SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - President of Parliament Sarah A. Wescot-Williams is encouraging St. Maarten’s business community to embrace a locally rooted alternative to Black Friday by adopting 'Strength Savings’ during the island’s Thanksgiving period, particularly on Friday, December 5th, and Saturday, December 6th.
Wescot-Williams acknowledged that many businesses have already announced Black Friday promotions. Rather than discarding those efforts, she urged retailers to shift or extend their major sales into the first weekend of December under the 'Strength Savings’ banner. “Black Friday is not part of our history or cultural identity,” she said. “But St. Maarten’s Thanksgiving is, and it is built on our resilience as a people. 'Strength Savings' gives us a way to celebrate that spirit while supporting our local economy.”
She reaffirmed that St. Maarten’s Thanksgiving, observed on the first Sunday of December, is a tradition born out of faith, gratitude, and the strength shown after every storm. “At a time when we commemorate our resilience and offer thanks as an island, it is fitting that our business community joins in this moment, not by following imported customs, but by uplifting our own.”
Wescot-Williams encouraged retailers of all sizes to consider adopting 'Strength Savings', Built on Resilience. Celebrated with Savings, as an island-wide initiative, reinforcing national identity while offering meaningful value to residents and visitors.
“Let us take pride in what is ours. This December, I encourage our businesses to lead with the same strength that defines our people.”
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