PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake met with members of the Progress Committee paid on Thursday afternoon in what turned out to be a farewell meeting as it was the last time that the committee would be meeting with the Ministry VROMI.
The committee was put in place after Sint Maarten became an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands with the task of reporting on the plans of approach that are legally needed to ensure a proper functioning country status.
The Committee has demonstrated its satisfaction with the work that has been done and has recommended that the Ministry puts in place some form of an external reporting committee or bureau, which can continue to monitor and report to the Minister to ensure that the good work that has been achieved through the cooperation and supervision by the Progress Committee doesn't decline.
The Committee was moreover very pleased to have received the Project Plan Domain Affairs, which is a policy document pertaining to the granting of government land in long lease. This policy was basically the last outstanding document needed to finalize the task of the Committee as it pertains to Ministry VROMI.
Minister Lake was very satisfied with the achievements of the Ministry as he is the third Minister with whom the Progress Committee had discussions on the way forward and moreover the fact that under his watch the project was brought to its finalization.
To quote the words of the Committee, "Ministry VROMI should be used as an example for other ministries on what can be achieved".
Minister Lake thanked the members of the Committee for their assistance in bringing about positive change to Ministry VROMI and expresses the hope that other Ministries would use VROMI as an example of what is administratively needed to make Sint Maarten a proper functioning country within the Kingdom.
