Minister Richinel Brug visits White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation | Government of Sint Maarten

December 18, 2024

On Monday December 16, Minister of VSA, the honorable Richinel Brug and his cabinet visited the

White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation (WYCCF). The visit aimed to familiarize the Minister with

the many services WYCCF offers, including new care products introduced over the years.

The Minister was warmly welcomed by WYCCF’s Chairman of the Board, Mr. Jon Duijnstee, the vice

chair Ms. Dana Kweekel and board member Mr. Marcel Gumbs. The Operations Manager of WYCCF,

Mrs. Bregje Boetekees, gave a brief presentation on the 50-year history of WYCCF. This highlighted

new services the Foundation has added over the years, such as Home Care, Hospice,

Rehabilitation and a daycare for persons with dementia. Despite the expanded care WYCCF has

offered over the years, waiting lists have formed for many of its services. Such as for the nursing

home, elderly care facility and the daycare for persons with dementia. With the growing and aging

population of Sint Maarten, care expansions are urgently needed. An initiative Minister Brug

wholeheartedly supports as mental health is one of the Minister’s top priorities. This support is not

only important for the patient but also for the different families that lack the support for their loved

one.

The WYCCF shared their expansion plans with the Minister, outlining a 4-year phased approach to

increase their capacity. The first phase involves constructing a new building for psychogeriatric

daycare, which will double its current capacity. This expansion aims to keep clients at home for as

long as possible, helping to contain healthcare costs. Daycare services for individuals with

dementia enable family members to continue as caregivers, delaying or preventing the need for

nursing home admission. Once the new building for the daycare is completed, twelve new beds will

open in the Nursing Home, which will alleviate the extensive waiting list which has formed for this

service.

The other three phases of the WYCCF expansion plans include a new building for Elderly Care (20

beds), a 3-floor addition to the Nursing Home (45 beds) and expanding the Rehabilitation Center

(20 beds). This would include beds for respite care and for a new service, called medium care. This

service aims to reduce days spent in hospital and speed up the return to the home setting of a

client, further containing healthcare costs.

Minister Brug showed keen interest in the many years of work of the Foundation and its expansion

plans. While touring the facilities he greeted many clients who know him and heard the firsthand

experience of a client of the rehabilitation center, who successfully learned how to walk with two

prosthetic legs. Hearing the relatively young age of persons on Sint Maarten who need rehabilitation

after a stroke or amputation, Minister Brug reconfirmed his commitment to preventative healthcare

measures.