight is important. However, when every major decision becomes hostage to politics, the public loses both efficiency and transparency. This is not governance; it’s slow-motion sabotage.

So what exactly is being built? Because if the goal is strong, independent government-owned companies, the current direction is clearly wrong. Real leadership doesn’t blur the line between politics and operations; it reinforces it. It appoints people who serve the public, not political parties. Leaders who manage based on mandate, not mood. Qualifications matter, but so do knowledge, competence, and a proven track record of integrity in the field. Fixing this will require more than simply swapping out supervisory boards. It demands real boundaries and the discipline to stick to them. The solution is not complex; it’s simply being avoided.

Change is difficult, especially in small communities where the talent pool is limited and personal ties run deep. Pushback is expected. Rules will be tested. Therefore, governance must be clear, enforceable, and shielded from interference. The Ombudsman and Integrity Chamber can’t enforce board changes, but they can investigate, expose, and inform. And that still matters. When the public demands action, even soft power can become a pressure. Reform will not come from politics alone. It comes when institutions do their part and the people back them up.

Here’s where to begin: three rules with real consequences:

• Board appointments must be public and based on qualifications, experience, and independence.
• Major decisions should be explained in plain language that the public can understand.
• Political interference must carry real penalties, not just press releases.

This isn’t complicated. It’s structure. It’s accountability. And it’s long overdue. With rules like these, government-owned companies can start serving the country again instead of being used to serve politics. Until then, no reshuffling will fix this dysfunction. Because the problem was never just who sits in the chair. It’s also who’s pulling the strings behind it.

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