Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof Writes About His St Maarten Experience
:This was the last day of my tour around the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. Wrapping up on Sint Maarten, where much of the day was about rebuilding after the devastating impact of Hurricane Irma on the island.I visited projects here in the area of dumping and waste disposal, sewerage and water treatment, support for local entrepreneurs and renovation of a school. These projects are financed by the Netherlands. Very impressive to see how hard they work here to make Sint Maarten more livable for the people who live here and for the many who are guests here annually.Tourism is an important part of Sint Maarten’s economy. In that frame I was given a tour of the megapier where many large cruise ships dock.I also held discussions about the challenges and focal points in Sint Maarten in the fields of justice and law enforcement, with a focus on cooperation within the Kingdom in terms of detention, border surveillance and undermining crime.A very beautiful and diverse way to end my trip.————————————Today marked the last day of my tour of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. I finished in St Maarten, where much of my visit focused on the progress of reconstruction following the devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria.
I visited projects focused on landfills and waste disposal, sewage and water treatment, supporting local entrepreneurs and a school renovation. All these projects are co-funded by the Dutch government. It was impressive to see the hard work being done to make St Maarten more liveable for its residents and for the many people who visit each year.��Tourism is an important part of St Maarten’s economy. In this context, I was given a tour of the mega pier used by many large cruise ships.I also engaged in talks on the challenges and bottlenecks in St Maarten in the areas of justice and law enforcement, focusing on cooperation within the Kingdom regarding detention, border control and crime that undermines society.A fascinating and varied way to end my trip.