PM: "This is indeed very important news for the development of the Dutch Quarter District specifically and St. Maarten in general."
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams will be heading into the community of Dutch Quarter to give residents information on the 11 EDF recently signed into effect by the PM during her working visit to Europe last November. During her working visit to the Netherlands and Belgium the Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams signed into effect the tenth European Development Fund (EDF) project for the wide scale infrastructural upgrading of the Dutch Quarter District in Brussels on Friday. The Prime Minister, as Territorial Authorizing Officer, has been engaged in wide scale negotiations with the European Union to fund the improvement of the Dutch Quarter District, which will greatly enhance the infrastructure and social upgrading of the area. The European Union will provide 4.750.000 Euro for the project. "After lengthy negotiations and discussions we have successfully managed to sign the funding agreement with the European Union for the upgrading of the Dutch Quarter District. With the signing of the European Development Fund agreement St. Maarten will be expected to manage its own 10th EDF execution with as mentioned the designated project being the upgrading of Dutch Quarter. The management structure that will be put in place is a critical component to ensure that the project is executed within the parameters and guidelines of European funding. In order to inform the community of the project I will therefore be heading into the Dutch Quarter community to give an explanation regarding the upgrading of this very important district," stated the PM.
The Prime Minister, as Minister for General Affairs and as Territorial Authorizing Officer (TAO) responsible for the proper execution of the EDF programs and projects on St. Maarten, was the chief negotiator for the funding which will see large scale multi-million Euro infrastructural upgrades to one of the more challenged districts in the country. "There is still much work to be done before the actual work on the project for Dutch Quarter can begin, but securing the funding before the end of 2013 is a major accomplishment, especially given the difficulties which have previously existed between (U)SONA and the European Union. This is indeed very important news for the development of the Dutch Quarter District Specifically and St. Maarten in general," stated the Prime Minister.
From the Cabinet of the Prime Minister
