PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – State Secretary Knops (Interior and Kingdom Relations) and State Secretary Van Ark (Social Affairs and Employment) will pay a working visit to Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eustatius from 25 to 27 June.
State Secretary Knops will start his working visit on Sint Maarten to see firsthand how the reconstruction of the island is progressing. During his two-day program, he will be able to take a closer look at a number of projects that are financed by the Dutch government, such as the repair of houses. Scheduled are visits to various housing projects and meeting associated residents and contractors. He will also pass by businesses of entrepreneurs who have made a new start with the help of microcredits and speak to persons who found jobs in the construction or hospitality
sector through (re)training programs.
State Secretary Van Ark is visiting Saba on 25 and 26 June. She will be looking at an ongoing social housing project on the island and talk to families about poverty and debt assistance. Her program also includes a visit to the restaurant ‘Different Taste’, which offers those facing challenges in the labor market the opportunity to gain work experience in the kitchen and in service. On 26 June, after having breakfast as a school on Saba, she travels on to St. Eustatius, where she will visit a daycare center and a job placement project.
The two ministers conclude their working visit on June 27 with a joint visit to St. Eustatius. This part of the program is mainly devoted to administrative consultations with Sint Eustatius, Saba and Bonaire about the progress around the social minimum benchmark.
