SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) - It is with great sadness that the Government (Council of Ministers COM) of Sint Maarten received news concerning the passing of civil servant and historian Alfonso R. Blijden today, Friday, May 27. Mr. Blijden was born in 1964 on Aruba before making St. Maarten his home in 1985. He was a valued civil servant from 1987 to present, making a difference in the lives of all who met and interacted with him. Mr. Blijden will always be remembered as hard-working, dedicated, and committed to learning and sharing the history of St. Martin.
He began his career in government as an Archive Officer in 1987, under the leadership of the late Louis Duzanson who ignited a passion for archiving and history in him. Mr. Blijden continued to develop his career in government as a very knowledgeable and dedicated civil servant earning his bachelors degree in Public Administration in 2007. As an expert in his field, he transitioned towards Senior Archive Officer and Application Manager for the Department of Records and Information Management (DIV) in 2013, a position he had a passion for up to his passing.
Having developed a true passion for history, Mr. Blijden served the government of St. Maarten for the past 35-plus years. Colleagues of Mr. Blijden describe him as an outstanding civil servant with a passion for history and culture. He became a member of the UNESCO Memory of the World Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean from 2015 to 2019, and was an active member of the National Monument Council, as well as many other local organizations until his passing. He will surely be missed.
“On behalf of the Government and people of St. Maarten, we extend deepest condolences to his wife Mrs. Blijden, his two daughters, family and friends. The Department of Records and Information Management (DIV) and by extension St. Maarten, has lost a master historian and researcher with a drive to know more about our history. Mr. Blijden laid the groundwork for most of our archives as he also discovered and recorded a lot of information on his own. His contributions and legacy will continue to live for years to come," stated Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs.
Source: Souliga Newsday https://www.soualiganewsday.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=43896:com-extends-condolences-to-family-and-friends-of-historian-alfonso-r-blijden&Itemid=450
