Minister Plenipotentiary Jorien Wuite (left) paid a courtesy visit to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at the Binnenhof in The Hague.
They spoke about the St. Maarten recovery process and closer ties between St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius. According to a press statement from Wuite, Rutte believes closer ties will “benefit all three islands greatly on both social and economic levels.” Rutte will lead a delegation of Dutch businesspeople in a trade mission to Curaçao and Aruba early next year. He is “willing to do the same for St. Maarten.” Wuite presented artwork from St. Maarten artists Ruby Bute and Tess Verheij to Rutte as tokens of appreciation. Wuite is partial to the stimulation and enhancing of the country’s creative industries and has embarked on a yearlong plan with artisans from Apeldoorn to help artists from both sides of the ocean in exhibitions and auctions. Wuite also visited the Ministers Plenipotentiary of Curaçao and Aruba, and Vice President of the Council of State Piet Hein Donner.
