PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VSA Omar Ottley who is also responsible for drinking water confirmed on Wednesday at the Council of Ministers press briefing that he is in negotiations with Seven Seas Water since the government of St. Maarten is supposed to take over the ownership of the water plant by 2025. Ottley said the contract has a number of amendments that he could not elaborate on but said because of these amendments’ government has to prepare itself for the takeover, thus just recently an agreement was signed with Seven Seas to offer scholarships to persons that are interested in water production and distribution. The agreement was signed with DRDP (Desalination Resource Development Program).
Ottley said he is proud to be the first Minister to initiate this program even though it has been available since 2008. Ottley said while he is not able to divulge much information on the process, he can say that St. Maarten is preparing its people to own its own water plant.
