PHILIPSBURG--Governor Ajamu Baly engaged with several Dutch officials on a wide range of issues during a visit to the Netherlands March 21-29.
During his visit, he met with Commander-in-Chief of the Dutch armed forces, the State Secretaries for Kingdom Relations and Justice and Security, as well as the Ministers of Defence, Climate and Green Growth, and Justice and Security.
Baly also held meetings with the Dutch Prime Minister, the presidents of the Committees for Kingdom Relations of the First and Second Chambers, and the Minister Plenipotentiary for St Maarten. Additionally, he met with the president of the Dutch Supreme Court, representatives of the Central Statistics Bureau (CBS) of the Netherlands, and the president of the Central Bank of the Netherlands (DNB), as well as the engineering firm Royal.
Governor Baly also attended the official farewell ceremony for outgoing St. Maarten member of the Council of State for the Kingdom Mrs. Van der Sluis-Plantz. On March 28, the Governor also participated in the Caribbean Career Fair at the RAI in Amsterdam, supporting St. Maarten's efforts to attract talented professionals to the island.
Throughout his meetings with Dutch dignitaries, Baly discussed a variety of topics, including the security threats arising from geopolitical changes. He also addressed the housing problems faced by St. Maarten students in the Netherlands, the island’s transition to sustainable energy, and the future staffing needs for the new prison in Point Blanche, set to open in 2028.
At the CBS, discussions focused on ways to strengthen St. Maarten’s data-collection capabilities, while at the DNB, the conversation centred on the special fund introduced by the bank to underscore its accountability in relation to the Netherlands’ historical involvement in the slave trade.
Reflecting on the visit, Governor Baly said he looks back at an intensive but fruitful visit to the Netherlands.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/governor-baly-engages-with-officials-on-several-issues-during-visit-to-netherlands
