ST. EUSTATIUS–Upgrading of the St. Eustatius harbour and airport were among the topics Commissioners Derrick Simmons and Charles Woodley updated the press about this week.
Improvements to the airport buildings are on the books to follow the upgrading of the airport restaurant and bar.
The contractor for the harbour project halted the work at the last minute due to an issue with a sub-contractor. Part of the project has to be completed by this year or the funding from the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) would be lost. The project is in the process of re-tendering, a process that should be completed in a month’s time.
The Commissioners said the process to sell the government houses in Golden Rock to tenants has us still being planned. Issues have arisen that are in conflict with the Financial Regulations in relation to the setting up of a board to handle the sale of the properties. The commissioners intend to head to court to get a settlement.
Other social housing projects are being looked into by Government.
On the funding from the Netherlands for children of less fortunate households to get school supplies and after-school activities, Woodley said he is not a fan of this type of funding as it can stop abruptly and once the money is gone, what happens to the persons in the programme then?
“This is a quick fix, we should find a way to make these fixes permanent,” he said, adding research by IdeeVersa and Spies has provided long-term solutions to these problems.
Bron: Daily Herald