New Book:
With this latest book, “Nation Building, Our Challenges, Resilience and Responsibility”, in short Nation Building, author drs. Eugene B. Holiday delivers a socio-political history book covering significant developments of the first two decades of 21 st century Sint Maarten and provides building blocks for the nation’s further development.
The book documents and chronicles important historic developments leading up to the attainment and
during the formative years of Sint Maarten’s Country Status and highlights some of the author’s actions
and decisions. When reading the pages of Nation Building you will learn as stated in the preface that:
“….. a lot has happened, constitutionally, politically, economically, socially, culturally, environmentally, and in …. transatlantic relations”.
You will read about the screening of candidate ministers, ship jumping, Hurricane Irma, Covid-19, COHO, border disputes as well as the transatlantic political tensions.
Natin Building, besides its introduction and epilogue, is comprised of 56 chapters, organized in seven
parts or sub themes. During the author’s Governorship from 2010-2022 he wrote over 150 speeches. The
book contains a selection of fifty of those speeches presented in different chapters. The speeches in each
part are preceded with an overview of significant developments intended to provide some background and context to the speeches. The seven parts or sub themes are:
Part 1 – The Pursuit and attainment of country status based on the exercise of our right of self-
determination;
Part 2 – Promoting Excellence in Governance;
Part 3 – Upholding our Constitution as anchor in political developments;
Part 4 – Fostering Economic Sustainability;
Part 5 – Promoting Social Cohesion;
Part 6 – Safety and Security; and
Part 7 – Strengthening Partnerships and Cooperation.
These parts or sub themes reflect the author’s view on the required steps towards effective nation
building for current and future generations.
The book concludes with an epilogue titled: “Our country will go as far as we take it”. It is in other words
our responsibility, the responsibility of each succeeding generation to build our nation, Sint Maarten.
It is intended to stimulate dialogue and to be a source of information and inspiration for government and
business officials, their advisors, community leaders, educators, residents, and particularly our youth for
the further building of our nation, Sint Maarten. This based on the author’s belief that “our knowledge
based on our recording of our history is the best foundation for the building of our future”.
The book was officially released on December 13, 2023, during a well-attended book launch at Sky
Vogue on Front Street, in Philipsburg. The launch included the presentation of the first official copy of
Nation Building by Author Eugene Holiday to Governor Ajamu Baly, a book review by Dennis Richardson, a Nation Building Trivia challenge by Marie Louise Holiday and remarks and signing of the book by the author.