THE HAGUE–The Netherlands Enterprise Agency RVO.nl, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, is organising an information session about St. Maarten’s reconstruction programme for the Dutch private sector in The Hague on September 28.
RVO.nl is inviting businesses with know-how and expertise that can be useful in the reconstruction of St. Maarten after Hurricane Irma to attend. Businesses that are specialised in infrastructure/accessibility and waste management/collection are a specific target group for this session.
Several stakeholders, including the World Bank, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK and the St. Maarten government, will be present to provide information on the reconstruction programme. The session is organised by RVO.nl, NL in Business, and the BZK Ministry.
The Dutch government has reserved 550 million euros for St. Maarten’s reconstruction. A large part of this amount has been placed in a trust fund managed by the World Bank. The St. Maarten government has drafted the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). From this plan, a number of programmes and projects will be financed through the trust fund under the motto “Building Back Stronger.
The projects that are being prepared focus on sustainable, long-term fortification of the island’s (public) systems and facilities, mainly infrastructure and the main ports (harbour and airport), and the collection and management of waste. World Bank experts will be present on September 28 to provide information about the reconstruction programme.
The event, which will take place at the offices of the largest employers’ organisation in the Netherlands VNO-NCW, will consist of three parts: the plenary opening, the break-out sessions and a panel discussion.
Speaking at the opening will be NL in Business Director Edo Offerhaus, World Bank Regional Director for the Caribbean Tahseen Sayed, St. Maarten Minister Plenipotentiary Jorien Wuite, RVO.nl International Programmes Director Tjerk Opmeer and BZK Ministry Windward Islands Reconstruction Programme Director Hans van der Stelt.
Four subjects will feature during the break-out sessions: waste, infrastructure, water and energy public utilities, and World Bank activities in the Caribbean. During the panel discussion, practical experiences of companies that work in St. Maarten and with World Bank projects will be shared.
The Dutch public entities St. Eustatius and Saba are assisted in another manner. Besides the 67 million euros the Dutch government has made available for the reconstruction of these two islands, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy EZK started a voluntarily compensation arrangement in January for entrepreneurs in the tourism sector in St. Eustatius.
On behalf of the Dutch Council of Ministers, the EZK Ministry made 2.48 million available to support entrepreneurs on the islands that were adversely affected by Hurricane Irma and lost a considerable part of their revenues due to the storm. Local entrepreneurs had to file a request at RVO.nl to receive compensation of a maximum of 25 per cent of the annual revenue.
RVO.nl works with businesses throughout the Kingdom. Entrepreneurs on the six Dutch Caribbean islands can make use of its services. Since January 1, several Ministry of Foreign Affairs instruments for trade and investment promotion have been made available for entrepreneurs on all six islands with the aim to strengthen the foreign economic relations of the entire Kingdom.
The (subsidy) regulations are applicable to trade and investment promotion outside the Kingdom, and are offered to both Dutch and Dutch Caribbean entrepreneurs under the same conditions. The idea is that economic power and diversity will be strengthened by working together within the Kingdom.
RVO.nl encourages entrepreneurs in sustainable, agrarian, innovative and international business. It helps with grants, finding business partners, know-how and compliance with laws and regulations. The aim is to improve opportunities for entrepreneurs and strengthen their position.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/79349-st-maarten-reconstruction-event-for-dutch-companies
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