Sint Maarten
The visit starts immediately upon arrival on Sunday, August 10, with a tour of both the Dutch and French sides of the island. The secretary of state will also meet with the teams from the Dutch representation in Philipsburg and the Temporary Work Organization. On Monday, August 11, the formal part of the working visit begins with an introduction to Governor Ajamu Baly, Prime Minister Luc Mercelina, and the Council of Ministers, as well as the chairperson of the Sint Maarten parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams. The afternoon focuses on crisis management during the hurricane season and the reconstruction after the devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria. The secretary of state will speak with partners involved in crisis management and will tour various reconstruction projects together with the National Recovery and Program Bureau (NRPB). He will visit the new hospital construction and the waste management project: Emergency Debris Management Project. The secretary of state will also be informed about the Enterprise Support Project, which aims to stimulate local small and medium-sized enterprises in Sint Maarten. The visit to Sint Maarten concludes with a meeting with partners in the law enforcement chain, including the Sint Maarten Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling.
Aruba
On Tuesday, August 12, Mr. Van Marum flies to Aruba, where he begins with an introduction to the staff of the Dutch Representation in Oranjestad. For the formal part of the working visit to Aruba, he will visit the Aruban governor, Alfonso Boekhoudt. This is followed by an introduction to the Speaker of the Aruba Parliament, Alfred Sneek, and the party leaders in the Aruban parliament.
On Wednesday, August 13, Mr. Van Marum speaks with Prime Minister Mike Eman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Kingdom Relations Gerlien Croes, and Minister of Finance Geoffrey Wever. One of the secretary of states priorities is the theme of food security. For this, the cabinet has made 24 million available through a yet-to-be-established revolving fund. Therefore, a visit to the AGRO Park is on the agenda in Aruba. This initiative focuses on sustainable agricultural development and food security. In the afternoon, the secretary of state will visit various locations on the island, including the former refinery, Arikok National Park, the waste mountain Parkietenbos, and the wastewater treatment plant. At the end of the day, Mr. Van Marum flies to Curaçao.
Curaçao
The visit to Curaçao starts on Thursday, August 14, with an introductory meeting with Governor Lucille George-Wout. She will step down as governor of Curaçao on November 4 after two terms. Mr. Van Marum will then meet with the Council of Ministers of Curaçao, led by Deputy Prime Minister Javier Silvania. The secretary of state will also speak with Speaker Fergino Brownbill and will meet with members of the Kingdom Relations Committee. In the afternoon, the secretary of state will visit Hòfi Cas Cora, an eco farm run by young local entrepreneurs. Following this, a discussion will take place with the partners involved in the theme of safe borders. In the afternoon, during a walk through the Otrobanda district, the secretary of state will meet with civil society and representatives of the business community in Curaçao. The secretary of state will also visit the Mangrove Park Curaçao under the guidance of park rangers from the research institute Carmabi, where he will be informed about the vulnerability of mangroves and coral. On this day, a meeting is also scheduled with the team of the Dutch Representation in Willemstad.
Friday, August 15, is already the last day of the working visit. In the morning, he visits the newly opened office of the Slavery Past Memorial Committee as well as the monument for resistance leader Tula. Due to the importance of food security, Secretary of State Van Marum will also visit Zakito, where he will speak with the fishermens cooperative and a representative of the LVV: Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries. He will also visit the Bob Foundation, which is dedicated to the protection of and education about native birds. Finally, in the context of food security, the secretary of state will visit a local supermarket in Curaçao.
