Gumbs updates on Sister Marie Laurence School reconstruction and ICT challenges

GREAT BAY--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa Gumbs has provided the public with a detailed update on the Foundation Resilience and Learning Project (FRLP), specifically the reconstruction of Sister Marie Laurence School, as well as ongoing ICT connectivity issues affecting parts of the public school system.

In her update, the Minister addressed questions previously raised by Member of Parliament Egbert Doran, noting that the ministry had submitted written responses on February 18.

On the reconstruction of Sister Marie Laurence School, Minister Gumbs said the reconstruction contract was signed on January 19, 2026, and that mobilization efforts were already underway. She explained that work was expected to begin within six weeks of the signing date, placing the anticipated start of construction in the first week of March, subject to the completion of standard mobilization activities and pre-construction approvals.

Under the contract, the contractor has until the end of March 2027 to complete construction, with formal handover expected one month later after the finalization of as-built drawings. The project team is also working with Foundation Catholic Education St. Maarten (SKOS) on furnishing the new school so that it can become fully operational in a timely manner. Based on the current timeline, the school is expected to be operational again for the 2027-2028 academic year.

Minister Gumbs said that ensuring the timely delivery of Sister Marie Laurence and other Trust Fund projects has been a priority since she took office. She noted that several standard pre-construction requirements have already been completed, including the submission of required insurances, performance security, a work program, environmental and social risk management tools, the contractor’s Environmental and Social Management Plan (CESMP), a mobilization and traffic management plan, and permit planning for the mobilization of key personnel.

She emphasized that these are standard contractual pre-construction conditions and should not be interpreted as delays. According to the Minister, neither the Ministry of ECYS nor the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) reported any regulatory, technical, or procedural barriers preventing the start of construction. However, she noted that the contractor’s CESMP still required approval from NRPB before workers could begin on site. At the time the written responses were submitted, the CESMP was under review by NRPB and the supervision consultant. Minister Gumbs added that she would request an update, as construction was expected to begin this week.

On procurement, the Minister explained that the reconstruction of Sister Marie Laurence School was tendered twice. In the first round, it formed part of a package that also included Charles Leopold Bell School and the St. Maarten Library. That package was initially awarded to a foreign contractor, but was cancelled in March 2025 after the contractor failed to meet the pre-contract signing conditions. A new award was then issued in November 2025, followed by the signing of the reconstruction contract in January 2026.

Responding to questions about local contractor participation, Minister Gumbs said local contractors were given a fair opportunity to bid. She stated that the tender was advertised in local newspapers and on the government website, and that pre-bid meetings were held and attended by St. Maarten-based contractors. The bid submission deadline was also extended by two weeks to allow additional time for interested parties to prepare submissions. Ultimately, only one bid was received, and that bid came from a regional contractor (Trinidad).

The Minister added that the bid evaluation criteria included points for the use of local labor and local subcontractors, encouraging participation from the local construction sector. In addition, since September 2025, the World Bank has required contractors to submit a local labor plan showing that, where possible, at least 30 percent of the labor value would be allocated to local labor.

Minister Gumbs also addressed concerns about a previously discussed 10 percent down payment linked to an earlier contractor. She clarified that the previous award for the reconstruction of Sister Marie Laurence School was cancelled before contract signing, meaning no advance payment was made for the school’s reconstruction. She said the allocated budget remains intact and that the cancelled award has no impact on the current planning or financing of the project.

Ona different issue, The Minister also provided an update on ICT connectivity issues within public education. She said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School is currently experiencing a full loss of internet connectivity. According to the Minister, this followed roof repair works that affected the underlying network infrastructure in two building blocks, compounded by the theft of copper line from TelEm.

She noted that copper theft has also affected other facilities, including the removal of external components from air conditioning units at the National Sports Auditorium offices at Jose Lake Ballpark. Minister Gumbs stressed that these connectivity issues are not new and date back to the 2020-2024 term.

She added that Prince Willem Alexander School is also affected. To address this, TelEm is implementing a fixed wireless access (FWA) solution in Belvedere to resolve the connectivity challenges at Prince Willem Alexander School, with the intention of extending that solution into the Martin Luther King School area as well.

Minister Gumbs cautioned that resolving these issues will take time, as the required infrastructure work involves trenching, planning, and logistical coordination. She stressed that this type of ICT infrastructure development cannot happen overnight.

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