Govt. looks at new land in Belvedere for burial, no specifics on housing

GREAT BAY--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Patrice Gumbs, has confirmed that government has identified a parcel of land known as "remainder Belvedere Estate" as the site for a new public cemetery and is awaiting the formal transfer of funding from the Dutch government.

St. Maarten has secured Cg 30 million in capital expenditure (capex) loan financing for 2025, following approval from the Committee for Financial Supervision (CFT). The funding includes Cg 10.4 million for the construction of a new prison and Cg 18 million for the purchase of land in Belvedere.

Speaking in Parliament during a Question Hour requested by MP Darryl York and chaired by MP Chris Wever, Minister Gumbs explained that the government is currently engaged in the creation of a master plan. He said preliminary concepts reflect dividing the property into different zones to accommodate various needs, including burial and housing.

The Question Hour was requested by MP York in light of growing concern across districts about the state and capacity of cemeteries on St. Maarten, including erosion at the Cay Bay Cemetery and worries that Cul-de-Sac Cemetery is nearing closure. He stressed that this was not only a question of space, but also of planning, maintenance and dignity for families who are anxious about where loved ones will be laid to rest.

Minister Gumbs informed Parliament that the last full official assessment of cemetery capacity was conducted in 2016. Since then, VROMI has carried out ad hoc checks, most recently on 8 September this year. Between January and early September, 136 burials took place across the main cemeteries, compared to 140 for all of last year. Cul-de-Sac accounted for the vast majority of new burials in that period.

As immediate measures, families are being encouraged to locate existing family graves where possible so that entombments can take place in those spaces. The ministry is also constructing several columbaria for cremated remains, in response to the growing use of cremation. For those who cannot locate relatives or who prefer traditional burial, there are still a limited number of wall vaults available. In Cul-de-Sac, there is an advice for an additional 51 vaults to be constructed, which will provide only a few more months of capacity based on current burial patterns.

On the long term, Minister Gumbs confirmed that consultations have started with churches, community councils and funeral service providers as part of a wider development plan. The first concrete step will be mapping all existing cemeteries. This mapping will support spatial planning, the redesign and beautification of burial grounds, and will also provide the basis for a long overdue burial registry.

The Minister reported that there is currently no burial registry, which is in violation of the relevant national ordinance. He explained that the ordinance places responsibility for the registry with the civil registry under the Ministry of VSA, while VROMI is charged with executing burials, regulating burial procedures and handling requests for new burial grounds. Over the years VROMI has become heavily involved in the operational side of funerals, but a formal registry and a full policy framework must come from VSA.

At present there is no official policy document governing cemetery management. Within VROMI there is an internal memo that guides how staff handle funerals and burials. Minister Gumbs indicated that this internal document can be shared with Parliament via the confidential route, while the ministries work together on a proper policy and legal framework.

Responding to a widely shared belief that Cul-de-Sac Cemetery has already reached maximum capacity, the Minister clarified that Cul-de-Sac is the only fully public cemetery on St. Maarten and has expanded on an ad hoc basis. There is no formally defined maximum size or adopted policy that fixes its limits. However, the remaining available area is being built up with vaults and the terrain becomes more challenging the further into the hill construction moves, which makes it urgent to introduce the reuse of existing spaces in line with current law.

In his follow up answers, Minister Gumbs said that religious institutions and community councils have welcomed the creation of a cemetery committee. This was proposed by the Methodist Cemetery council, supported by the Catholic representative and discussed earlier with the Cay Bay Community Council. Stakeholders also agree that the current cemetery fee of 750 guilders is not sufficient to cover costs and upkeep. There is consensus that fees must be adjusted and that a system for reuse or rental of burial spaces is needed to ensure sustainability, to be developed together with the civil registry as the formal legal holder of the topic.

On the protection of the Cay Bay Cemetery, the Minister outlined plans to reinforce the existing protective wall on the western side, construct a new wall on the eastern side to guard against storm surge, improve drainage and reorganize the main entrance and accessibility, alongside general beautification works. The ministry is working on a financing plan which may include public private partnership and will bring the proposal to the relevant council once it is ready.

Regarding the Protestant cemetery, Minister Gumbs rejected the suggestion that it has been neglected, stating that cemeteries have been an integral part of the ministry’s priorities this year. Efforts are aimed at addressing the shortcomings that were uncovered so that the same issues are not repeated in future burial grounds, including the planned new cemetery at Belvedere.

The Question Hour concluded with MP York seeking clarity on when the absence of a burial registry and policy document was first identified and when Cul-de-Sac Cemetery is expected to close. Minister Gumbs reiterated that the lack of a registry has been known for several years, that legal responsibility lies with Ministry VSA, and that specific closure dates for Cul-de-Sac cannot be given because there is no fixed maximum capacity, only fast diminishing practical space.

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