PHILIPSBURG–Following completion of the first phase of works at the Philipsburg and Simpson Bay police stations, both are now better able to withstand any major storms, as the buildings have been deemed “water- and wind-tight”.
This is the consensus of the small group of representatives who participated in the official walkthrough and hand-over on Wednesday, May 29. The project, which falls under Emergency Recovery Project 1 of the St. Maarten Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience Trust Fund, comprises window repairs, doors, shutters and roof sealing to improve working conditions at the police headquarters.
Claret Connor, Director of the National Recovery Programme Bureau, the Trust Fund’s implementation unit, explained, “The completion of phase one precedes the launching of a second phase which will involve permanent internal and roof renovations. The process to finalise the beginning of this second phase with stakeholders is underway and we are diligently working on starting as soon as possible.”
The water-proofed roof was inspected during the walkthrough, shutters were tested and doors and windows were opened and closed to ensure that the completed works were of a good quality. Minor issues were noted and are scheduled to be finalised soon.
“Although there is still more work to be done, we are now better prepared for the upcoming hurricane season,” said St. Maarten Police (KPSM) Operations Unit head Clenda Pecht. “Even the physical appearance of the stations is more suitable for our officers to carry out their day-to-day functions”.
Represented at the walkthrough were work contractor Aluminum Systems NV; the supervisor contractor Independent Consultant Engineers (ICE); Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI as the government entity responsible for public buildings; KPSM; and the National Recovery Programme Bureau.
The St. Maarten Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience Trust Fund is financed by the Netherlands, managed by the World Bank and implemented by the government of St. Maarten.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/87970-police-stations-said-to-be-water-wind-tight
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