Philipsburg:--- Members of the French Executive Council consisting of President Frantz Gumbs, Daniel Gibbs, Claire Javois-Fermin, Louis Jeffry, Alain Richardson, Aline Hanson and Melissa Sedano from the Senator's cabinet along with several advisors attended a joint meeting organized between the two sides on Friday.The delegation met with five members of the Council of Ministers in the A.C Wathey Legislative Hall. Representing the Council of Ministers were Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams, Minister of Economic Affairs Franklin Meyers, Minister of Education Rhoda Arrindell, Minister of Justice Roland Duncan and Minister of Health and Labour Cornelius De Weever. Absent were the Minister of Finance Hiro Shigemoto and Deputy Prime Minister Theo Heyliger both of whom are off island.
The meeting held on Friday was the first since the Dutch side of St. Maarten attained its new status. As such, the Council of Ministers with the assistance of its department of communication put together a video to show their French counterparts the new structure under which the Dutch side operates.
The two sides discussed several areas of cooperation including the establishing of the "Mixte Committee" which both Holland and France is forcing local authorities here to establish.SMN News learnt that the political heads on both sides have decided that neither Holland or France would decide how cooperation takes place on St. Martin/St. Maarten. The source said the meeting was very productive as several issues regarding cooperation were discussed. The source further explained that emphasis was placed on the "Mixte Committee" which they plan to work on but more emphasis was placed on how St. Maarten/St. Martin will decide independently on the level of cooperation.
