SXM Managing Director, Regina LaBega, welcomes Dutch PM Mark Rutte to the airport with a handshake, Saturday, while Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors of PJIAE, Clarence Derby (2nd from R) and SXM Director of Operations, Larry Donker, look on. (All photos courtesy SXM).
The Princess Juliana International Airport, SXM, gave a Powerpoint presentation to visiting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and members of his delegation shortly before their departure Saturday, which, according to managing director, Regina LaBega, was well-received.
Dutch PM Mark Rutte (1st from L) pays keen attention to the presentation with (L to R) SXM Managing Director, Regina LaBega, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors of PJIAE, Clarence Derby, and Kalifa Hickinson, SXM Corporate Communications Specialist.
"The Dutch Prime Minister showed keen interest in the facts and figures presented to him and his delegation and was quite impressed with developments at the airport," LaBega said.
Rutte was informed about the Moody’s rating of Baa2 achieved last year by SXM, making it the first company on St. Maarten to be so rated by a world-renowned financial institution. He was also briefed about the Capital Improvement Program of the airport, which is being financed with part of the US$132 million bond issue SXM successfully floated last year.
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors of PJIAE, Clarence Derby, was in attendance during the presentation.
Dutch PM Mark Rutte gestures to make a point during the presentation made to him by SXM Saturday. Also in photo are Regina LaBega, SXM Managing Director, Clarence Derby, Chairman, SBOD, and Larry Donker, Director of Operations. With back to camera is an unidentified member of Rutte’s delegation.
In earlier separate meetings, LaBega had discussed SXM’s vision of establishing a training center for the region at the airport. The idea was met with much enthusiasm by Mr. Van Brakel, director of De Braak, a Dutch firm which counts Schiphol Management as one of its clients and which also has experience working in Curacao. Van Brakel is expected to draft a proposal to this end for consideration by SXM.
"We also met with Mr. Lubberhuizen, Director of the company, Structon, who was among the delegates that attended the SXM presentation," LaBega said.
The SXM team included Director of Operations, Larry Donker, Special Projects Coordinator, Robert Brown, Corporate Communications Specialist Kalifa Hickinson,acting Manager, Marketing and Customer Service Department, Suzy Kartokromo, Legal Counsel, Sandy Offringa, and Max Schakel of Special Projects.
Dutch businessman, Lubberhuizen (1st from L) poses with the SXM team of Managing Director, Regina LaBega, Corporate Communications Specialist, Kalifa Hickinson and Director of Operations, Larry Donker, following a meeting at the MD’s office.