THE HAGUE, Netherlands, The World Bank says the Sint Maarten Reconstruction, Recovery and Resilience Trust Fund is showing strategic results for long-term resilience.
The Washington-based financial institution said the Fund is “advancing critical reforms needed to ensure long-term national sustainability and, through its projects, producing many positive outcomes.”
The bank said this includes enabling financial resilience with almost 2,000 people receiving support and skills training to enhance their income and building climate resilience, with the majority of the population now protected from the future impact of disasters.
In addition, the World Bank said over 500 homes, roofs, and other critical facilities serving the public are repaired, 139 shipwrecks removed, and over 10.5km of the country’s shorelines cleaned.
Residents and businesses located next to the landfill are being resettled, “paving the way for better management of the country’s solid waste,” the financial institution said.
The Steering Committee of the Trust Fund, financed by the government of the Netherlands and administered by the World Bank, met here to review progress and discuss the next steps.
The World Bank said the program is supporting Sint Maarten in rebuilding better after Hurricane Irma.
“With effective work by the National Recovery Programme Bureau…the Trust Fund continues to make a positive impact in the lives of Sint Maarten,” the World Bank said, adding, “building local capacity, enabling local ownership, prioritizing investments in society, economy, and improving the livelihoods of people and the most vulnerable is central to the program.”
The World Bank said the Trust Fund is leveraging change by providing much-needed capital to over 150 small businesses; resources to 26 local civil society organizations, so community programs can continue and expand; and by expanding healthcare services in Sint Maarten.
It said healthcare costs have declined, as 92 percent of people seeking care no longer need overseas referrals.
“There has been progressing made in many areas, as reflected in the World Bank’s Mid-term Review, especially through the different emergency projects, the larger infrastructure projects, and the Enterprise Support Project,” said Sint Maarten Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.
“The government and the people of St. Maarten hope to see a continuous commitment of all parties to realize progress in improving the quality of life on the island,” she added.
In reviewing the Fund’s performance – which in four years committed over US$360 million to 11 projects – the World Bank said the Steering Committee welcomed the additional allocation of seven million Euros (One Euro=US$1.29 cent) provided by the Netherlands government toward the Sint Maarten Hospital.
“This additional one-off contribution by the Netherlands to the Trust Fund will allow the new hospital in Sint Maarten to be completed. As a result, there is no need to cut back on other reconstruction projects,” said Dutch State Secretary Van Huffelen, adding, “this will keep the all-important reconstruction of Sint Maarten on track.”
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