Sint Maarten is the official name of the Dutch side of Sint Maarten. There is also a Dutch province

Amazement in Room about contents of corona support to St. Maarten.
THE HAGUE (ANP) – Various parties have responded with surprise to the decision of State Secretary Raymond Knops (Kingdom Relations) not to pay extra corona support to Sint Maarten for the time being. The outgoing State Secretary withholds the aid because the mismanagement of the island’s airport has still not been resolved.

Knops speaks of “a litany of disappointments” in the collaboration with Sint Maarten. The government of the island, which is an independent country within the Kingdom, would consistently fail to comply with agreements. “That does something to confidence.”

Due to the extensive damage caused to the airport by Hurricane Irma in 2017, it is now being renovated. The Netherlands has made 550 million euros available for this and Schiphol is helping. The fact that Schiphol wants to stop this cooperation due to the maladministration there is one of the reasons for Knops not to pay out the 18 million euros in corona support.

Goal posts shifted

But the ChristenUnie and the [ PvdA, among others, wonder whether this is legitimate. Don Ceder (ChristenUnie) emphasizes that the Council of Ministers had already approved the aid package. Also, putting the administration in order at the airport was not a condition for the corona support. Ceder believes that the Dutch government should also adhere to the agreements.

D66 Member of Parliament Jorien Wuite also thinks that “the goalposts will be shifted” in the agreements with Sint Maarten. Attje Kuiken (Pvda) calls the communication of the State Secretary about this “not good”.

Reich Council of Ministers

Knops calls this image of the shifting goalposts “absolutely incorrect. There is no lack of goals, there is a lack of results.” Moreover, according to him, it is not the case that the support is completely stopped, but only paused. Knops cannot yet say what the island must do to be eligible for support. The cabinet will discuss this on Friday during a so-called Reich Council of Ministers. The ministers plenipotentiary of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten are also involved in these consultations.

Knops’ decision not to pay out the aid sparked outrage on the island two weeks ago. Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs called it “inappropriate” and was concerned about future relations with the Netherlands. According to her, Knops’ actions are contrary to the rules of the Reich Council of Ministers.