THE HAGUE–Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops made an urgent plea for the St. Maarten Parliament to take a formal stand on the offer of the Dutch government to assist the Princess Juliana Airport with 100 million euros.
He said during a debate in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Wednesday that the motions of no-confidence against St. Maarten Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin and Minister Stuart Johnson are holding much-needed progress in this area hostage.
“We are in a sort of status quo, and we can’t move forward with our offer that is on the table as long as there is no clarity as to the support in the St. Maarten Parliament for the government in power,” he told members of the Second Chamber’s Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations.
Knops pointed out that the airport and harbour, as the ports of entry, were the island’s lifeline, also in regards to tourism on which its economy depends for more than 70 per cent. “It is a no brainer that these have to be in order,” he said.
The Dutch government has offered 100 million to the St. Maarten government to invest in the airport which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Irma. Half of the amount would come from the European Investment Bank and the other half as a grant from the Dutch Trust Fund to help reconstruct St. Maarten. “I have not seen a better offer. Yet it isn’t happening,” he said.
The state secretary was critical of the St. Maarten Parliament which hasn’t taken a formal position on the Dutch offer. Instead, the Parliament presented two motions of no-confidence, which according to Knops are based on arguments surrounding the airport financing.
“Parliament has not taken a formal position and I find that disappointing. I really don’t understand how a responsible politician focuses on a motion of no-confidence while the country is in dire straits. Every day without a decision is a day lost,” said Knops, who during Wednesday’s debate at least called twice on the St. Maarten Parliament to take a stand.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/85185-knops-wants-st-maarten-parliament-to-take-a-stand
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