Who should get housing? Parliament raises concerns over waiting lists and criteria

GREAT BAY--Questions about who should be considered for future government-backed housing moved to the forefront in Parliament on Friday, as MPs told Minister of VROMI (Housing) Patrice Gumbs that any serious allocation discussion must take into account the many groups already under pressure, including GEBE workers, TelEm workers, Medical Center staff, nurses, civil servants, Parliament staff, and even foster children aging out of care. The exchange made clear that the housing debate is no longer only about how many homes can be built, but also about who should be prioritized when demand is already far greater than supply.

The issue emerged as a central concern during Parliament’s discussion with Minister Gumbs, with several MPs stressing that any future housing program will have to be backed not only by construction targets, but also by clear, transparent, and trusted eligibility rules.

MP Veronica Jansen-Webster was among the first to bring the issue directly into focus. She asked how many households are currently on the waiting list, who will determine who gets the homes that are eventually built, and whether the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation will be the entity administering the new housing stock. She also questioned whether a new director had already been appointed at the Foundation and what would happen to people who have already been waiting for years. In particular, she asked whether those persons would keep their place on the list or whether they would be required to reapply.

Jansen-Webster also said the public needs clear practical guidance, asking what someone should do right now, in plain terms, if they hope to qualify in the future for one of the promised homes or for government land. She warned that there is already mistrust in the community on the issue of housing allocation, with some people feeling that even after years of waiting they are never selected. She further noted the perception in some quarters that certain groups appear to be missing from existing social housing areas, a concern she suggested should not be dismissed lightly.

Later in the meeting, Jansen-Webster returned to the issue from another angle, pointing out that GEBE workers had not been mentioned in the discussion and arguing that they too are frontline workers whose housing needs deserve recognition. Her remarks reflected the wider concern that once government begins discussing priority access to housing, many sectors of society will expect clarity on where they stand.

MP Darryl York also returned to the question of allocation and eligibility, stressing that while some of the exchanges in Parliament had become light in tone, the issue itself is extremely serious. He reminded the minister that he serves the entire population and said the criteria for who becomes eligible for future housing must be clear and carefully managed. York specifically raised the question of whether there would be any distinction in eligibility between civil servants and the wider public, describing it as an uncomfortable but necessary issue that government must address.

According to York, managing expectations will be critical. Once housing targets are publicly announced, he said, the country will naturally begin asking who exactly those homes are intended for. He cautioned that unclear rules could quickly create confusion, frustration, and perceptions of unfair treatment.

MP Ardwell Irion also touched on the same issue, illustrating how quickly the list of potential priority groups could expand once the question is opened. During the discussion, he referenced workers at the Medical Center, nurses, civil servants, and Parliament staff as examples of groups that could all make a legitimate claim for housing consideration. His remarks highlighted the growing complexity of any future allocation system, particularly in a country where housing need stretches across multiple sectors.

MP Francisco Lacroes was equally clear that the matter should not be treated casually. He said the issue of who should benefit from future housing developments is serious and pointed to past examples such as police housing on the Pondfill to show that targeted housing arrangements for certain categories of workers are not unprecedented. Lacroes also added TelEm workers to the discussion and later broadened the issue further by raising the situation of foster children who have aged out of care, signaling that the housing conversation must also take into account persons in especially vulnerable life situations.

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