PHILPSBURG–On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, in a short ceremony at the Government Administration Building, the Secretary-General of the Social Economic Council (SER), Mr. Gerard Richardson, expressed his appreciation to the outgoing Secretary-General of the Ministry of General Affairs, Mr. H. Plantijn, for his dedicated years of service to Country Sint Maarten.
Mr. Plantijn is scheduled to retire next month following many years of public service on Sint Maarten. In his former capacity as the Legal Policy Advisor to the former Prime Minister and current President of Parliament of Sint Maarten, the Honorable S. Wescot-Williams, SG Plantijn together with the former SG of the Ministry of General Affairs, Mrs. Emilia Connor-Thomas, who both played instrumental roles in the establishment of the SER dating back to May 2011.
Mr. Richardson conveyed his sincere thanks and appreciation to SG Plantijn for his longstanding contributions to the SER since its inception. While there were occasions where differing perspectives existed regarding the SER and the role of the Ministry of General Affairs, both officials recognized the importance of maintaining a professional and respectful working relationship and concluded their collaboration on a positive note.
On behalf of the Chairman of the SER, Mr. Harlec Doran, Mr. Richardson thanked his outgoing colleague for his valuable contributions to both the SER and Country Sint Maarten and wished him every success in his future endeavors.