The beautiful island of Sint Eustatius is a place with a rich history. You can see and feel this when you visit Fort Oranje and the Heritage Centre. Here, the history of ‘Statia’ comes to life. There is now, rightly so, a greater focus on the heroes who fought for freedom from slavery. It’s crucial that we continue to pay attention to this horrific period of our shared history.
I also visited the GTI oil terminal, which provides around 200 jobs on the island. The terminal is a crucial link in the energy supply chain in the Caribbean region. This is particularly important in times of geopolitical unrest.
I spoke with the Governor, the Executive Council and members of the Island Council about how we can further strengthen local government. So that together we can give the island an economic and social boost. Safety, good education and accessible healthcare play an important role in this.
The island’s most important public holiday, ‘Statia Day’, will be extra special this year. November marks the 250th anniversary of Sint Eustatius becoming the first state in the world to recognise the US as an independent nation with ‘The First Salute’. The team updated me on the preparations for all the festivities.
Many thanks to Governor Francis for the warm welcome and the wonderful visit to Sint Eustatius.