PHILIPSBURG:--- The Permanent Committee of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (CVROMI) of Parliament will meet on March 20, 2025.

The Committee meeting is scheduled for Friday at 10.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure will be in attendance.

The agenda points are:
1. Discussion on the current state of national housing in Sint Maarten, including government planning, (land use), and institutional capacity (IS/1057/2024-2025 dated May 19, 2025)

2. Follow-up discussion with the Minister of VROMI on cemetery capacity, development planning, and related infrastructure policy (IS/396/2025-2026 dated November 26, 2025)

These agenda points were requested by MP D.T.J. York

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament (MP) Lyndon Lewis is urgently calling on the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Patrice Gumbs, to take immediate and decisive action to address the worsening state of road infrastructure across Sint Maarten, following a deeply concerning incident highlighted by the police union, NAPB Sint Maarten.

The recent report by the union outlines a serious accident involving police officers responding to an emergency on Sucker Garden Road, where hazardous road conditions — including a significant pothole — are believed to have contributed to the crash. This incident has once again brought to light the dangerous reality faced daily by law enforcement officers and the wider public due to neglected infrastructure.

MP Lewis expressed grave concern over the situation, stating:

“While our officers were carrying out their sworn duty to protect and serve, they were exposed to life-threatening danger caused not by criminal activity, but by preventable failures in infrastructure. This is unacceptable and demands immediate intervention. Sint Maarten roads are in a deplorable state, and the Minister is doing absolutely nothing about it.”

He emphasized that safe and properly maintained roads are essential to national safety and public welfare. Emergency responders — including police, ambulance personnel, and firefighters — rely heavily on functional infrastructure to perform their duties effectively and safely. The current conditions not only hinder response times but also place lives at risk.

MP Lewis is therefore calling on the Minister of VROMI to:

• Conduct an urgent and comprehensive assessment of Sucker Garden Road and other critical roadways.
• Execute immediate repairs to hazardous potholes and deteriorated road surfaces;
• Establish and communicate a clear, structured road maintenance plan;
• Introduce consistent monitoring and accountability measures to prevent further incidents.

 “The people of Sint Maarten deserve better. Our first responders deserve better. We cannot continue to wait for tragedies before action is taken,” MP Lewis added.

He further voiced his full support for the officers involved in the incident and prayed for their full recovery. He commended the police union, NAPBSint Maarten, for bringing this critical issue to attention. He stressed that safeguarding infrastructure is a fundamental responsibility of the Government and must be treated with the urgency it requires.

“Enough is enough, the Minister needs to act without delay. I have raised the deplorable state of our public infrastructure many times in parliament, and the Minister isn’t taking heed of the urgency of the matter at hand. Immediate action must be taken to restore safety on our roads and protect all who depend on them. ” MP Lewis stated. 

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Patrice Gumbs, expressed his gratitude to the KPSM for their efforts in combating crime, as demonstrated by the actions that resulted in the unfortunate accident on Suckergarden Road today.

Minister Gumbs also took note of the allegations by community members that the accident was related to the conditions on Suckergarden Road. While not dispelling the need for interventions, the Minister asked the community to allow the traffic police investigation to run its course.

Regarding the status of Suckergarden Road repairs, Gumbs indicated that the Ministry has been proactive in repairing and upgrading infrastructure, some of which has formed part of the private-public partnerships being rolled out. The Ministry is in the final stages of awarding the contract for repairs for Suckergarden Road. While persons may expect these things to proceed faster, the government is limited in how quickly work can be executed by procurement regulations, internal and external capacity, and budgetary constraints.

The Minister thanks the public for their understanding and expresses his heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery to the KPSM officers involved.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The General Audit Chamber has published their latest report entitled “Audit on the Reliability of Statistics.” The report reviews the environment in which the Department of Statistics (STAT) operates and assesses whether it supports the Department's ability to produce reliable national statistics.

The audit was carried out in response to public concerns about the timeliness and accuracy of statistics, and the role these statistics play in measuring St. Maarten’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report finds that STAT operates under challenging conditions, both within government and in relation to external partners. Several factors were identified that affect the department’s ability to function effectively. Within the department, there has been a high staff turnover. There are also difficulties in attracting staff with the required technical skills. As a result, it is difficult for STAT to carry out its annual work, improve its processes and maintain relationships with data providers and users.

These staffing challenges have led to a reliance on external consultants, limited quality control, and delays in publishing statistics. In addition, the department has not had a permanent Department Head since 2024, with the role being fulfilled on an acting basis. During the audit, several new staff members were hired. However, a 2022 peer review by CBS Netherlands indicated that at least ten qualified staff members are needed to carry out the work program. Maintaining and expanding staff capacity remains an important issue.

Externally, there are also challenges. STAT faces difficulties in collecting complete data, especially through surveys and government records. Incomplete data affects the accuracy and usefulness of statistics. Stronger cooperation between government departments could improve this situation.

The report also notes that several organizations in St. Maarten already collect useful data. Better data-sharing between these organizations and STAT could improve the quality and relevance of national statistics. High staff turnover has made it difficult to develop these connections, but recent hiring may create new opportunities.

The full report is available on the website of the General Audit Chamber: www.arsxm.org