Minister Ferrier: “We have to pick our battles carefully”

PHILIPSBURG – Finance Minister Mike Ferrier picked up on Nico Schoof’s statement in his interview with stmaartennews.com that St. Maarten is in the driver’s seat as far as recovery efforts is concerned. “I take him at his word,” Ferrier said at Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing. “St. Maarten must be in the driver’s seat.”

Ferrier thanked his predecessor Richard Gibson Sr. for his efforts and noted that the interim-government he is now a part of is heading for an “intense and brief’ period. “There is a lot to do and we will get the ball rolling with the recovery,” he said.

“People are hurting, the airport is a disaster zone and there are too many people without a job. St. Maarten is in a deep hole.”

Ferrier noted that the bulk of the €550 million Dutch recovery fund has not been committed yet. “We need that money for projects that benefit the people,” he sad. “St. Maarteners are resilient and we are ready for recovery.”

Ferrier said that the government needs to establish a recovery project bureau and that all priorities must be clear by February 15.

The interim minister of finance also alluded to the country’s budget woes and the looming instruction from the kingdom. “We are in a precarious financial situation. The deficit for 2017 is more than 150 million guilders and the deficit for 2018 will be around 250 million. We need to find ways to reduce the deficit, reduce waste and improve efficiency.”

While Ferrier seemed optimistic, he was also careful: “I expect that the Council of Ministers will discover more challenges,” he said. “We have to pick our battles carefully; we need to be able to see the forest and not let us be blinded by all the trees.”