Minister Gumbs Updates on trench cleaning, Ebenezer and inspection capacity challenges

GREAT--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs has provided an update on ongoing trench maintenance, the complex restoration of the Ebenezer main trench, and the Ministry’s capacity challenges in overseeing civil works and building compliance.

Minister Gumbs emphasized that trench cleaning across the island has been taking place regularly since August 2024. “Wherever we can clean, we are cleaning,” he said, noting that certain areas, such as the Ebenezer main trench, present unique challenges due to years of neglect and infrastructure damage.

The Ebenezer main trench collapsed several years ago and had not been maintained for an extended period. The collapse of a section of the Valley Estate hillside into the trench compounded the problem. “The lack of maintenance, coupled with the hillside collapse, meant that we could not clean that trench for years,” Minister Gumbs explained.

Phase one of the restoration, completed a few months ago, involved installing a mesh to stabilize the hillside, an intervention costing over €100,000. This urgent work was prioritized because the instability threatened to cause one home to collapse onto another. Phase two, located higher up toward the South Reward side, also collapsed during last year’s heavy rains and carries a price tag double that of phase one.

While the second phase does not directly threaten neighboring homes, it impacts the property owner and carries potential flooding risks for the wider community. “We are in contact with the landowner to determine financial solutions, but these are six-figure projects, and we have to manage our interventions carefully,” Gumbs said. “Ultimately, government is paying for the lack of proper infrastructure and planning in the past.”

Addressing public comments about the Sucker Garden trench, Minister Gumbs clarified that its current state is intentional. “Certain trenches, including this one, require green foliage to help slow the velocity of water during heavy rains. We maintain them, but we cannot remove all vegetation without risking damage to the trench’s function,” he said.

He reiterated that this information had been shared during the last hurricane season and urged the public and media to verify facts with the Ministry before drawing conclusions. “Contracts for regular maintenance were signed in August last year, and we continue to manage them with limited financial and human capacity,” he added.

Minister Gumbs also highlighted the Ministry’s limited capacity to conduct inspections, with fewer than six inspectors tasked with overseeing civil works across the island. “With the rapid pace of construction in St. Maarten, it is vital to expand our capacity,” he said.

He noted that the Ministry’s function book has not undergone a comprehensive review in over a decade, despite some updates made under the country packages. “We are not in St. Maarten of 1935—our building code is from 2025. The rules must evolve, and the capacity must be increased to support the current scale of development,” Gumbs said.

In the short term, the Ministry is exploring the use of third-party inspectors to bolster oversight, though care is being taken to avoid conflicts of interest with companies that also submit building permit applications.

Minister Gumbs assured the public that trench maintenance, infrastructure repairs, and improved oversight remain top priorities for the Ministry. “We are on it,” he concluded.

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