PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs Jr. says the island’s growing pothole problem cannot be solved with short-term patchwork alone, warning that many roads now require complete reconstruction.
Responding to complaints about worsening road conditions during Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing, Gumbs acknowledged public frustration over larger and more dangerous potholes appearing across Sint Maarten.
He specifically addressed the damaged roadway in the Guana Bay area, explaining that the issue extends far beyond the road surface itself.
“When work began, it was recognized that the problem isn’t necessarily the road itself, it’s the subsurface,” Gumbs said.
According to the minister, repair efforts had to be paused so engineers could design a new solution addressing both the road surface and the unstable ground underneath.
He noted that for years roads have often been repaired by simply scraping the top layer and applying fresh asphalt, without addressing deeper structural issues.
“That is why you continue to see potholes returning,” he explained.
Gumbs said heavy rainfall also worsens already fragile roads, creating new potholes in areas that previously appeared stable.
To address the issue, VROMI has already begun a new pothole patching campaign and plans to procure additional cold asphalt so repairs can continue.
However, he emphasized that these are temporary fixes while the government works toward a broader long-term solution.
One of those solutions is the proposed Road Fund, which would help finance sustainable road repairs and introduce proper construction standards for Sint Maarten’s road network.
The minister said the island currently lacks formal road-building standards and is examining systems used on the French side as a possible model.
“It may seem like nothing is happening, but the ministry is not sitting back,” Gumbs said. “What we’ve been doing no longer matches what is needed.”
He added that improving the road network remains a priority despite budget and contractor capacity challenges.
