Alida Francis in a backhoe bringing down the shovel.
ST. EUSTATIUS–A ground-breaking ceremony was held for the first phase of the Airport Boulevard project on Monday, October 3.
This project signified yet another major infrastructural project that was launched on St. Eustatius. The project is aimed at uplifting the environment surrounding the F.D. Roosevelt Airport.
Mistress of Ceremonies was Teena Lopes and her team from the Government Information Service.
The project entails the reconstruction of the roads and construction of a roundabout, parking areas and a passenger drop-off area at the front of the airport, called the “kiss and go” area. The cost of this phase of the project is US $4.9 million.
The Airport Boulevard project is one of several infrastructure projects financed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands. The contractor for the project is Statia Roads and Construction. The project is expected to be completed in a 13-month time period.
Present at the ceremony were Government Commissioner Alida Francis, Deputy Government Commissioner Claudia Toet, Island Council Member Adelka Spanner, Director of Directorate of Economy, Nature and Infrastructure ENI Anthony Reid and team, Commercial Manager of Transport Vishal Oedjaghir, a representative of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands, and Project Manager of Statia Roads Paul Djasmin David and his team.
Also present were Inspector of Police, Chief of Basic Police Care St. Eustatius, Robelto Hodge, David Ignacio and Elvin Henriques from the Programme Project Management Office (PPMO) and purchasing advisor Irvin Buitenman along with a wide range of civil servants, invited guests and members of the public.
Government Commissioner Francis spoke at the ceremony, saying, “Today is a continuation of the evolution of a process that began 76 years ago, back in 1946, for the start of the construction of a modern airport.”
Sixty-two years ago, improvements were made to the runway and the airport building, along with the construction of a paved road to Oranjestad, which was built in 1960. It was not until 1971 that the paved public road to the airport that passed through the former Golden Rock Plantation was constructed.
“More than half a century later, here we are about to begin the first phase of the further development of our airport, along with the roads and infrastructure,” said Francis. “We are sensitive to the fact that this project is being undertaken in the St. Eustatius cultural plan, which has a significant cultural heritage value and is susceptible to development – such as this project.”
To avoid mistakes of the past, the Statia government held a town hall meeting to share their vision with Statians and to get their feedback. Francis thanked everyone who turned out, who participated and gave their input.
“This project will uplift the airport environment,” Francis said. “In addition, we recently unveiled the project board for construction of the new and modern Gwendoline van Putten School, we’ve begun to strengthen the coastline at Lower Town, and work on the road Behind the Mountain is underway.”
“Slowly but surely, inch by inch, we are building a more appealing, environmentally friendly and accessible Statia for all our residents; we are building for today, tomorrow and the future.”
Francis said that “it’s up to each and every one of us to join heads, hearts and hands towards building, protecting and preserving a more all-embracing Statia that we all can enjoy.”
She also extended her thanks to the Directorate of ENI, Transport and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. Francis explained that she knew that there would be some discomfort for the neighbours near the project, but asked for everyone’s understanding and patience.
Other speakers included Reid and Henriquez, who both spoke briefly about the project and gave thanks to stakeholders.
The construction of a new passenger terminal and the Air Traffic Control Tower was completed in 2021.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/ground-breaking-ceremony-for-1st-phase-of-airport-boulevard-project
Derrick and Glen stepped in the trap set up by the marionette of the Dutch colonials, Francis. Known as a real parasite to the island, she and her vazals of no-good people have taken over as replacements of the white colonials, the Van Rij’s, etc. As good house negros they are more severe in whipping the general public.
People are sought out for their lack of ethical values and the greed for money. Just look at Francis, Toet, the island secretary with no-skills, some directors, and many unit managers, whose only ‘plus’ was that they obey Francis. Greedy for a career in local government, they are the new cadre for exploitation and abuse of the population.
In Bes-Reporter there was a photo of a rented meeting room in the expensive tourist resort Golden Rock Resort. And on the photo the top of the government organization and the newly appointed commissioners.
If that kind of spending is the custom nowadays, the future looks dark. As if there was no room big enough in any of the government buildings. Apparently the government commissioners, the island secretary, the bunch of directors and the walking-writer-white-colonial-lady, and some more civil servants found it appropriate to do some extra wining and dining on the expense of the people. Apparently it does not matter whether someone represents a socialist party or a colonial dinosaur. When the chance is there all want a bigger piece of the cake.
The distance to the poverty on Statia is too big, and all who were present knew this.
Another thing that steps out of this picture, is the amount of directors. Passing by the island secretary – a wife of situation – who only has a network within the islands elite, but according to Den Haag civil servants was never fit for the job. Steep coaching and expensive counseling has not helped much. But a amount of 5 directors for 200 civil servants is nowhere else encountered. One should be enough! If quality was present.
The plans of the Dutch government were presented by their puppet-directors to the new commissioners-without-powers. We all wonder what they plan to do, besides getting money for playing with the enemy.
We have seen the photos of the meetings with the two new commissioners. The power structure shall not change, and as seen on all photos, the white Dutch ‘we-know-everything-better’ women and men were still prominently present. We do not understand why these two men are stepping with both feet in the colonial trap, the setup of Van Rij.
Derrick Simmons and Glenville Schmidt, why? You are wiser than this! It is all an attempt to discret the people’s representatives and to prolong the economic restructuring of the society by a new racial accumulation of properties in the hands of white rich people.
THE BIG SALE has started!
That is to say, since the ‘golpe d’estado’ of the Dutch government in 2018 the local helpers of Den Haag have done very much to help prepare the island to be sold to rich entrepreneurs and investors. That’s one reason why the Cadastre is not free like in Europe. People may not see how fast the accumulation of land and property is going on.
Local population has been made soft by the introduction of many laws, regulations and licenses. Administrations were set up to register people, properties and all other possible sources for new taxes. Simultaneously the population was kept as poor as possible to prevent them to protest. Discrimination quadrupled by imposing a worse health system, too high prices for basic food, a structural lack of chances on sufficient education, houses also for the less privileged – and not only when they act submissive to the lackey Francis.
In the ‘old days’ before the white Dutch took over all decision making positions in the Statian society, Den Haag never had money for the island. Statia was only good as a short stop-over in the sun for the royals, the politicians or the European civil servants. With beads and little mirrors they bought a few lackeys, or servants. And only just after these house negros were trained enough to do the Pavlov tricks, the white master supervisor went back home and a so-called woman of the soil got the certificate as Loyal Colonial Helper, and was made Government Commissioner.
But still far too many management positions are conquered by white expats. And they all radiate the image that black people are not capable – in general, in anything. That’s internalized or indoctrinated discrimination!
AND SUDDENLY, there was a lot of money made available for road works, gutters, buildings, airport renovations, harbor innovations, a ferry, more airlines, and many other things. But like the old Dutch Development Aid, only companies benefitted from these money flows. And just imagine, what would a small island with not too many cars do with several roundabouts? Exactly, unnecessary spending of money, to benefit the rich – entrepreneurs or future tourists.
Unfortunately, nobody is undertaking any action. The few people with critical minds show that even they can be bought by positions in the puppet government. But, of course, and that’s the scenario sketched by Van Rij, without any powers. And thus they kill their own position in society and all know who sold who.