Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of General Affairs Lambertus van Poelgeest and Director General for Kingdom Relations of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Roald Lapperre accompanied the Prime Minister.
The delegation’s first stop was St. John’s, where Commissioner of Education Eviton Heyliger and Project Manager Carine Ghazzi gave a presentation on the masterplan for the school campus project. Ghazzi shared the design for the new gym, technical education center and Enrichment center, all of which will be funded by the Ministry of OCW, Ministry of VWS, the Regiodeal and Public Entity Saba. Construction for the technical center and the gym aim to begin in the second half of this year, with the construction of the Enrichment center starting in 2026. Emphasis was placed on the importance of having a modern educational facility for the students on Saba, that also serves as a place of inspiration that the students look forward to going to. PM Schoof also briefly visited the Sacred Heart School and Saba Comprehensive School, sharing lively and engaging moments with the students.
A tour of the Black Rocks Harbor project site followed, given by Commissioner Bruce Zagers and Project Manager Peter Biemond, who shared an update on the progress of the project. Commissioner Zagers explained the background of the harbor project and its importance for the local economy, connectivity and tourism. Biemond and representatives from Ballast Nedam presented the design and other technical details for the new harbor, with an estimated completion date for the marine structure being in December 2026. The delegation also visited the current Harbor Facility, where Harbor Master Travis Johnson described the daily operations.
Prime Minister Schoof then had a meeting with Island Governor Johnson, followed by lunch with members of the Island Council, where they covered topics such as cost of living, connectivity and affordable housing.
PES reflects on a productive and engaging visit by the Prime Minister, and we look forward to continuing maintaining strong connections.
