The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure is currently working on upgrading the living standard conditions of our elderly and disabled persons here on St. Maarten.
In doing so, the ministry has embarked on a project which would grant these persons easy access to Great Bay beach.
Since the inception of this Governmental term, the Honorable Minister Egbert Jurendy Doran has been adamant about upgrading the infrastructure on the island in such a manner that it would accommodate persons who are physically challenged.
The minister stated that this has had his attention even before taking office as it is obvious that our infrastructure hardly caters to, for example, persons using wheelchairs.
Minister Doran stated that it is his firm belief that persons who are physically challenged should be able to easily commute around the island and enjoy our lovely beaches.
Having access to the beach to “take a soak” or even only to βpaddle your feetβ in the seawater while listening to the sound of the waves, is enjoyable and therapeutic for many.
The minister stated that once this project is completed, it will be a joy to see our elderly and physically challenged citizens and visitors have easier access to this natural luxury. This is why the ministry is currently working on a Terms of Reference (ToR) to make a pathway to the beach possible.
This beach path will be constructed in such a way that it will give vehicles that transport our elderly or disabled persons around the island, access to the shoreline. The path will include proper lighting so that persons will be able to participate in recreational beach activities even after the sun sets.
The ministry will be consulting with the Nature Foundation and other relevant stakeholders prior to the finalization of the ToR.
The minister ended by stating that similar plans of upgrading the infrastructure to cater to our physically vulnerable persons, will follow in the near future.
WILLEMSTAD – If everything goes according to plan, Curacao and Sint Maarten will receive a new currency on January 1, 2024,
the Caribbean Guilder. A proposal to start the resumption of the introduction of the Caribbean Guilder has been approved by the Council of Ministers of both countries.
It is not recommended to keep the Netherlands Antillean guilder as a currency for longer.
These include the adequacy of the stock of coins and banknotes, the highly outdated specifications, high production costs and the increased risk of counterfeiting in view of current technological developments.
The Caribbean Guilder should have been introduced from 201 0, but the introduction has been postponed several times in the past twelve years. Reasons for this were the poor economic situation in recent years and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the past six months, as a result of the easing of the COVID-19 measures, the economy has started to recover. The public finances and liquidity position of Curaqao have improved, according to the Central Bank and the ministries of finance of both countries,
the time is right to start preparations again, says the Ministry of Finance.
One on one
Like the Netherlands Antillean guilder, the Caribbean guilder is legally linked to the US dollar at a rate of 1 to 1.79. It is planned to maintain a one-to-one relationship with the Antillean guilder when the Caribbean guilder is introduced.
The one-to-one ratio is also laid down by law in the Regulation on the Communal Money System of Curaqao and Sint Maarten.
The coins used are: 5 guilders, 1 guilder, 50 cents, 25 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents and 1 cent. The banknotes are 200 guilders, 100 guilders, 50 guilders,
20 guilders and 1 0 guilders. The Central Bank of the two (is) countries will determine the design and printing of the banknotes, the weights, dimensions and quantity by agreement.