THE NETHERLANDS (THE HAGUE) – Minister Plenipotentiary Her Excellency Drs. Gracita Arrindell attended a farewell ceremony for the former Dutch Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Frank Rijkaart and former Dutch State Secretary for Digitalization and Kingdom Relations Eddie van Marum.
As a gesture of appreciation for their cooperation and their engagement with Sint Maarten and the wider Caribbean part of the Kingdom, Arrindell presented both dignitaries with copies of the booklet ‘Salt Reapers’: the story of the Salt Industry on Sint Maarten.
By sharing the publication, Arrindell underscored the value of sharing Sint Maarten’s heritage and history with partners in the Kingdom.
“I appreciated the Minister and State Secretary heartfelt engagement during their very constructive tenure and used this opportunity to join others to bid them farewell,” Minister Plenipotentiary Arrindell stated on Thursday.
A new Dutch Government was sworn in on February 23, 2026, at the Huis ten Bosch Palace. The new government is a coalition of Democrats ‘66 (D66), the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA) and consists of 18 ministers and 10 state secretaries.
The swearing-in ceremony in February in the presence of the King marked the official entry into office of the Jetten government.
The new Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations are Pieter Heerma and the Minister for Kingdom Relations and Effective Government is Eric van der Burg.
D66 provides seven ministers and three state secretaries. The VVD is providing six ministers and three state secretaries. The CDA is providing five ministers and three state secretaries. State Secretary Sandra Palmen has no party affiliation.
