THE HAGUE/BRUSSELS–Member of the European Parliament Agnes Jongerius of the Dutch Labour Party PvdA is upset about the lack of action from the side of the European Commission to financially assist in St. Maarten’s recovery. She has asked the European Ombudsman to investigate.
Jongerius, who is part of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, announced on Wednesday that she has moved to seek the intervention of the European Ombudsman in what she called the “European mess” where it comes to the lack of financial support for St. Maarten despite promises from Brussels for assistance.
Jongerius wants clarity why the European Union (EU) has not made the funds available that were pledged after Hurricane Irma caused wide-spread devastation in St. Maarten on September 6, 2017. She lamented that one year after the hurricane, still no funds have been released to assist St. Maarten with its multi-million recovery.
“The silence of the European Commission is deafening about the money for St. Maarten and I want to know why it is not forthcoming,” stated Jongerius in a press release. She pointed out that due to its independent position, the European Ombudsman is the most suitable body to assess whether the financial support for St. Maarten is “unnecessarily delayed.”
According to the European Member of Parliament (MP), the Ombudsman has the task to intervene when things are about to go wrong between the European Committee and citizens. She said that since the hurricane season has started there is an increased urgency for a quick recovery.
“European Committee President Jean-Claude Juncker made a promise to the island residents last year and he must keep his word. The most important thing is that the people have a safe housing,” Jongerius said, alluding to the fact that one year after the hurricane hundreds of homes are still without a roof or haven’t been fixed as yet because the inhabitants don’t have the finances to repair their homes.
The European MP referred to an earlier conclusion of the Dutch Ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen, who together with his St. Maarten colleague Nilda Arduin urged the governments of the Netherlands and St. Maarten to improve the cooperation and to get moving with the recovery process.
“Everybody is willing to contribute to the recovery, but I have been increasingly receiving signals that the reconstruction is proceeding too slow. The European Commission will be extra motivated to come forward with the promised funds of the European Ombudsman were to arrive at the same conclusion as her Dutch and St. Maarten colleagues,” stated Jongerius.
In a document supplied to the European Ombudsman, Jongerius explained the reasoning for filing a complaint. Due to a difference in constitutional status of French St. Martin and Dutch St. Maarten, the European Parliament feared that there would two different speeds in the reconstruction process. During a debate on September 13, 2017, several members of the European Parliament argued that the facilities on the island were shared by all and that the inhabitants of St. Maarten are EU citizens.
To prevent inequality between the French and Dutch side, President Juncker promised the following: “I share your views on the need for a European integrated approach to support reconstruction efforts on both parts of the island. Saint Martin and St. Maarten need, more than ever, to work hand in hand. The Commission will make every effort to ensure complementarity between European Union interventions and ease cooperation and development of joint projects at local level. In parallel, the Commission is taking all necessary measures to release all possible aid without delay.”
MP Jongerius is reminding Juncker of his promise that St. Maarten/St. Martin would be aided as one island, on an equal basis. “Since then the Commission has been silent.” Jongerius sought clarity from the Commission on July 19 through a number of written questions to inquire about the funds that had been pledged for St. Maarten.
The six-weeks term for the Commission to reply these questions has lapsed, and so far Jongerius has received no answers. She said that it was unclear whether the promised EU funds have arrived in St. Maarten to assist the people on the island. In her opinion, the European system should be aimed at improving the situation for the people as soon as possible. “Due to a lack of transparency, it is unclear whether this assistance has reached the people.”
One of the questions on the document for the Ombudsman was what should be done to correct the matter. According to Jongerius, the European Commission should make clear which (financial) steps it has taken to support the EU citizens on St. Maarten. “The Commission has to show its plans if these steps have not been taken (as yet). In addition, the Commission should (further) assist the St. Maarten government in requesting EU funds for the recovery.”
Bron: Daily Herald