Five-years ago, at the ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Dutch National festival of Trees (“Nationale Boomfeestdag”), Her Royal Highness Queen Beatrix in her capacity then as the patron of this Foundation, expressed her wish to see all the Caribbean countries of the Kingdom participate in this annual festival in the future.
At Land van Cuijk, on the premises of the host Tree-developer Ebben, on Spring day, March 21st, being the 55th anniversary of this festival, Sint Maarten joined the list of the Netherlands, Aruba and Curacao.
On March 21 Minister Plenipotentiary, Hon. Mathias Voges, at a special planned ceremony presented the Kingdom with the “credentials” of Sint Maarten’s Tree “Ambassador”, the Guavaberry Tree.
The presentation of the Guavaberry Tree coincided with the presentation and planting of the Jeneverbesboom in Sint Maarten on March 22nd.
Minister Voges made use of the occasion to enlighten the audience with the cultural history of our Guavaberry Tree and all the possibilities it offers when processing her berries such as the liqueur or rum and the cake!
The Guavaberry Tree Ambassador was then handed over to the Director of the Hortus Botanicus who will plant her in the Tropical Gardens at the Hortus Botanicus.
To conclude the ceremony a toast was made on this joyous occasion with Guavaberry Liqueur, of course, which proved to be a challenge for some in the audience!
After this presentation, Minister Voges joined Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima in the three planting ceremony.
In the presence of 750 school children and numerous dignitaries Sint Maarten was presented with the unique opportunity to plant a tree in the commemorative circle, which tree was specially developed for this anniversary, named the “Meidoornboomplantdagboom”.
Minister Voges planted the tree with the assistance of some school children and his Cabinet advisor Perry Geerlings.
In commemoration of the school children and supervisors who lost their lives in the horrible bus crash more than two weeks ago in Switzerland, some 1000 white balloons were released. Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima released an orange balloon for and on behalf of the Royal Family.