GREAT BAY--NOW (Nation Opportunity Wealth), 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, NAPB Sint Maarten, for bringing attention to this critical issue. 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 to 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.
https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/mp-lewis-to-minister-of-vromi-start-working-on-deplorable-public-infrastructure
