SXMElections.com

AIRPORT--Some 27 students bade farewell to family and friends on Sunday morning as they departed on their journey to the Netherlands to further their studies. Loved ones spent the last moments with them at Princess Juliana International Airport SXM, at the fourth Bon Voyage party hosted by the airport and Domino’s Pizza.

The students heard special addresses by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs Rita Bourne-Gumbs and the airport’s Managing Director Regina LaBega before saying their final goodbyes. Minister Plenipotentiary Josianne Fleming-Artsen also attended the gathering.

A water-cannon salute for the plane also was arranged by the airport’s Rescue and Fire Fighting team. Some students from Saba and St. Eustatius also departed on the same plane.

Prime Minister Gumbs encouraged students to come back home after completing their studies, even though there would be good job offers in the Netherlands. “The country needs you,” he said.

Minister Bourne-Gumbs said the sad moment was also a joyous one and the tears of sadness eventually would be replaced by tears of joy. She called it an opportunity for broadening horizons and gaining an enriching experience.

LaBega focused on their new life-chapter, speaking of how different life would be, especially in regard to the students carrying all their own responsibilities and finding a good work-life balance.

Stichting Unified St. Maarten Connection (USC) co-founder Cyriel Pfennings attended to promote awareness of the organisation and its activities, and handed out informative flyers. USC is a young non-profit organisation in the Netherlands aimed at helping St. Maarten students. Four events are planned for the remainder of the year.

This is the first batch of students to travel to the Netherlands without being received by student support services S4, an organisation discontinued earlier this year.

Instead, the Education ministry organised needed support. Two guidance counsellors came to St. Maarten to carry out training sessions with the students and joined them for their flight on Sunday.

On arrival at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, the group will have breakfast together at a hotel, joined by the guidance counsellors and a few USC representatives, before heading off to their respective cities. They are also set to reconvene on Friday.

Students from Saba and Statia who previously fell under S4 will be following separate orientation programmes once they arrive in the Netherlands.

The group of 27 was notably smaller than groups of previous years, partly because more students will be studying in the United States and in the region this year.

At the party, the ministers presented students with small St. Maarten flags to remember home by, goodie bags with “SXM” branded gift items, and pizza and refreshments distributed by Domino’s Pizza.

DJ King Kembe and MC Suppa provided the party’s entertainment.