Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.
PHILIPSBURG--Although St. Maarten believes that the “take it or leave it,” proposal from the Kingdom government as liquidity support in the form of a loan for St. Maarten, is a “slap in the face” of the country, government has accepted the proposal as long as it does not infringe on local and kingdom laws.
Government sent its acceptance letter on Wednesday morning ahead of the 11:00am deadline. The acceptance came hours after a meeting with Members of Parliament (MPs), who passed a motion to back government’s response to the Kingdom government’s proposal.
“Yes. We have said yes,” Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs told reporters during the live virtual Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday morning. The Kingdom government has acknowledged receipt of St. Maarten’s correspondence, but Jacobs said the country is still awaiting a response as to whether its “yes,” has been accepted.
The second tranche liquidity support proposal for St. Maarten for the period up to June 30 concerns a zero per cent interest loan in the amount of NAf. 53 million (about 26.5 million euros). Of this amount, NAf. 24 million (about 12 million euros) is meant for budgetary support and the other NAf. 29 million (about 14.5 million euros) for wage subsidy for local employers and employees.
