PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams gave the media of St. Maarten an overview of the meetings she attended in Brussels last week. Those meetings were with the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) and the European Union Forum. Wescot Williams said that the forum consisted of three parts namely the OCT which was the meeting of all Overseas Countries and Territories within the European Union. This also included the Caribbean Region who also formed a council called the Caribbean OCT council. Wescot Williams said in the Caribbean OCT, projects and programs including EU funding for these projects are being discussed. The other session she said was between the European Union particularly the European commissions and the OCTs.
Wescot Williams said the most recent meeting held last week was very important especially for the OCTs who would form a political resolution. In this resolution, the OCTs would call on the EU to partner with the OCTs in pursuing programs and projects related to innovations and competitiveness. The OCT council asked the European Union for more simplified procedures related to the European Development Funds. OCT council also asked for closer cooperation between the EU and the OCTA in the implementation of the 11th European Development Funds (EDF) in the area of regional allocations.
In the previously mentioned resolution, the OCT council called on the EU to communicate its trade negotiations with third countries, to assist with the implementation of registered exporter schemes, recognize OCT achievements to comply with global standards of tax transparency and regulations and facilitate access to horizontal programs.
The OCT council of the Caribbean also called on the European Union to make known to the OCTs students' rights to European Union tuition fees.
Wescot Williams said other areas that were highlighted in the resolution are climate change, environment, and disaster risk reduction.
The Prime Minister of St. Maarten also explained that while in Brussels she signed off on the funding that will be provided for district development. This project she said started in the 9th OCTA/EU Forum. She said St. Maarten had until the end of December 2013 to sign off on acquiring the 4.3 million Euros for the project. Wescot Williams said this was achievable because of the letter USONA wrote regarding the management of the EU funds that is now disputed in courts.
