Cay Hill, St. Maarten:---  The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) continues to mark 25 years of supporting the community and World Mental Health Day by reminding the public that the MHF crisis phone line is available to adults and children in need of emergency support. The number,
+1 (721) 585-5556, is confidential and staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anyone in need of in-person, emergency mental health support should call the crisis line.
No referral is needed to access emergency mental health support — MHF has a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse, and a registered nurse/case manager on call and available to respond with an
ambulant team for anyone who is at risk of being harmed or harming someone else. The Crisis line is not a talk line.
"While World Mental Health Day gives us an opportunity to continue to destigmatize the concept of mental health, we must remember that self-care and mental wellness are not just for one day — they're something we should all be practicing every day," said psychiatrist and MHF
Medical Director Hendrikus van Gaalen. He adds, “We must remember, crises are temporary, but the effects may become long-lasting if someone does not receive early support, intervention and care when needed. Never be afraid to call for help. Call our crisis line directly for an immediate
response.”
For general inquiries, call the Mental Health Foundation at +1 (721) 542-1677 during business hours. Learn more at www.mhf.sx

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs Jr. has outlined a proposed road and infrastructure programme approaching nine million guilders for 2027, while confirming that the full implementation of the road fund has been delayed again because of competing financial demands.

Speaking at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, October 21, Gumbs said the upcoming budget provides approximately five million guilders for infrastructure works. An additional four million guilders in anticipated capital expenditure would bring the proposed programme to approximately nine million, subject to budget approval.

Gumbs described the five-million-guilder allocation as the largest for roads since Sint Maarten attained country status on October 10, 2010. The minister made that comparison but did not provide a historical breakdown during the briefing.

“This year, I had 650,000 guilders. Next year, I have 5 million,” he said, referring to the infrastructure allocation in the national budget.

However, the minister acknowledged that the government has not yet delivered the full road fund arrangement previously envisaged.

He said a significant portion of road tax revenue goes to the fund, but the Ministry of Finance requested another delay in fully implementing it because of pressing financial issues. Gumbs indicated that a possible amendment to the 2027 budget could help secure the fund’s full implementation or legal establishment.

The proposed spending will target road resurfacing, hard surfacing, erosion, collapsed road sections and supporting structures. Road signs, barricades and road markings are also priorities.

Gumbs said limited funding and longstanding unpaid bills had constrained the ministry’s ability to address even relatively straightforward improvements.

He also acknowledged another obstacle: limited asphalt capacity.

According to the minister, the government competes with airport works for access to the island’s main asphalt supplier. Planned road repairs in the coming weeks overlap with airport asphalt work, requiring coordination of schedules.

VROMI intends to carry out maintenance ahead of the busiest tourism period where possible. Gumbs said cruise projections and police communications point to a busy season, making disruptive roadworks particularly difficult.

For motorists accustomed to watching painted circles around potholes disappear before repairs arrive, the proposed funding offers the prospect of a larger intervention. Its practical impact will depend on approval, procurement, contractor availability and the ministry’s ability to execute the programme.

PHILIPSBURG:--- VROMI Minister Patrice Gumbs Jr. has confirmed that an inspection into excavation works at Indigo Bay identified deviations from the approved permitting requirements, but no stop order was announced during Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing.

The disclosure came after a reporter raised residents’ concerns about alleged over-excavation and continuing damage to neighboring homes.

Gumbs said the Inspection Department visited the location and compared the works with designs submitted to the Permits Department.

“We have identified that there have been some issues,” he said, explaining that certain areas did not fully follow the permitting process.

The ministry is preparing a letter to the responsible party, outlining the next steps. However, Gumbs could not provide its precise status.

“I’m not sure exactly where the letter is currently. It’s being drafted by the Ministry,” he said.

Asked whether work should be paused while the situation is addressed, Gumbs identified several options, including meetings with the parties involved and affected residents, as well as a possible stop order.

He said those options would come to him for a decision shortly.

The response leaves unresolved when formal action will be taken and whether excavation will be halted in the meantime.

Gumbs also said that once the government establishes what occurred, the party that caused it is responsible for repairing damage to neighboring properties and the surrounding environment.

The briefing did not establish the extent of the reported damage, identify the responsible party or provide a deadline for corrective works.

For affected homeowners, the immediate issue remains whether the ministry’s findings will translate into measures that prevent further damage while responsibility and repairs are addressed.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Approximately 17.3 hectares of land in Cul de Sac have returned to government control, with VROMI Minister Patrice Gumbs Jr. announcing plans to designate the property as Sint Maarten’s first terrestrial park.

Gumbs disclosed the development during Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing, saying he finalized the return of the long-leased property approximately two months ago.

The four parcels, commonly referred to as the “Rainforest” property, cover approximately 172,626 square meters in the Golden Rock and Industry area.

“What this means practically is that land that was previously tied up under a private long-lease is now back in the hands of Country St. Maarten,” Gumbs said.

The return gives government the opportunity to determine the land’s long-term use, including its protection and role in managing stormwater.

Gumbs linked the proposed park to a UNESCO-IHE drainage study that identified the area as valuable for natural drainage and stormwater management.

He warned that Cul de Sac is already densely developed and that construction has compromised areas previously identified for drainage or natural protection.

“We can’t afford to necessarily put more into that area,” he said.

The minister intends to convene stakeholders to discuss management arrangements and how the property should be protected.

He also indicated that the proposed designation would be incorporated into work on a protection ordinance once a first draft becomes available.

The announcement establishes the government’s intended use of the property, but the briefing did not provide a date for formal designation, a management budget, or details of public access and maintenance.

The proposal nevertheless places a substantial area of land at the center of two pressing concerns: protecting remaining natural spaces and reducing the consequences of development in an already heavily built-up drainage basin.