SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI), has tagged approximately 250 vehicles in the 2 weeks that the campaign against car wrecks began.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t even scratched the surface. In known hotspots there are at times 5-10 cars per street. So while the figures are high, even more concerning is that this represents a very isolated reach. More importantly, Government pays a contractor USD$100 for every wreck removed. So alongside the unsightliness of wrecks, the devaluation of quality of life, property values, and the potential health risks, we need to consider the impact of this public funds.” Minister Patrice Gumbs stated while tagging vehicles for removal.
The Ministry submitted a financial framework earlier this year as part of its efforts to support the creation of sustainable waste sector. It was approved by the Council of Ministers and identified end user disposal fees as an instrument to fund the waste sector. Gumbs supported the submission of a motion this week to help implement this in an effort to address the growing waste challenges.
Gumbs stated that the Ministry has never stopped picking up wrecks, this is an escalation of efforts. As we enter what is commonly known as the peak of Hurricane season, this is vital as these wrecks could be hazardous. Gumbs invited the general public to pay attention to Governments pages and the newspaper for weather related notices and reminded persons to visit the Ministry of VROMI’s social media pages for information on cleanup schedules and the location of large metal bins.
Finally, Minister Gumbs thanked the public for their engagement in reporting wrecks and offered assurance that while this will take time, we are coming!
