De Weever tours Port St. Maarten

Minister Cornelius de Weever touring Port St. Maarten Monday.

PHILIPSBURG–Minister of Tourism Cornelius de Weever toured Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise Facility on Monday accompanied by members of his cabinet. The aim of the Minister’s visit was to get a close-up view of the damage Hurricanes Irma and Maria inflicted at the Port, the effects of this on business and the island’s economy, and the Harbour’s recovery plans.

  Port St. Maarten Chief Financial Officer Tom Van Kooten welcomed De Weever and his team and gave them a tour of the facility. The first stop was Pier 1, the damage to which has resulted in the loss of two berths. According to Van Kooten, this has been identified as the Port’s biggest headache to date. However, he said all is on track with the insurance company for the restoration of the Port.

  “This is a good sign. However, moving forward too fast, with an island not fully recovered and still cleaning up, could lead to a negative impact if not carefully supervised,” said Van Kooten.

  Both the Minister and Van Kooten agreed that everything will be done to ensure that visitors experience a good, safe and fun-filled stay on the island.

  The Home Porting Terminal suffered extensive damage from the hurricanes. While the frame of the structure is intact, safety concerns remain top of the list. The Minister and the Port will seek innovative ways to repair the Home Porting Terminal. This may include the possibility of a solid structure to prevent the Terminal having to be in a similar situation in the future as it is in today.

  According to a press statement from De Weever’s cabinet on Wednesday, in the near future, the Minister will visit the cargo facility, an important revenue generator for the Port.

  Minister de Weever said he will be meeting with officials in Marigot on a regular basis to ensure a unified approach to bringing business back to the island. “We are cognisant of the fact that the Caribbean is a big region for the cruise Industry, St. Maarten was number one in the past and we will do everything possible to make it number one again in the near future,” he said.

Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/73075-de-weever-tours-port-st-maarten