Wednesday’s report about an upcoming information session on St. Maarten’s reconstruction for interested parties in The Hague raised an eyebrow or two. Some fear this means most of the 470-million-euro Trust Fund at the World Bank made available by the Netherlands will end up going to European businesses.
That’s obviously not the case up to now, as the so-far-approved grants clearly regard several recovery projects in which local entities are and will continue to be involved. However, one can hardly deny that certain input and expertise from abroad may be needed to tackle complicated issues like the frequently-burning dumps in an effective and sustainable manner.
As a matter of fact, areas of specialisation targeted with the gathering include infrastructure/accessibility and waste-management/-collection. Water and electricity utilities is to be one of four subjects for breakout sessions, which could lead to alternative energy initiatives.
In any case, the St. Maarten government will be duly represented on September 28, so there is no need for concern about leaving local authorities in the dark, while companies already working on the island are to share their practical experience. The World Bank is also involved, along with organisers the Dutch Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Ministry’s RVO.nl and the Dutch Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations.
The initiative might even spark some welcome investment from the private sector in the Netherlands, for which the recently announced seventh InterExpo Caribbean Trade Mission planned for the end of November provides a possible follow-up platform just two months later.
Mind you, the island still offers plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs particularly in the hospitality industry, so if all the attention resulting from Hurricane Irma were to ultimately result in new jobs as well as income for the country and its people, what would be wrong with that?
