The year 2011 represent a year of further expansion and strengthening of the new organization of the Ministry of VROMI. The organization needs to be put in a position and properly resourced in order to adequately execute its responsibilities. The Ministry Plan 2011 will serve as a basis to allow results oriented work and to make performance agreements between the staff and the management of VROMI. The Ministry Plan also forms the basis for the realization of the most important targets, as well as the planning and execution of the most important projects that are foreseen within the Ministry. This is based on the financial resources to be provided from the budget of Sint Maarten as well as from outside donors such as the Dutch Government and the European Union, through USONA.

This elucidation entails an English introduction to the Ministry Plan, which is prepared in the Dutch language. The Ministry Plan 2011 entails a chapter (2) wherein a description is given of the organization, the mission, the goals and objectives, and the primary tasks of the Ministry. Furthermore, the plan entails a highlight of the policy objectives for the coming 4 years. These policy objectives include:

- the promotion of a well functioning organization that lives up to the expectations of the citizens,
- the promotion of an effective and sustainable management of spatial development and the environment,
- to facilitate the realization of affordable housing and to promote home ownership,
- the improvement of mobility through expansion of the road network,
- to achieve long term and sustainable solutions for the management of solid waste, sewage and surface drainage,
- to pursue the improvement of the living environment in neighborhood,

Chapter 3 of the Plan discusses the operations within the Ministry, including improvement themes such as the personnel development, resources and housing.  In chapters 4 through 10 the Plan elucidates the plans of the various departments within the Ministry, the activities, services and projects that are planned by each respective department for the year 2011, including the foreseen targets and results per department.

The Ministry VROMI has a total budget of approximately ANG 32.7 million reserved from the country budget of Sint Maarten for operational expenses of the Ministry. In addition, an amount of approximately ANG 40 million is reserved on the Capital Expenditure section of the country budget for investments in infrastructure and related land purchase needs. In addition, an amount of approximately ANG 48 million is earmarked from funding to be obtained through development cooperation for investments into the infrastructure of Sint Maarten as well as investment into the upgrading of the organization of VROMI. This amount is divided into about ANG 12 million from the European Development Fund (EDF) targeting the urban improvement in the area of Middle Region and the remainder of about ANG 36 million is being funded from the Dutch Development Cooperation budget. In addition, an amount estimated at around ANG 87 million is also being funded through Dutch Development Cooperation Funds in the programs of for the Ministries of Education and Justice, where the department of New Project of the Ministry of VROMI lends technical and project management expertise for the realization of the projects.

In total, the Ministry of VROMI is responsible for the effective utilization of approximately ANG 210 million albeit that a part of these expenditures will take effect in 2012.

Attached is a public version of the Ministry Plan 2011 that can be downloaded and perused at your leisure, with the hope that this gives a good insight into the extent of the tasks, responsibilities, ambitions and targets of the Ministry VROMI in 2011.

Louis Brown
Acting Secretary General of Ministry VROMI