PHILIPSBURG — Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Dr. Luc Mercelina, welcomed Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten for a high-level meeting on Saturday. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation within the Kingdom, and addressing key issues impacting Sint Maarten’s long-term sustainability and resilience, including recent geopolitical developments.
Representing Sint Maarten were Chief of Staff, Mr. Stuart Johnson, Secretary-General of the Ministry of General Affairs, Dr. Abel Knottnerus, and Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, Ms. Cassandra Jansen. The Dutch delegation included Director-General Kingdom Relations, Mrs. Barbara Wolfensberger and the Representative of the Netherlands in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, Mr. Gerbert Kunst.
During the discussions, Prime Minister Mercelina emphasized the importance of maintaining strong and pragmatic cooperation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while ensuring that ongoing projects of the Trust Fund and the Country Package continue to deliver tangible benefits for the people of Sint Maarten.
“We must continue to focus on cooperation that delivers lasting results,” Prime Minister Mercelina stated. “Our discussions centered on how we can ensure that the Trust Fund and the Country Package have a lasting impact for the people of Sint Maarten and how we can jointly develop a strategic agenda for cooperation that contributes to economic growth, stability and cohesion within the Kingdom. I truly believe in a Kingdom in which Sint Maarten is not a stakeholder but a co-owner. As Sint Maarten we cannot do everything alone, we need each other in the Kingdom, especially in these geopolitical uncertain times”
“Today has been a great start to my first trip as Prime Minister to St Maarten and the other Caribbean parts of our Kingdom”, Prime Minister Jetten stated. “I had the pleasure of discussing a range of important topics with Prime Minister Mercelina and his Council of Ministers. Of course also about the progress made since hurricanes Irma and Maria. It’s been four years since I’ve last visited St Maarten and I’m extremely impressed by the resilience and determination of the people of Sint Maarten. I’m glad I’ve seen for myself how much has already been achieved since then. I also discussed the importance of working together on issues such as border control and organized crime with the Minister of Justice and representatives of the police and different law enforcement organizations. The overarching theme of the day and my whole visit is how we can work together as a kingdom in the years ahead. We need to work together on the basis of equality and respect”.
A key topic of discussion was the proposed extension of the Trust Fund for the Emergency Debris Management Project (EDMP), including the broader challenges surrounding the landfill and sustainable waste management. Both delegations acknowledged that the project has evolved since its original post-Hurricane Irma mandate and agreed on the importance of establishing clear and realistic benchmarks for long-term success.
Additional discussions addressed included:
– the impact of climate change on Sint Maarten;
– the preparation for the upcoming Kingdom Conference, which is proposed to take place towards the end of this year;
– the report of the evaluation committee on the Country Package, which recommended an extension of at least 2 years with a focus on strengthening key Government functions, including HR, tax administration and public financial management
– Economic resilience and the economic impact of the war in the Middle East;
– Regional financial stability and the Central Bank of Sint Maarten and Curacao;
– the close relationship between Sint Maarten and the United States, and the recent working visits of Prime Minister Mercelina and Prime Minister Jetten to the United States;
– Closer collaboration within the Kingdom on renewable energy, education, health care and justice matters.
Prime Minister Mercelina also highlighted the importance of direct communication, mutual trust, and maintaining a pragmatic mindset focused on implementation and measurable outcomes.
The meeting concluded on a very positive and forward-looking note, with both Prime Ministers reaffirming their commitment to continued collaboration on issues of shared importance within the Kingdom.
Prime Minister Mercelina thanked Prime Minister Jetten and the Dutch delegation for their constructive engagement and reiterated Sint Maarten’s commitment to building sustainable partnerships that support the country’s long-term development.
