A lecture was given by His Excellency Dr. Heinz-Peter Behr of Germany. Dr. Behr, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, on Thursday February 9th 2012, on "the Economic Situation in Germany and the European Union".
The Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams Prime Minister of Sint Maarten In collaboration with the Sint Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry had the honorof holding a lecture on "The Economic Situation in Germany and the European Union" which was Delivered by His Excellency Dr. Heinz-Peter Behr Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
"The Economic Situation in Germany and the European Union"
By His Excellency Dr. Heinz-Peter Behr
February 9, 2012
Chamber President Address
Protocol has been established, ladies and gentlemen good evening.
"If we want to be considered as a Country, we have to act like a Country"
This quote was made by an international guest during a lecture he made right after the birth of Sint Maarten as Country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
It is with that quote in mind that, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce, I am honored to welcome you all and thank you for being here. This lecture is historic as it is the first of its kind for Sint Maarten as a country. For that I would like to commend His Excellency Dr. Heinz-Peter Behr and convey to him our sincere gratitude and thanks.
It is also with the same sentiment of gratitude that the Chamber of Commerce welcomes the initiative of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to appoint an Honorary Consul for Curacao and Sint Maarten. This is another sign of being a country. So to Consul Karel Frielink, I say welcome. Even though you are based in Curacao, we know that you are familiar with Sint Maarten realities and needs and you can count on the full support and collaboration of the Chamber of Commerce.
To the government and the people of Sint Maarten, I say congratulation. We are at the beginning of a new era where the old feelings of the Foreign Affairs being a taboo subject are something of the past and it is entirely up to us to decide on how we see our future foreign relations with regards to all economic and social developments.
While under the Netherlands Antilles constellation, there were multiple bureaucratic constraints surrounding foreign relations for the island of Sint Maarten, our Private Sector, represented by the Chamber of Commerce, has always enjoyed a greater sense of flexibility and independence in seeking regional and international cooperation and partnership for the sustainability and the promotion of the economic development of the Island.
As such, during the last decade, through its affiliation to the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce played an active role in exposing and promoting Sint Maarten in the region, be it at the level of the individual countries or at the level of the umbrella organizations such as CARICOM and the OECS. Unfortunately, most of those efforts had also suffered some set-backs due the same old constitutional constellation. Today, that also is something of the past and now we must implement a real and effective Public Private Partnership that will take Sint Maarten Economy to a higher level of development.
As the Private Sector is about consistency and continuity, the 2012 Chamber program, to be implemented under my presidency and titled "New Country New Approach", contains several initiatives to further assist in the sustainability and the progress of our economic and social development.
To ensure maximum results in the implementation of these initiatives, the Chamber will be setting up a "Public Private Partnership Bureau" that will provide a whole range of services to Government, the business community and the population in general.
That Bureau cannot be effective if we do not establish a sound partnership between the Public and Private sectors. For that, the Chamber hopes that that concept is embraced and immediately formalized.
Honorable dignitaries, ladies and gentleman, thank you again for being here and the Chamber counts on your involvement and participation in all the upcoming events that are planned in its 2012 Program.
I thank you.
Arthur Bute
President of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry