Executive Council in the Netherlands

The Executive Council started its working visit to the Netherlands on Monday, May 23. The delegation will meet with various ministries, members of Dutch Parliament and several organizations.

The Saba delegation consists of Island Governor Jonathan Johnson, Commissioners Bruce Zagers and Eviton Heyliger, Head of Finance Maureen Hassell-van der Kaap, Senior Policy Advisor Nicole Johnson, Head of the Planning Bureau Zoubeir Elatmani, Program Manager Nature and Environment Policy Plan Sarah van der Horn and Project Manager of Black Rocks Harbor Project Mario Prak. The delegation attends the meetings in various compositions, depending on the type and subject of the meetings. For Commissioner Heyliger, this is his first official work visit to the Netherlands since his appointment.  

On Monday, May 22, the delegation presented two important projects. At the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations (BZK) the project to expand the existing Administration Building was presented, while the presentation of the school building project took place at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW).

Commissioners Zagers and Heyliger on Monday paid a visit to Member of the Second Chamber Attje Kuiken of the Labor Party (PvdA) to talk about the various developments and challenges that Saba faces. Also present at that meeting was Member of the First Chamber Jeroen Recourt of the PvdA party.

For the remainder of the week, the delegation has meetings at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (SZW), the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK), the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW), the Ministry of Public Health, Wellbeing and Sport (VWS), the Ministry of BZK, the Ministry of OCW, Bazalt Wonen and the Cadaster.

Important topics to be discussed in The Hague include healthcare, education, culture, the Black Rocks harbor project, social security, poverty alleviation, energy, telecom, housing, land registry, water, agriculture, connectivity, spatial planning and waste management.

Next week Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the delegation will pay a visit to education organization Yuverta in Houten and the World Horti Center in Naaldwijk. There will also be separate meetings with State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitization Alexandra van Huffelen and Minister for Poverty, Participation and Pensions Carola Schouten. The delegation returns to Saba on Friday, June 2.