Simpson Bay:— As part of the “PJIAE Good News” campaign we are delighted to publicize that the “Brown Pelican” trio statues have now been restored at the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM).
The sculptures were originally erected as beautification for the roundabout at the Airport Road in Simpson Bay in May 2014. The extravagant bronze statues which depict the national bird of the island of St. Maarten, the “Brown Pelican” transformed into an eyesore following the destructive 2017 hurricanes, alongside the catastrophic damages caused to the award-winning Airport.
The sphere-based area of the roundabout also showcases the three (3) letter IATA codes to honor all the associated hub partner islands like Anguilla, Dominica, BVI, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Barths, and Nevis.
With the 2018 migration back into the Terminal Building’s temporary operations, pre-works, and the forthcoming reconstruction all taking precedence, the restoration of the national symbols was put on hold.
The Chief Operations Officer, COO, Michel Hyman declared thanks for the initial coordination by the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, the sponsorship from the reoccurring American residents out of Blairsville, Atlanta, Jim, and Janet Eddins, and the original sculptor, Michael Maghiro on the efforts to graciously reconstruct the monuments.
The three-month project allowed the sculptor and his team to reattach the replacement pieces, enhance the bronze-themed color, whilst renovating the original style of the statues. Meanwhile, the renovation of the Airport Terminal Reconstruction Project is on target to be completed by 2023.
