Today’s news coming from The Hague on a facility for the direct funding of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that can play a role in St. Maarten’s recovery process is most interesting. After all, it may be argued that this is just one more way for the Netherlands to bypass the local government and limit its influence, as was done with the early relief assistance via NGOs.
While the current setup of the Dutch-sponsored Trust Fund is seen in the same light by some, the World Bank that manages it has now made this latest proposal. The intention, according to State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops, is to achieve faster results, for example, in fixing damaged houses and other small projects that enhance the community’s resilience against natural disasters.
Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin in Monday’s paper too had talked about quickening the pace of particularly home repair following decisions taken at the fund’s Steering Committee meeting in Washington DC. The press release by the National Recovery Programme Bureau (NRPB) also announced that road connectivity would be added, including the key emergency Link 6 from South Reward to Dutch Quarter.
The prime minister mentioned that so far 109 social homes in Belvedere were fixed by St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF), while another 160 already repaired are being reviewed for retroactive financing. It should be kept in mind as well that White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation (WYCCF), St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF), the Red Cross, K1 Britannia and several other local as well as international organisations, groups and churches had helped fix or even rebuild many homes.
The fact that government’s own roof repair programme will only now start is perhaps the best example of why it might be worthwhile to work directly with NGOs and avoid the bureaucracy that – regrettably – often characterises the public administration. The Marlin-Romeo Cabinet obviously understands that this is no time for “turf wars” about who should be in charge of what, but rather to finally get long-awaited help to people still in need.
