~VROMI Minister says protest “not about a tree” as MPs demand full disclosure on permits, contracts, and landfill payments.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs Jr. came under intense questioning in Parliament on Tuesday as Members of Parliament pressed him on the controversial Simpson Bay development, government contracts, and outstanding payments tied to landfill operations.
In a heated session marked by repeated interruptions and calls for transparency, Gumbs defended his ministry’s handling of the Simpson Bay beachside development and insisted that recent public protests reflected “a deeper frustration” within the community rather than outrage over the removal of a single Seagrape tree.
The minister revealed that he personally visited Simpson Bay on Monday evening after residents blocked access roads near the Simpson Bay bridge and the airport roundabout in protest against ongoing construction work. According to Gumbs, community members raised concerns about overdevelopment, beach access, and environmental degradation.
Addressing allegations that the government had recently approved an expansion of beachfront property, Gumbs denied that any new extension had been granted in 2025. He explained that the matter instead involved the transfer of two parcels into a new legal entity, describing the process as administrative rather than a fresh land expansion approval.
That explanation immediately drew sharp criticism from opposition MPs.
MP Doran questioned whether cadastral records contradicted the minister’s explanation, while MP Raeyhon Peterson pressed for proof that the original land decree and “meetbrief” documentation dated back to 2022.
MP Ardwell Irion later questioned whether Minister Gumbs had the authority to refuse approval of the transfer in 2025. Parliamentarians later demanded that all supporting documents — including extensions, revised permits, and decrees — be shared with Parliament rather than selectively presented during debate. MP Darryl York insisted that lawmakers receive all related documents related to the matter.
Gumbs acknowledged that ministry inspectors had previously instructed contractors not to touch the Seagrape tree that was eventually removed. He confirmed that a stop order has now been issued on all works at the site pending verification of whether the proper civil works permits were obtained.
“Sustainable development does mean no construction,” Gumbs told Parliament. “It means using the land and resources in a way that allows them to be enjoyed for the next generation.”
The minister argued that Sint Maarten has suffered for years from weak enforcement and politically motivated decision-making, saying his ministry is now attempting to build “structure, transparency, and a system of checks and balances.”
Attention later shifted to landfill management and delayed contractor payments after MPs questioned the government’s relationship with waste management contractor Fleming Waste Solutions.
Gumbs disclosed that several companies have been providing services to the government without formal contracts and admitted that some payments in previous years were processed manually rather than through the required AIMS financial system.
The minister stated that Fleming Waste Solutions had been operating government-owned heavy equipment at the landfill since 2022 without a fully executed agreement covering the scope and duration of the work. He maintained that the payment delays stemmed from efforts to restore compliance with financial and procurement regulations rather than from any political targeting.
Gumbs further revealed that the government continues to face outstanding invoices for years-old infrastructure and drainage projects, including payments dating back to 2016.
Despite acknowledging that mistakes may have occurred, the minister accused political opponents of attempting to undermine reforms already underway within the ministry.
“What this meeting has attempted is to discredit me, my team, and our efforts to right decades of allowed wrongs,” Gumbs declared near the close of the session. “But to lay the current situation on me, mid-negotiation and in the middle of us actively working to fix the very problems, is nothing more than politics masquerading as concern.”
Parliament later adjourned temporarily to allow additional documents requested by MPs to be reviewed and distributed.