Above: the signing ceremony in Philipsburg over the weekend (Photo: GSM)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Ministers from Curacao and St Maarten have signed a new protocol agreement on areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Curacao Economic Affairs and Tourism Minister Stanley Palm and St Maarten Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Ted Richardson signed the non-binding agreement on Saturday in Philipsburg.

The pact covers four areas of potential collaboration, including on ports of entry, the division of assets of the former Netherlands Antilles, ways to seek regional representation in the Caribbean, from CARICOM to the ACS and the exchange of information and statistics on economic development and tourism.

In a statement, both sides said they understood that this “constitutes the first step for the start of collaboration between the Ministers and their respective Cabinets.”

“This milestone also marks the beginning of a fruitful and effective cooperation on areas of mutual interests for both countries, and the Ministers with the understanding that it will take full effect after the approval of the governments of the two countries,” the two sides said in a statement released by the government of St Maarten.