Provincial Grand Lodge of the Caribbean (Grand Orient of the Netherlands)
The Dutch-side Masonic lodge in Sint Maarten operates under the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Caribbean, an administrative body of the Grand Orient of the Netherlands, which is recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England. The GONL, founded in The Hague on December 26, 1756, is among the oldest national Masonic governing bodies in the world and maintains full UGLE recognition. The Provincial Grand Lodge of the Caribbean covers both Sint Maarten and Aruba within the Dutch Caribbean Masonic structure. Visiting Masons from UGLE-recognized jurisdictions should contact the Grand Orient of the Netherlands (vrijmetselarij.nl) for lodge contact information in Sint Maarten.
Sint Maarten's dual Masonic structure — GONL on the Dutch side and Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the Caribbean on both sides of the island — reflects the island's cosmopolitan character as one of the most densely populated territories in the Caribbean relative to its size. The shared island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten is the smallest land mass in the world shared by two sovereign nations (France (Saint-Martin) and the Netherlands (Sint Maarten)) with an open border allowing free movement.
Sint Maarten became a separate constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010. The island's heavy reliance on tourism (with Philipsburg as a major cruise ship destination) and its international population of Dutch, Caribbean, and other residents has created a diverse community within which the lodge serves a cosmopolitan membership.
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