THE HAGUE:--- Honourable Minister Plenipotentiary, Mrs. Henrietta Doran-York, hosted Honourable Ministers Plenipotentiary of Curacao and Aruba, Mr. Anthony Begina and Mr. Juan David Yruasquin, and Honourable Minister of Education of Curacao, Mrs. Marilyn Alcalá-Wallé, who is currently on a working visit in the Netherlands, at the Cabinet of Sint Maarten on Wednesday November 8th, in order to through them, formally thank the governments of Curacao and Aruba, on behalf of the Prime Minister and government of Sint Maarten, for their joint efforts in assisting and coordinating emergency aid to Sint Maarten prior to, during, and in the aftermath of the passing of hurricane Irma.
In particular, she thanked the governments for their immediate support to strengthen the capacities on Sint Maarten by sending personnel that crossed various fields of expertise.
With regards to the Government of Aruba, Minister Doran-York extended her gratitude for the Aruban government’s emergency medical response to, and the housing of persons in dire need of medical treatment. She also thanked the various Aruban organizations that have offered their assistance to the people of Sint Maarten since the passing of the hurricanes including the citizens of Aruba that took Sint Maarteners into their homes during those difficult days. The Minister also made mention of the schools on Aruba that made it possible for the students of Sint Maarten to continue going to school during their stay.
The Government of Curacao were thanked, for functioning as a hub for the emergency assistance to Sint Maarten after the hurricane. The Minister highlighted her visit to the emergency shelter that was set up in Curacao, while she was on route to Sint Maarten after the hurricane. She thanked the government of Curacao for granting temporary housing and access to basic living necessities to the many Sint Maarteners that were forced to evacuate. Minister Doran-York also extended her gratitude to Minister Alcalá-Wallé and her Ministry for opening up the schools to the children of Sint Maarten, and thanked the hundreds of families in Curacao that made their homes available during this difficult period.
She noted that this experience, once again, reinforced her belief that the Caribbean countries within the Kingdom are committed to stand together and support each other through thick and thin.
Minister Doran-York presented the Ministers present with a small token of appreciation on behalf of the Government and people of Sint Maarten, and thanked them for their continued efforts in the emergency assistance and reconstruction of Sint Maarten.
Minister Doran-York previously recognized and thanked, during a formal setting, the Dutch Government and individual Dutch Ministers for their support and contributions to Sint Maarten.
