Setting the record straight re: NIPA and the EISTP program by Michael Ferrier

LETTER TO THE EDITOR by Michael Ferrier

Dear editor, 

In the The Daily Herald of Monday June 12, 2023, the Editorial heaps praises on the National Institute for Professional Advancement as it relates to what the newspaper calls NIPA’s “KEY ROLL” in the post-Hurricane IRMA Emergency Income Support and Training Project (EISTP).

NIPA may now very well be doing good work in the areas of vocational and professional education, but to set the record straight and not to allow the re-write of history, let it be known that NIPA played NO role in the establishment and running of what some have dubbed a marvelous, well conceived, properly managed and superbly executed post-hurricane IRMA social catch-net program.The EISTP was the brainchild of one of the founders of the ST. MAARTEN TRAINING FOUNDATION (SMTF) in December 2017 after Hurricane Irma. SMTF created the curriculum, designed the EISTP, administered it and ran it without the assistance or contribution of any other local organization.

SMTF initially funded the EISTP and then successfully applied for a grant, first from the SXM Government and subsequently for funding from the Trust Fund, administered by the World Bank (WB). NIPA was approached by the SMTF to donate the use of its classrooms for the program. Eventually the Institute agreed only to RENT classrooms to the SMTF at the rate of 

NAf 32,000 per month. Additionally (thanks to the SMTF), NIPA received funding to the tune of approximately US$70,000 per month to run a Construction training course . In order to fit the World Bank’s stringent funding requirements, the SMTF was asked to also manage that program. To be clear: NIPA had no role in the EISTP; it was simply an expensive landlord and a BENEFICIARY of the St. Maarten Training Foundation’s initiative funded by the World Bank and the SXM Government.       

For reference on the EISTP please see https://nrpbsxm.org/eistp/ 

Michael J. Ferrier

Former Member of the Supervisory Board of Directors of the SMTF

St. Maarten, June 14, 2023