PHILIPSBURG/THE HAGUE–Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk, on behalf of the Dutch Government, recently released 1.9 million guilders to the St. Maarten Development Fund (‘SMDF’) to carry out a project geared towards the needs of the elderly residents of St. Maarten. The funds for this project which are part of the remaining funds from the Antillean Co-Financing Organisation AMFO, have now been transferred in full to the SMDF.
The project to be carried out by the SMDF will use as point of departure the “Results Elderly Research St. Maarten”. This research was commissioned by the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour and finalized in November of 2013 by Pyt Lucas.
The main goal of the project will be to provide tangible deliverables to the elderly residents of St. Maarten. Both parties have agreed that the project is not intended to carry out further studies or research, but to provide material needs directly to the elderly and to the organisations that deal directly with the elderly.
The project will be executed by SMDF under the guidance of Managing Director Keith Franca in close collaboration with the SMDF board chaired by Richelda Emmanuel-Rodriguez. The project will seek the input of the stakeholders on St. Maarten who have a mandated responsibility towards elderly residents. The SMDF will soon be looking for a project manager to write the terms of reference for the project, coordinate with stakeholders and to execute the project.
The process will also be monitored by the Dutch Representation Office VNP in Philipsburg, who has a vested interest in the project. During the calendar year of 2017, which is when the project is scheduled to be executed, the SMDF and the head of the Dutch Representation in Philipsburg VNP Chris Johnson will meet regularly to evaluate the progress of the project.
During his visit to St. Maarten, Dutch Representative for the countries of Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten Henk Brons, joined by and Chris Johnson, met with Rodriguez and Franca to discuss the project and to wish them success with the implementation and execution of this meaningful and noteworthy endeavour.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/62105-dutch-government-funds-smdf-project-for-elderly
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