VROMI links garbage problems to haulers, businesses and public non-compliance

GREAT BAY--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Patrice Gumbs has issued a renewed call for accountability from waste haulers, businesses and residents as the country continues to grapple with persistent garbage collection problems and illegal dumping across several districts.

Addressing the issue during Wednesday’s Council of Ministers briefing, Gumbs said the garbage situation in the Cole Bay area over the weekend was only the latest in a continuing series of incidents that remain a serious concern for the ministry.

The minister reminded waste haulers of their obligation to carry out daily household garbage collection as required under their contracts, and urged them to immediately report any operational issues, including vehicle problems, to the contract management team rather than allowing service failures to go unaddressed.

“If you are unable to service an area as contracted, report it to the contract management team,” Gumbs said, stressing that all parties have a responsibility to ensure the proper functioning of the waste collection system and to help maintain a clean and healthy environment.

He noted that the government has already extended the existing garbage collection contracts for six months and reassigned certain parcels to new haulers in an effort to improve service. According to the minister, this has already resulted in better performance in several known hotspots.

At the same time, Gumbs said the issue is not solely one of collection, noting that haulers are contracted only to collect household waste. He pointed out that businesses were informed last year that they must contract haulers directly for the disposal of commercial waste and should no longer dump such waste on roadsides or in and around household bins.

The minister also said residents continue to ignore established collection schedules and disposal rules despite repeated appeals from the ministry. He emphasized that disposal of solid waste at the landfill remains free of charge, yet improper dumping, particularly by businesses, continues to occur.

To strengthen enforcement, the Ministry of VROMI is now working closely with the Ministry of Justice and using camera systems to help identify those responsible for illegal dumping. Gumbs said the ministry is making significant progress toward creating the legal basis and authority needed to issue fines to persons who disregard the rules.

He said while he would prefer to devote his time entirely to building and strengthening the country, government also has a duty to enforce the law and make difficult decisions when necessary.

The minister further outlined broader reforms now underway to professionalize and financially strengthen the waste sector. He explained that in late 2024, the ministry received a targeted grant from the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, BZK, specifically aimed at strengthening institutional capacity within VROMI and supporting activities linked to the implementation of Trust Fund projects, including reforms directly tied to proper financing of the waste sector.

Those funds were incorporated into the 2025 national budget to allow for their structured, accountable and transparent deployment. Since then, the ministry has secured capacity to support the updating of the Waste Ordinance, which is now in an advanced legal review stage.

In parallel, the ministry has engaged expertise to design a financial framework intended to support a sustainable waste sector in St. Maarten. That framework has already been completed and delivered, and the ministry has moved into implementation by initiating the first financial instrument arising from it, namely the landfill entrance fee.

Gumbs described the landfill entrance fee as a foundational step toward improving financial sustainability and governance within the waste sector.

The minister also announced that up to 11 critical vacancies have been identified to strengthen institutional capacity across key functions within VROMI, particularly in relation to waste management. These vacancies are expected to be published in the coming week, with a targeted recruitment drive to begin at the start of May as part of a broader phased capacity-building effort.

Gumbs closed with an appeal to the public to support a cleaner and environmentally safer St. Maarten by following the established rules on waste disposal, adding that the ministry will continue to share updates on its progress in upcoming briefings.

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