MP Francisco Lacroes seeks public help to document sewage issues across St. Maarten

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Francisco A. Lacroes is calling on residents across St. Maarten to report sewage discharge, septic overflows and wastewater problems in their neighborhoods, as part of a broader effort to document affected areas and strengthen parliamentary oversight on the issue.

MP Lacroes has submitted questions to the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, VROMI, concerning sewage and septic water flowing onto public roads, drains, yards and residential areas. He said residents in several communities have raised repeated concerns about these conditions, which may pose public health and environmental risks.

“Residents have repeatedly expressed concerns about sewage and septic water entering public spaces. These situations not only affect the quality of life within our communities but may also pose serious health and environmental risks,” Lacroes stated.

As part of his parliamentary inquiry, MP Lacroes is inviting residents to assist in documenting problem areas throughout the country. Residents who observe sewage or septic water flowing onto public roads, yards, drains or other public areas are encouraged to submit a photograph or video of the location, the street name and house number where applicable, the district or neighborhood, a brief description of the problem and the date the issue was observed.

The information collected will help identify recurring problem areas and provide a clearer picture of the extent of sewage and septic issues affecting communities across St. Maarten.

The questions submitted to the Minister seek information on the number of complaints received by Government, which departments are responsible for addressing sewage and wastewater concerns, the response times for complaints and what measures are being taken to improve sewage and wastewater management throughout the country.

“The community often sees these problems long before they reach the desks of Government. By working together, we can identify affected areas and ensure that the proper authorities are made aware of the conditions residents are experiencing,” Lacroes stated.

MP Lacroes emphasized that every resident deserves to live in a clean and healthy environment, and that community participation is important in identifying areas that require urgent attention.

Residents are also reminded that the Ministry of VROMI has a QR code available for reporting infrastructure and environmental concerns. MP Lacroes encouraged residents to use the VROMI QR code to officially report sewage and septic issues to the Ministry, while also sharing the information with his office to support parliamentary oversight and accountability.

Residents may submit information through the following channels:

Email: francisco.lacroes@sxmparliament.org
Telephone/WhatsApp: +1 (721) 526-6868
Facebook: MP Francisco A. Lacroes

“By documenting these issues, we can better understand the scope of the problem and work toward lasting solutions that protect public health and improve the quality of life within our communities,” Lacroes concluded.

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