SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) – The Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina today, Tuesday, September 23, 2025, participated in a High-Level Meeting chaired by the World Bank (WB) and led by Ms. Ayat Soliman, Director of Strategy and Operations for the Latin America and Caribbean region.
The discussions included senior representatives such as Mr. Stuart Johnson (Chief of Staff), the Honorable Patrice Gumbs (Minister of VROMI), the Honorable Melissa Gumbs (Minister of ECYS), Ronald Halman Steering Committee Member of St. Maarten, Kenson Plaisimond - Secretary General Ministry of VROMI, Frans Weekers Steering Committee of The Netherlands, Gerbert Kunst Dutch Representative, Eugene Rhuggenaath Executive Director of the World Bank for The Netherlands, Lilia Burunciuc World Bank's Country Director for the Caribbean countries, and Toyin Jagha heads the World Bank's Sint Maarten (SXM) Trust Fund portfolio.
At the forefront of the meeting was Sint Maarten’s ongoing commitment to critical resilience and development projects, particularly the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Prime Minister Mercelina emphasized that the EOC project remains one of the government’s highest priorities, reaffirming its vital role in protecting lives, coordinating disaster response, and strengthening national resilience.
“The people of Sint Maarten have endured some of the most severe climate-related shocks in the region. Ensuring that our Emergency Operations Center is completed and fully operational is not just a project—it is a promise to safeguard our country’s future,” stated Prime Minister Dr. Mercelina. “We are grateful to the World Bank and our international partners for continuing to work with us to deliver on this crucial initiative.”
The Prime Minister further noted that the EOC forms part of a broader package of projects still to be realized.
“These projects represent a comprehensive approach to building a stronger, more resilient Sint Maarten,” Prime Minister Mercelina continued. “Our government will ensure that the momentum is sustained, and that resources are efficiently directed to benefit our people.”
The meeting concluded with an agreement to accelerate collaboration on the identified projects, with the EOC standing as a symbol of Sint Maarten’s determination to protect its citizens and secure its future.
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