Eddie van Marum
THE HAGUE--The new State Secretary for Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK Eddie van Marum will be on a working visit to Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten (so-called CAS) from August 10 to 15. This will be his first trip to the Dutch Caribbean since taking over the portfolio from his predecessor.
Van Marum's visit will focus on getting acquainted with the islands and their administrators. Key topics include food security, reconstruction on St. Maarten and economic development.
The visit begins immediately upon arrival on Sunday, August 10, with a tour of both the Dutch and French sides of the island. The state secretary will also meet the teams from the Representation of the Netherlands in Philipsburg and the Temporary Work Organisation (TWO).
The formal portion will start on Monday, August 11, with a meeting with Governor Ajamu Baly, Prime Minister Luc Mercelina, the Council of Ministers and the President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams.
The afternoon will focus on crisis management during the hurricane season and the reconstruction following the devastating storms Irma and Maria. The state secretary will speak to partners involved in crisis management and, together with the National Recovery and Programme Bureau (NRPB), tour various reconstruction projects.
He will visit the new hospital being built and the Emergency Debris Management Project at the landfill. Van Marum will also learn about the NRPB’s Enterprise Support Project, which aims to stimulate local small- and medium-sized businesses.
The visit to St. Maarten will conclude with a meeting with partners in the law enforcement chain, including Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling.
On Tuesday, August 12, Van Marum will fly on to Aruba, where he will begin by meeting with staff at the Representation of the Netherlands in Oranjestad. For the formal portion of his working visit to Aruba, he will visit Aruban Governor Alfonso Boekhoudt. This will be followed by a meeting with Aruban Parliament President Marlon Sneek and the faction leaders.
On Wednesday, August 13, the delegation will meet with Prime Minister Mike Eman, Minister of Kingdom Relations, Education, Youth, Innovation and Sports Gerlien Croes and Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and the Primary Sector Geoffrey Wever.
One of the state secretary's priorities is food security. The Dutch government has made 24 million euros available for this through a revolving fund yet to be established.
Therefore, a visit to the AGRI Innovation Park is on the agenda for Aruba. This initiative focuses on sustainable agricultural development and food security.
In the afternoon, the delegation will tour various locations on the island, including San Nicolas and Palm Beach. At the end of the day, they will fly on to Curaçao.
That visit begins on Thursday, August 14th, with an introductory meeting with Governor Lucille George-Wout. She will step down on November 4th after two terms.
Van Marum will then meet with the Council of Ministers, chaired by deputy Prime Minister Javier Silvania. The state secretary will also speak with Parliament President Fergino Brownbill and meet the members of the Kingdom Relations Committee.
In the afternoon, he will visit Hòfi Cas Cora, an eco-farm run by young local entrepreneurs. This will be followed by a meeting with the partners involved in the theme of secure borders.
Later, the state secretary will meet with members of civil society and representatives of Curaçao’s business community during a walk through the historic Otrobanda district.
The delegation will also visit the Mangrove Park, led by park rangers from the Carmabi nature institute. They will learn about the vulnerability of mangroves and coral reefs.
A meeting with the team from the Representation of the Netherlands in Willemstad is also planned for this day.
Friday, August 15th, is the final day of the working visit. In the morning, he will visit the newly opened office of the Slavery Past Commemoration Committee and the monument to resistance leader Tula.
Due to the importance of food security, Van Marum will also visit Zakitó, where he will speak with the fishermen's cooperative and a representative of the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Department LVV.
He will also visit the Bob Foundation, which is committed to protecting protecting and educating about native birds.
Finally, the state Secretary will visit a local supermarket in Curaçao to promote food security.
