MP Doran Questions Silence on Sister Marie Laurence School Reconstruction

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Egbert J. Doran is raising concerns over what he describes as a lack of communication from Minister of ECYS, Melissa Gumbs, regarding the future of the Sister Marie Laurence School.

While acknowledging that the demolition of the former school building was a necessary and long-awaited step, MP Doran says the process appears to have stalled at precisely the moment when clarity is most needed. Since the demolition several months ago, he notes, there has been no public update from the Minister on when reconstruction will begin or how the project is expected to move forward.

“The demolition marked progress,” Doran stated. “But progress without follow-through is not enough. Once that phase was completed, the logical next question is when construction starts, and on that, the Minister has been silent.”

Doran pointed out that the building permit for the school was signed in 2023, during his tenure as Minister, specifically to avoid administrative bottlenecks and allow the project to advance smoothly. Against that backdrop, he is now seeking answers on what preparatory work has been carried out since demolition and what is causing the apparent delay in moving to the construction phase.

The MP is also pressing for clarity on the financial side of the project, particularly concerning the widely discussed 10 percent down payment made to a foreign contractor for the construction of schools. Although the Minister has indicated that that contractor is no longer involved, Doran says this does not automatically close the matter.

“We understand that the contractor is no longer part of the discussion,” he said. “But a significant amount of funds was already paid. It is only reasonable to ask how that situation affects Sister Marie Laurence School and what it means for planning and timelines going forward.”

In that context, Doran also expressed the hope that local contractors were given a fair and genuine opportunity to bid for the reconstruction of the school, emphasizing that local participation and capacity-building should be an integral part of major construction projects on Sint Maarten.

MP Doran has since written formally to the Minister of ECYS outlining these concerns and is now awaiting a formal response.

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