Employment
The largest employer of St. Eustatius is the Public Entity of St. Eustatius itself. Many people strive to work for St. Eustatius as they want to help out their fellow citizens and keep St. Eustatius in good economic, social and political health.
Another major employer on the island is the Oil Terminal. Built in the 1980’s the oil terminal has been a mainstay ever since. This business has kept the harbor of St. Eustatius vibrant for many years. The current owner, Global Terminal Investments Statia (GTI) took over the terminal in 2019.
Informal Economy
Many ‘Statians’ are considered a ‘jack of all trades’ and make honey, drive trucks, work in shops, repair machines etc. to supplement their incomes. This is culturally true on islands in general.
It is often said that if you can’t find someone to do it…learn how to do it yourself. Due to geographic isolation from others this has been a historic necessity. It also encourages people to develop themselves in complimentary ways.