Heineken Regatta board representative Garth Steyn and TEATT Minister Roger Lawrence.
PHILIPSBURG--The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications (TEATT) and the St. Maarten Yacht Club Regatta Foundation (SMYRCF) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with respect to the 42nd edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.
The MOU is about the Ministry of TEATT and SMYCRF (Regatta organisers) “working together to continue to promote the annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta as a sailing event held in the surrounding waters of St. Maarten.”
The Regatta starts on Thursday, March 3, (not today Wednesday as inadvertently stated in today's The Daily Herald) with four consecutive days of world-class racing. It concludes on March 6, and it aims to host over 1,000 visitors.
TEATT Minister Roger Lawrence said “As St. Maarten continues its transition on the road to normalcy events such as the Heineken Regatta is key. This event throughout the years has continued to promote our island and stimulate our economy. We have over 100 teams competing this year, which amounts to over 1,000 competitors. I want to thank each competitor and the Heineken Regatta team for their continued support. I wish all of our international visitors a safe and enjoyable stay.”
Commodore Garth Steyn, representative of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta board stated “the board of the St. Maarten Heineken regatta is grateful for the support from the government in these difficult times. Being one of the largest regattas in the region we showcase the way to normalcy. The St Maarten Heineken Regatta will continue its legacy as competitive sailing and serious fun."
St. Maarten Tourism Bureau Director, May-ling Chun stated “As we continue our Tourism recovery and diversifying our product with focus also towards the blue economy, we are delighted to welcome the sailors and showcase the destination. We wish everyone an amazing Heineken Regatta week.”
The event this year will focus on sailing primarily as the country is still in the pandemic phase, however there will be nightly entertainment by various local artists and DJ’s. The organisers have also ensured that health protocols are in place for this year’s event as we continue to transition out of the pandemic phase, it was stated in a press release.
