SABA/STATIA:--- The public entities Saba and St. Eustatius during a meeting in St. Eustatius on Monday, May 23 agreed to further strengthen the cooperation between the two islands.
A small delegation from Saba, headed by Commissioner Bruce Zagers, traveled to St. Eustatius for a meeting to further the collaboration with St. Eustatius on different topics. It was agreed that the islands will explore further possibilities for a stronger joint approach on topics such as banking, notary, air and sea travel, waste management and recycling, and health care.
Besides the workgroups that already exist on a variety of these topics, the delegations agreed that it was important to install an over-arching task force that will keep an overall view on all topics. Each of these topics faces individual challenges for which specific approaches and possible solutions are needed. The two islands also agreed to work on a joint ambition document with regard to nature management/environment and waste management.
After the meeting on Monday, Government Commissioner Alida Francis gave an in-depth explanation of different ongoing projects during an extensive island tour. On Tuesday, the Saba delegation visited the waste facility. The delegation received an elaborate explanation on how the facility and the surrounding processes work.
Present from St. Eustatius during Monday’s meeting were: Government Commissioner Francis, Acting Island Secretary Marion Schroen, Policy Advisor Susanne van den Groenendaal, Director of Economy Nature and Infrastructure (ENI) Anthony Reid, Project Manager Infrastructural Projects and ENI Advisor Robert Lansbergen. Present from Saba were: Commissioner Zagers, Policy Advisor Nicole Johnson, Department Head of Waste management and Recycling Camillo Usuga, Island Secretary Tim Muller.
