It was encouraging to read that Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Patrice Gumbs met with FKG (see Tuesday newspaper) to discuss challenges faced by the marine services providers. Considering that this sector represents a significant part of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), maintaining its competitive position is important.
Of course, there are various stakeholders to consult, including St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA), Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority Corporation (SLAC) and individual local marinas, but those catering to technical needs of visiting vessels should not be overlooked. As pointed out, their presence makes the island not just a boating destination but service hub for such.
In addition to adequate facilities, this requires a labour force with the necessary skills, which – despite several initiatives in that direction – remains lacking. The latter is something the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) as well as National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA) and other relevant entities must continue to work on.
Although efficient Customs processes were mentioned among current advantages, there may still be room for improvement in that sense. Industry veteran Robbie Ferron recently wrote a letter to the editor titled “What is holding us back with online pre-clearance for yachts?” published on the opinion pages of Monday, March 10, right after the annual Heineken Regatta.
He listed several benefits of such, for law enforcement too. The biggest one from a perspective of crews is probably avoiding long lines at the clearance office and it should also reduce the administrative cost of border control.
This is where the Justice Ministry comes in, while maritime activities obviously fall under the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT). To make the greatest difference, a multidisciplinary, broad-based and comprehensive approach seems called for.
