On Friday morning President of Parliament Hon. drs. Gracita Arrindell, gave a warm welcome to Dutch Second Chamber of Parliament Chairlady Gerdi Verbeet and seven faction leaders represented in the aforementioned Parliament in The Hague.
The Dutch parliamentary faction leader’s delegation is on an official working visit to Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten and Caribbean Netherlands (the islands of Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire).
"It is important for the faction leaders to visit and get a personal feel for what is happening in our surroundings. This should be seen as a continuation of reaching out to each other as Members of Parliament in dealing with the issues of importance to the people of Sint Maarten and have understanding for the issues as we build this new nation," President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell said on Friday.
The delegation were met at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) by the President of Parliament Hon. Gracita Arrindell, Acting Chairlady of the Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Inter-parliamentary Relations Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Dr. Ruth Douglass, the Secretary General of Parliament J.D. (Jossy) Semeleer, and Dutch Representative based in Curacao G. Van der Wulp.
The Dutch faction leaders are: A. Slob (CU), Stephanus A. Blok (VVD), Job Cohen (PvdA), J. Sap (GL), A. Pechthold (D66), S. van Haersma Buma (CDA), and C. van der Staaij (SGP).
On Friday afternoon the faction leaders met with His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday, followed by the Parliament of Sint Maarten
On Saturday the delegation leaves for Saba and St. Eustatius and returns to Sint Maarten on Monday. Upon returning from St. Eustatius, the Dutch faction leaders will visit the I Can Foundation and the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility and meet with the Council of Ministers.
Members of the Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Inter-parliamentary Relations are Chairman MP Hon. Roy Marlin, MP Hon. William Marlin and MP Hon. Patrick Illidge.
Accompanying the Dutch delegation are Secretary General Jacqueline Vermeijden e/v Biesheuvel, Head of Information J.J. Jochemsen and Second Chamber Secretariat Staff Member Antoinette Meere as well as eight journalists from Holland.