SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), through the Inspectorate of Economic and Transport Affairs (IETA), is issuing a final appeal to all public transportation permit holders who have not yet completed the 2026 Confirmation Letter Process to do so within the coming weeks as the Ministry concludes its comprehensive public transportation database clean-up initiative.
The Confirmation Letter Process forms a key component of the Ministry's ongoing efforts to strengthen the administration and regulation of the public transportation sector by maintaining an accurate, complete, and reliable database of licensed operators. An up-to-date database enables the Ministry to make informed policy and regulatory decisions, improve inspection and enforcement planning, enhance service delivery, and ensure that only active and compliant operators are reflected in the national registry.
Since the commencement of the 2026 process in January, significant progress has been achieved. To date, approximately 40 Car Rental companies, 120 Passenger Bus operators, and 380 Taxi operators have successfully completed the process and received their 2026 Confirmation Letters. Several Touring Car and Unregulated Transport operators are also in the final stages of completing their submissions.
Despite this progress, IETA has identified a number of permit holders across all categories of public transportation who have not yet participated in the process. These operators were identified through Road Tax records and information obtained during the 2025 Confirmation Letter Process. To date, they have not contacted the Ministry to confirm whether they remain in operation or whether their businesses have become inactive.
Permit holders who have permanently ceased operations, temporarily suspended their services, or have not utilized their permit for six months or longer are strongly encouraged to formally notify IETA so that the Ministry's records can be updated accordingly. Maintaining accurate records benefits both the Ministry and the industry by ensuring that policy decisions, planning, and enforcement activities are based on current operational data.
The Ministry further reminds permit holders that, pursuant to Article 16(g) of the National Ordinance on Passenger Transport, the Minister may temporarily suspend or permanently revoke a public transportation permit where it has not been utilized for a continuous period exceeding six months.
As the database clean-up initiative enters its final phase, the Ministry will, over the coming weeks, publish a series of press releases for each category of public transportation. Each release will include the names of permit holders who have successfully completed the 2026 Confirmation Letter Process and whose records have been verified by the Inspectorate of Economic and Transport Affairs (IETA).
The publication of these lists serves not only to recognize those operators who have fulfilled their regulatory obligations, but also as the Ministry's final public notification to permit holders whose names do not appear. Operators whose names are absent from the published list for their respective category will have two (2) weeks from the date of that press release to contact IETA to confirm their operational status or complete the outstanding Confirmation Letter requirements.
Following the expiration of the two-week period, the Ministry will proceed with the final review of all outstanding permits. Where a permit holder has failed to respond or where it is determined that a permit has not been utilized for a continuous period exceeding six months, the matter may be referred to the Minister for administrative action in accordance with Article 16(g) of the National Ordinance on Passenger Transport, including the temporary suspension or permanent revocation of the permit where warranted.
The Ministry strongly encourages all outstanding permit holders to take advantage of this final opportunity to regularize their records. The completion of this initiative will result in the first comprehensive and verified database of active public transportation operators in recent years, providing a stronger foundation for policy development, regulatory oversight, enforcement planning, and improved public service delivery.
Additional information regarding the Confirmation Letter Process may be obtained by contacting the Inspectorate of Economic and Transport Affairs during normal business hours.
For additional information, please contact:
Transport Control Unit
Mobile/WhatsApp: +1 (721) 559-7685
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
