SUMMARY OF THE PROGRAMMES & PROJECTS
Institutional Strengthening and Reinforcement
The program Institutional Strengthening and Reinforcement will operate for a period of 4 years (2008-2012) with four program lines:
1. Strengthening of the governmental and administrative system.
2. Reinforcement of financial management.
3. Quality rules and regulations.
4. Modernizing Government ICT operations.
This program focuses specifically on the reinforcement of the governmental and administrative systems, such as the hiring of experts in the areas of spatial planning, education, economy, general affairs and legislation; the training of personnel, good basic record keeping, creating a public service center, reinforcing the financial management and auditing and IT and monitoring (checks and balances).
Some activities that have already been launched are, among others; hiring experts for the development of laws and regulations, policy development and the reinforcement of the financial administration and implementation of organizational improvements.
Constitutional Development
The road towards a new constitutional status can be viewed as a process of change. The program Constitutional Development consists of 5 program areas, which are: Policy, Legislation, Finance, Organization, and Communication. This program also maps out the 7 ministries as well as the “Hoge Colleges van Staat”.
The Project Director for Constitutional Development is responsible for the development of this program and receives additional support from DPP.
Harbor Buy Back Funds
On October 28, 2005, the Dutch Government and St. Maarten signed an agreement regarding the use of funds paid to the Dutch Government for the buy back of shares in the harbor. Based on this agreement, the available funds, amounting to some ANG. 29 million, should benefit the social and economic development of the Island Territory of St. Maarten, through the realization of various urgent projects.
E-Government
E-Government is part of the Harbor Buy-Back funds and is financed through USONA. The Island Territory of St. Maarten aims to improve communications with its citizens through the delivery of electronic content by means of a government website. The primary objective of the project e-government is to strengthen communication between Government and citizens by providing one single government website. The community will be able to find and request information, file complaints and reports via the e-government website using online complaint and report forms. An effective electronic government will support social, economic and political development, reduce social exclusion, and contribute to the well-being of citizens.
This new method of communicating requires a change in culture, which will subsequently decrease the separation between the Government and the citizens, community groups, businesses and in fact any member of civil society. The e-government website is part of a bigger project entitled, "Public Service", which also includes the new Government Administration Building and the development of a Public Service Center. The preparation stage of the project commenced in November 2007 and the website is expected to be launched in November 2009.
Sustainable Economic Initiative (SEI)
The SEI program is a socio-economic cooperation program between the Netherlands and the Island Territory of St. Maarten. The program contributes to the development of St. Maarten in its process to become an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The program consists of 8 measures containing 61 projects. These projects relate to different topics such as: spatial planning, environment, mobility, economic diversification, which also encourages entrepreneurship, tourism marketing, labour and education, regulations, public finance and economic and social issues, just to name a few. The SEI program was activated following the signing of the protocol between the Netherlands and the Island Territory of St. Maarten on July 31, 2008. The program will run for a period of 3 years (2008 to 2010). The total budget is ANG. 58.000.000,-.
Social Development
In recent years the Government of St. Maarten has established goals, with respect to combating poverty on St. Maarten. Authorities within and outside of Government have developed concrete plans to assist the underprivileged on St. Maarten, so that they too can have a better life.
However, there is a lack of integration, overview and establishing of priorities where it pertains to activities that are to be provided by the Sector for Social Development. Furthermore, DPP in cooperation with mentioned sector monitors the projects that are executed mainly through NGO’s in the area of poverty alleviation.
Fund for Social Development and Economic Activities
The fund for Social Development and Economic Activities, hereafter “Reda Sosial” has set up an urgency program entitled ”Poverty Alleviation Dutch Antilles”. Within the program, Reda Sosial focuses on an effective continuation of the integrated district approach to fight poverty in districts where assistance is most needed. This approach is a requirement to alleviate socio-economic problems in deprived districts in a structural manner. The integrated district approach is being applied in the districts St. Peters, Middle Region and Cay Bay. The coordination of the execution of the projects is in the hands of the workgroup "Home repair and district improvement".
Re-accommodation government apparatus
Within the program for Administrative Reform, there are a number of projects that do not form part of the Cooperation agreement with the Netherlands. An example of this is the project 'New Administration Building' which includes different sub projects such as housing, re-accommodation, automation and information, and improvement of public service. The preparation and the execution of these projects are being financed by the Island Territory of St. Maarten supplemented by private development aid.
