SMHDF Congratulates World Bank Project Team; Phase 1 of Repairs Agreement Moving Forward.

December 17, 2018

PHILIPSBURG:—St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation Director, Helen Salomons, was eager to congratulate the team that submitted complying bids to the Irma Recovery trust fund managed by the World Bank. The first phase of repairs related directly to this subsidiary agreement kicks off this week and will center on all duplex units awaiting assessment and repair of their roofs and interior ceilings. The agreement is the fruitful result of several periods of extensive discussion with the different teams from BZK, the World Bank and the Ministry of VROMI.
“Housing Foundation is very pleased and proud of this milestone,” Salomons stated, “as well as with the collaboration and understanding of the IRC support staff that was made available to us.”
Salomons stressed the importance of and need for collaborative and cooperative efforts on all sides of this and future projects from SMHDF, specifically from the organization’s respective tenants. To facilitate the efficiency and timing of this first phase, tenants will have to provide access with field teams once the initial phase begins, a step which has caused delays in other related repairs projects by the foundation.
Salomons expressed her deepest appreciation to the Kingdom and island governments, as well as the World Bank, for what she deems their valuable collaboration and understanding. She cited as well that the support from various sub-groups was welcomed and well-received and that the scope of the project goes beyond the current duplex properties.
“Additionally included in this project is the complete refurbishing of the apartment towers,” Salomons continued. “In January we will launch a communication campaign to update all residents with the various tasks to be executed.”
The campaign will be conducted in addition to the existing monthly newsletter that is being distributed within the SMHDF’s residential communities. The project communication will highlight those tasks that will be pending tenant participation, such as allowing entry to the home for assessment of the scope of work and collecting information from tenants themselves.
“This is a further indication of how very important it is that everyone involved cooperates,” Salomons reiterated in her statement. “It does not take just SMHDF alone to make these repairs a reality.”

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