PHILIPSBURG--Dutch Minister for Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Piet Hein Donner was "very impressed with the success" of the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facilities which he toured on Sunday morning along with Dutch Immigration and Asylum Minister Gerd Leers.
Asked by the press about the aim of his visit to the harbour, Donner said it was to get "an impression" of the work of St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies, the recent developments and to gain more insight into the importance of cruise tourism to the local economy.
Leers added that he was "really impressed" by the "high quality" of the harbour, its infrastructure, what is being offered to cruise passengers and that so many big ships can berth at the same time. "Really I think that it [the harbour] is of great importance to St. Maarten."
Harbour Group of Companies CEO Mark Mingo who gave the Dutch Ministers a tour of the cruise and cargo facilities as well as shared with them the recent improvements made to the infrastructure and in attracting more cruise calls while sustaining the present ones.
Mingo told The Daily Herald that the high praise from the Dutch Ministers was a compliment to everyone on St. Maarten. "We all have a facility that we can be very proud of anywhere in the world we go."
He added that with Deputy Prime Minister Theo Heyliger, as the visionary, and the Supervisory Board of Directors, headed by Michel Soons, as the anchor, the harbour group has grown with St. Maarten and provides for the island every day.
Donner and Leers are on St. Maarten for several meetings with government officials. They met with President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell and Members of Parliament (MPs)/faction leaders Romain Laville of the United People's (UP) party, Roy Marlin of the Democratic Party (DP), and Patrick Illidge (independent) on Sunday afternoon. The informal discussions centred on immigration and the future of the kingdom.
MP/faction leader of National Alliance William Marlin was absent with notice from the meeting due to the wake and preparations for the funeral of the late Edgar Lynch (59). Lynch had served as an Island Councilman and Commissioner for NA's predecessor St. Maarten Patriotic Alliance (SPA).
Donner and Leers are to have separate meetings with Governor Eugene Holiday, Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and the Council of Ministers, today, Monday.
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