Training period VNG
Within the framework of the cooperation program of the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) and the Netherlands Antilles, DPP coordinates funding for training and internships of civil servants of the Island Territory of St. Maarten to Dutch municipalities through the VNG. The main goal for training and internships is to expand the knowledge of St. Maarten civil servants by placing them in contact with colleagues and public service agencies in Dutch municipalities.
“USONA”, “Uitvoeringsorganisatie Stichting Ontwikkeling Nederlandse Antillen”
“USONA” has been established to manage the Dutch Development Aid funding for development projects in the Netherlands Antilles. USONA is responsible for the entire process of the financial disbursement of the Dutch funds for the approved cooperation-program.
DPP acts as counterpart to USONA in the framework of project financing for Sustainable Economic Development, Administrative Reform, Harbor Buy-Back funds, and the Year Plan Poverty Alleviation Programmes. DPP also maintains regular contact with the Representative of the Netherlands (VNP), where it pertains to matters such as law enforcement with respect to the cooperation programmes and technical assistance.
Projects financed by the Island Territory of Sint Maarten
Revolving Fund
On January 12, 2009 Commissioner Roy Marlin and Minister Ronald Plasterk of the Ministry of OCW, have signed a protocol `Revolving Fund for Monuments'. The purpose of the fund is for the National Restoration Fund (NRF, a component of the Ministry of Education and Culture, OCW), to provide St. Maarten with a sum of € 1.25 million for the restorations of monuments. Therefore, a Revolving Fund foundation must be set up on St. Maarten, to manage these funds and allocate them to the various monument owners and relevant parties. The restoration effort aims to increase the historical and cultural awareness and promotion of St. Maarten’s tourism product.
DPP’s role is to ensure that the Revolving fund (Monument Fund foundation) becomes operational. This Fund would also financially be supplemented with structural subsidies from the Island Government. Once the fund is established it must be able to operate in such a way that it becomes self-sufficient.
Integrated Water Management System (IWMS)
The collection and processing of effluent and the distribution of drinking water; an Integrated Water Management System (IWMS) must be developed on St. Maarten. A principal agreement IWMS was signed between GEBE and the Island Government in July 2008. In the agreement, co-operation is laid out for developing an ‘Integrated Development Plan’ for the IWMS for the entire island. Anticipating the development plan, a collection agreement between GEBE and the Island Territory has been concluded and has to be approved by the government and GEBE. On the basis of this agreement GEBE will take care of the collection of the sewage fees on behalf of the Island Territory. The ‘sewage legislation’ (Afvalwaterverordening) on effluent regulation (and the “ebham’s” required) should become effective as soon as possible (initial deadline was January 1, 2009), where the collection of the sewage fees from connected lots would be introduced. The ebham’s are still to be developed by Judicial Affairs and VROM. The Island Sewerage Plan (ERP) should be approved by government as soon as possible. The communication plan for public awareness will be done together with GIS.
Furthermore, the construction of the water treatment plant, AWZI (an effluent purification installation) at the Illidge Road will be carried out. USONA has reserved approximately 13 million Antillean Guilders from the remaining resources of the Hurricane Lenny Fund for the construction of this AWZI.
At this moment a design review for the water treatment plant has taken place based on the original specifications and instructions will be put in place to tender. The Island Territory has granted the task for that purpose to CEC Windward N.V. on October 21, 2008. Simultaneously, a task has been granted to UNESCO-IHE as an independent expert to assess and accompany the design review by CEC Windward N.V. Also it has been granted to Tecon in the Netherlands the task to accompany and co-ordinate the design review on behalf of the sector ROB. DPP supports ROB (Departments of Vrom and New Projects and Management), which is the project leader of the total Integrated Water Management System.
Corporate Identity Country St. Maarten
Moving away from the status of Island Territory to Country means that there are many changes ahead. One of the changes entails the development of a new identity. When St. Maarten makes the transition as an Island Territory to Country, a new corporate identity will be required to envisage and identify the new governmental structure and organization. A corporate identity is the image of an organization, by which it can be identified. It is therefore important to project a clear image, to make the Government of St. Maarten recognizable to all relations. The Executive Council took the decision to invite public tenders for the design of the new corporate identity for Country St. Maarten. This is to promote and enhance our ‘strong, compassionate, decisive’ country’s policy by creating a new image within government, civil society and the outside world.