One of the damaged booths at the Festival Village (file photo).
PHILIPSBURG--Government has approved and awarded a contract to repair the damaged booths at the Jocelyn Arndell Festival Village, Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mecelina announced on Wednesday.
The state of one of the booths (file photo).
Some of the damaged booths (file photo).
Efforts by the former government to have the booths repaired did not materialise in the past. “We have actually approved [and – Ed.] awarded the contract for the repairs of the Jocelyn Arndell Festival Village. So that is something great, I think,” Mercelina told reporters at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday.
“We have to start taking care of our country and one of them is, for example, nation building on the heritage, cultural level and I do believe that this is a great step towards seriously working step by step to improve all aspects and dimensions of our country,” stated the prime minister.
He said the execution of the repairs will be a joint effort between the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI and the Ministry of General Affairs. This is to ensure that this project is managed efficiently and effectively.
“As many as you know, the Jocelyn Arndell Festival Village is a cherished venue in our community, well known for hosting the St. Maarten annual cultural and carnival festivities as well as numerous local and international shows,” he said. “Unfortunately, this sustained severe damage … Our people deserve [the repaired village] and that is why the government will ensure that all [repairs] is done to bring this carnival village back up to par,” he said.
Former Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs had said in March of this year that the second tender to repair the damaged booths had failed and she had apologised that the repairs were not done in time for the 2024 carnival and said at the time that she took responsibility for the destroyed booths not being at least demolished.
