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PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, July 14th, 2021 Policymakers of the Department of Culture within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport (ECYS) met with several internal stakeholders from key Government departments. They are Maritime Affairs within the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) within the Ministry of General Affairs (AZ) and National Commission for UNESCO St. Maarten (NatCom). The main objectives of this meeting were to collect information, clarify the Departments role and UNESCOs Convention requirements and reassert the Ministers overarching responsibility towards Archeology and Underwater Heritage.
Between 2009 and 2011, the Ministry of VROMI in collaboration with the Ministry of ECYS hired consultant Sanny Ensing to create a comprehensive Archeology and Anthropology Policy Plan. Archeology and Underwater Heritage fall under the domain Heritage within the 4 pillars of the Cultural Creative Industry (CCI). The other 3 are Art, Media, and Creative Services. Archeology can be described as the scientific study of material remains and artifacts such as tools, pottery, jewelry, stone walls, and monuments of past human life and activities (Merriam Webster 2021). Whereas underwater heritage is defined as all traces of human existence having a cultural, historical, or archaeological character that has been partially or totally underwater, periodically or continuously, for at least 100 years (UNESCO 2017). Currently, the designated Archelogy depot is the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) St. Maarten Archeological Center (SIMARC).
The need for an Archeology and Underwater Heritage Policy is to implement guidelines that steer archeological and underwater heritage affairs in a direction of increased protection via new procedures, an informed public due to greater awareness, and a more structured approach to inter-ministerial and NGO cooperation.
The Honorable Minister drs. Rodolphe Samuel stated, Heritage management is crucial and this combined policy will enable us to strengthen compliance, preservation, enforcement, and education of St. Maartens Archeological and Underwater Heritage. For further information on the Archeology and Underwater Heritage Policy please contact the Department of Culture via clara.reyes@sintmaartengov.org cc: mecysdoc@gmail.com and/or 721-542-4915. Follow us on Facebook; www.facebook.com/DOCSXM/.
