In the picture from left to right::Employee of the Ambassy Chris Kaput,Roberto Hensen (Statia, head LVV),Miguel Martis (Public Entity Bonaire, DRO),,Koen van Laar (Bureau Rijksvertegenwoordiger),Anica Marsdin (deputy island secretary Statia),George Soliana (board member Chamber of Commerce Bonaire),Mevrille Hazel (Statia, farmer),Gedeputeerde Carlyle Tearr (Statia),Peter Zuurbier (WUR),Ruth Schipper (Ministry EZ), Ambassadeur Mw Rita rahman,Daan Hendrickx (The Greenery),Annelies Brinkman (Suriname),Chris Johnson (commissioner Saba)Reinier Davina (ambassy employee)
A delegation from the Caribbean Netherlands attended the Agroalimentaria Fair in Santo Domingo on May 25-28. This is a large regional agro-food fair with a conference on professionalizing the agriculture sector. Also, there was a large fair ground, where "business 2 business matchmaking" took place. The Dutch Embassy had a stand which represented all parts of the Kingdom. Information about doing business in the Caribbean Netherlands attracted great attention.
Those in attendance from the Caribbean Netherlands were:
From Statia: Commissioner Carlyle Tearr, Head of Agriculture, Fishery and Animal Husbandry Roberto Henson, Act. Island Secretary Anica Marsdin and agriculture entrepreneur Mevrille Hazel.
From Saba: Commissioner Chris Johnson and Head of Economic Affairs Dave Levenstone.
From Bonaire: Head of Policy and Projects, Directorate Spatial Development Miguel Martis and George Soliana, board member Chamber of Commerce Bonaire.
From Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland: Ministry of Economic Affairs Ruth Schippers.
From the Bureau of the Kingdom Representative Koen van Laar.
The Dutch ambassador, Rita Rahman and her staff from the economic department also organized a fieldtrip for the Caribbean Netherlands delegation to a packaging company/exporter. This provided a clearer view of the possibilities for small scale agro-export without a complete automated workshop.
The delegation was, in some parts, accompanied by director Pieter Zuurbier of the Wageningen University, a purchasing worker of the Dutch agro wholesaler The Greenery and the official delegation from Suriname. This was comprised of business development specialists who are being trained by the Dutch CBI (export organization for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which helps the private sector of less developed countries to grow in the area).