News that the Emergency Income Support Training Project (EISTP) may be prolonged for at least a few months after all (see related story) is most welcome. This effort helped provide more than 1,000 people left un- or underemployed following Hurricane Irma with practical courses in mainly hospitality and construction while getting a stipend, SZV health coverage and a small transportation allowance.
Now that many have again become fully or partially jobless due to the coronavirus-related crisis, resuming the programme would seem to make sense. An extension of the necessary means from the Dutch-sponsored Trust Fund was denied earlier, but because government pre-financed the initiative’s start that money could be used by St. Maarten Training Foundation (SMTF) to continue rather than paying it back.
Of course, people put out of work can also apply for income or unemployment support, but 1,150 Netherlands Antillean guilders per month is not easy to survive on for any individual, let alone a whole family. If the EISTP can provide some with a bit more income and marketable skills at the same time under the current dire socioeconomic circumstances that sounds like a good idea.
Meanwhile, Monday’s unanimously-adopted parliamentary motion calls for – among other things – revising the agreement between the Netherlands and administrator the World Bank so the Reconstruction Trust Fund can be used for economic growth too. The elected representatives also desire simpler procurement rules and limited protection for local businesses in the ongoing rebuilding process.
Dutch State Secretary Raymond Knops for his part told the Second Chamber of Parliament in The Hague that he would keep putting pressure on St. Maarten to accelerate matters and offer more assistance for its execution agency the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB). He again cited shortcomings on the island such as lack of relevant capacity and expertise.
The lengthy procedure to obtain business licences as well as work and residence permits for foreign companies and consultants was mentioned, although an apparent direct contradiction of the motion passed with 13 to zero votes. Nevertheless, a local World Bank office as proposed and requiring fiscal law changes that prevent double taxation might be a big help to get the projects in question moving faster, which is what everyone ultimately wants.
