The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) is the proud owner of a bulldozer, purchased through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund. The bulldozer is deemed vital in the continued improvement of the management of the landfill being spearheaded by the VROMI Ministry.
The bulldozer, with a value of 555 thousand US dollars, along with a preventative maintenance plan, follows the purchase of Alternative Daily Cover materials and silo and applicator equipment. At the handing over of the keys on January 27th, Minister of VROMI Christopher Wever expressed that he “think[s] this is a good step forward. The Department of Infrastructure Management will definitely make use of this machine for all its possible capabilities. This is the beginning of more positive news to come as we continue to make strides in overseeing and improving our waste management techniques.”
Additional heavy equipment, such as a front loader and waste compactor, are also being purchased under the Trust Fund to further improve the St Maarten landfill operations. National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) Director Claret Connor expressed his pleasure of the delivery: “I am happy we were able to procure this heavy equipment for the country. As the project implementing unit (PIU) of the St Maarten Trust Fund, we feel equally as proud as the Ministry of VROMI. With the support of the various World Bank teams, the NRPB will continue to diligently address the needs identified by the Government of Sint Maarten in our ongoing recovery process.”
The Emergency Debris Management Project, under the Trust Fund, seeks to improve the waste disposal activities at the Landfill, decommission the Irma-dump and improve the environmental conditions around Pond Island and its adjacent communities. An additional component of the Project is the clean-up of shipwrecks in the Simpson Bay Lagoon and Mullet Pond, and removal of debris on the Simpson Bay shoreline.
The Sint Maarten Trust Fund is financed by the Government of the Netherlands, managed by the World Bank and implemented by the National Recovery Program Bureau.