THE HAGUE – Almost five months after the passing of Hurricane Irma the Netherlands still does not have an agreement with the World Bank about the reconstruction of St. Maarten, the Volkskrant reports. Pending that agreement the island has already received €7 million of the €550 million the kingdom has made available for recovery efforts.
“With the World Bank we establish an objectification between the Netherlands and St. Maarten, State Secretary Raymond Knops (Kingdom Relations) said on Tuesday in the Dutch parliament during a debate about the reconstruction of St. Maarten. “The World Bank is a reliable partner with a good track record for these types of projects.”
Knops labeled the interim-phase that now applies to St. Maarten as ‘early recovery’ whereby the most urgent needs of the people are addressed. As soon as the trust fund of the World Bank is operational, Knops will present a recovery plan to the Second Chamber. The aim is to work as much as possible with local contractors. The €550 million from the recovery fund will be made available in tranches to limit the risk of corruption. We will strictly monitor the appropriate spending of the money, Knops said.
The state secretary said that St. Maarten has not yet reacted to the Dutch offer to send observers for the February 26 elections.
The government has received €30 million from the recovery fund in the form of a soft loan to help cover the 2017 budget deficit.
