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Re: how is French side govt different than dutch side?
[Re: Bahston]
#148501
11/12/2017 08:04 PM
11/12/2017 08:04 PM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 280 Lithuania
Julius
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Lithuania
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Re: how is French side govt different than dutch side?
[Re: jaxon60]
#148504
11/13/2017 12:07 PM
11/13/2017 12:07 PM
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 3
Gruver
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Yes. I believe 140M euros is the EU contribution, apart from the French government. I suspect you won't see a battle between Saint-Martin and France, because Saint-Martin is just as much a part of France as is Paris. French government is very top-down. So, while Saint-Martin has some limited autonomy (like an American county), it has it by the grace of Paris.
In contrast, it is my understanding that St. Maarten is essentially independent, but shares a royal family with the Netherlands. It is kind of like Barbados, which shares Queen Elizabeth with the UK, but has its own, sovereign parliament and prime minister. So, the Netherlands needs to seek an agreement with St. Maarten's government as a condition for its aid -- if the Netherlands wants to set such conditions.
Because Saint-Martin is part of France, aid will necessarily be different, and simply becomes a national budgeting issue. I saw an article that France has already spent 160 million euros on Irma (perhaps in conjunction with St. Barth). A notable feature of the French approach regards insurance. France formally declared Irma a natural catastrophe. It is my understanding that this means that if there is property insurance, the French government will act as a reinsurer and cover both wind damage (which is typically insured) AND water damage (which typically is not). The estimated cost of that is 830 million euros. I bet the folks in Houston would like a similar system....
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Re: how is French side govt different than dutch side?
[Re: jaxon60]
#148507
11/13/2017 03:00 PM
11/13/2017 03:00 PM
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 3
Gruver
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Snorkeler, I said "kind of like" Barbados. Sint Maarten is self-governing (like Barbados) and has full autonomy other than for "Kingdom Affairs," which are: (1) defense; (2) foreign relations; (3) nationality; (4) orders of chivalry, the flag and the coat of arms of the Kingdom; (5) the nationality of vessels and the standards required for the safety and navigation of seagoing vessels flying the flag of the Kingdom, (6) admission and expulsion of Netherlands nationals; and (7) the admission and expulsion of aliens, including extradition. And Saint-Martin's status as an overseas collectivity does not make it not a part of France. Overseas collectivities are "integral parts of France, ... are represented in the National Assembly, Senate and Economic and Social Council. Only one COM, Saint Martin, is part of the European Union and can vote to elect members of the European Parliament (MEPs)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_collectivity
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