PHILIPSBURG--The office of St. Maarten Tourist Bureau is slated to move into the old fire station on Cannegieter Street to make it more accessible to tourists, Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Irania Arrindell told Parliament on Tuesday. The office is currently located in the Krippa Building on Juancho Yrausquin Boulevard 6.
Arrindell said this office will also serve as the office of the St. Maarten Tourism Authority (STA) when this is off the ground. The STA should be up and running in two months. The Ministry is working on finding a director and establishing the supervisory board.
An area will also be created for taxis across the street from the old fire station, the Minister said. The holding area will serve as central point for all taxis and lessen the congestion around the Courthouse loop.
The creation of the holding area will lead to the vendors bordering on Clem Labega Square moving to the Great Bay Promenade (the Boardwalk).
Talking about the challenges, Arrindell said in the Central Committee meeting dealing with the draft 2016 budget, the Ministry is “trying to be positive” in spite of the financial constraints and the major cuts to its overall budget.
Arrindell said marketing of the country is paramount. She disagreed with Finance Minister Richard Gibson about the benefits of travelling to trade shows and other promotion events. Gibson said in Monday’s session of Parliament that too much money was used for traveling. Arrindell followed up saying the trips are needed to better the country’s economy.
A cruise conversion programme is also planned in partnership with the private sector. A total of NAf. 45,000 has been budgeted as Government’s contribution to the programme. Public-private sector partnerships are seen as crucial by the Minister for bettering the economy. She said Government alone should not be relied on for funding.
Data on visitor arrivals for 2015 were not available to the Ministry, a situation the Minister said she intends to remedy at Princess Juliana International Airport with a collection system. While data about arrivals were collected, this went to the Immigration Department which has deemed the information “too sensitive” to share with a third party.
Looking ahead, the Minister said she is working on a decree to establish a maximal amount for petroleum products and bread. The decree will be sent soon to the Council of Advice by the Minister. A national energy plan is also being worked on by the Ministry.
