News item | 04-08-2025 | 14:00
State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations Eddie van Marum will pay a working visit to Sint Maarten, Aruba and Curaçao from 10 to 15 August. This will be his first trip to the Caribbean part of the Kingdom since he has taken over the Kingdom Relations portfolio from his predecessor. The visit of State Secretary Van Marum is dominated by a first introduction to the islands and the administrators. Important topics during the working visit are food security, reconstruction on Sint Maarten and economic development.
Sint Maarten
The visit starts immediately upon arrival on Sunday 10 August with a tour of both the Dutch and the French side of the island. The State Secretary is also introduced to the teams of the representation of the Netherlands in Philipsburg and the temporary work organization. On Monday 11 August the formal part of the working visit will start with an introduction to Gouverneur Ajamu Baly, Prime Minister Luc Merccelina and the Council of Ministers and with the chairman of the Sint Maartense Parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams. The afternoon is dominated by crisis management during the hurricane season and the reconstruction after the devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria. The State Secretary speaks with partners who deal with crisis management and, together with the National Recovery and Program Bureau (NRPB), is making a tour of various reconstruction projects. For example, he visits the new construction of the hospital and the waste management project: Emergency Debris Management Project. The State Secretary is also informed about it Enterprise Support project that is aimed at stimulating local small and medium-sized businesses on Sint Maarten. The visit to Sint Maarten ends with a meeting with the partners in the law enforcement chain, including the Sint Maartense Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling.
Aruba
On Tuesday, August 12, Mr Van Marum flies on to Aruba, where he starts an introduction to the employees of the representation of the Netherlands in Oranjestad. For the formal part of the working visit to Aruba, he visits the Aruban governor, Alfonso Boekhoudt. This is followed by an introduction to the States President of Aruba, Alfred Sneek and the party leaders of the parties in the Aruban Parliament.
On Wednesday, August 13, Mr Van Marum will speak with Prime Minister Mike Eman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Kingdom Relations Gerlien Croes and Minister of Finance Geoffrey Wever. One of the priorities of the State Secretary is the theme of food security. For this, the government has made 24 million available through a revolving fund to be established. A visit to the Agro Park is therefore on the program on Aruba. This initiative focuses on sustainable agricultural development and food security. In the afternoon the State Secretary will visit various locations on the island; Among other things, the former refinery, Natuurpark Arikok, Waste Mountain parakeet forest and the sewage treatment plant. At the end of the day, Mr Van Marum flies on to Curaçao.
Curacao
The visit to Curaçao will start on Thursday, August 14 with an introductory meeting with Gouverneur Lucille George-Wout. On November 4, after two periods, she says goodbye as governor of Curaçao. Mr Van Marum then has a meeting with the Council of Ministers of Curaçao, led by Deputy Prime Minister Javier Silvania. The State Secretary also speaks with States President Fergino Brownbill and is introduced to the members of the Kingdom Relations Committee. In the afternoon the State Secretary Hòfi Cas Cora, an Eco Farm, visited by young local entrepreneurs. Subsequently, a conversation takes place with the cooperation partners involved in the theme of safe boundaries. In the afternoon, during a walk through the Otrobanda district, the State Secretary meets the civil society and representatives of the business community in Curaçao. The State Secretary also, led by Park Rangers of the Carmabi Research Institute, visits the Mangrovepark Curaçao. The State Secretary is informed on the spot about the vulnerability of mangrove and coral. On this day an introduction is also planned with the team of the representation of the Netherlands in Willemstad.
Friday, August 15 is already the last day of the working visit. In the morning he visits the newly opened office of the Memoring Committee Slavery Past as well as the monument for Tula’s resistance leader. Due to the importance of food security, State Secretary for Marum also visits Zakito, where he will talk to the cooperative of fishermen and a representative of the LVV: agriculture, livestock and fishing. He also visits the Bob Foundation. This foundation is committed to protecting and education about indigenous birds. Finally, in the context of food security, the State Secretary visits a local supermarket in Curaçao.