PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams and Olivia Lake from the Department of Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations updated reporters on Monday on the meeting that was held in Montserrat over the weekend to discuss small and medium enterprises within the region of the European Union.
Wescot Williams said prior to leaving the island she told reporters that five agenda points would have been discussed but that broke down to three. This meeting she said was held by the Caribbean OCT Council whose chair is in Montserrat. Wescot Williams said this meeting was important for all OCT members of the Caribbean because the regions could claim funding for regional projects, therefore coordination within the region was of uttermost importance. The program chosen for funding is the "small and medium enterprise" which is coordinated by the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Wescot Williams said they were informed at the meeting that the project encountered some delay but now it is moving again and it is believed that it will be completed according to schedule. She said another meeting will be held on June 2nd regarding said program and St. Maarten will participate in the meeting. The delegation will comprise of persons from the public and private sectors.
The topics that were chosen as potential areas to receive funding were Tourism, Health and Renewable Energy. Climate Change and Waste Management would fall under "Renewable Energy".
She said there are similarities in most of the regions, such as National Health Insurance and waste management. Wescot Williams said each country has to prepare a paper on the topics that were chosen. St. Maarten she said has to work on the paper for tourism. "This paper when finished will be shared among each country in order for them to take a collective decision on what they are seeking funding for from the EU."
The Prime Minister said that the idea is to get everything ready for the European Development Funding (EDF) meeting where the regions will submit their projects and or programs for European Funding.
Wescot Williams said during the meeting in Montserrat, St. Maarten was nominated as the Regional Authorizing Officer.
