York: Two years of warnings ignored as gridlock hurts tourism and business

GREAT BAY--MP Darryl York says St. Maarten will not solve gridlock by sorting through a flood of public suggestions, he is calling instead for evidence-based planning grounded in data, traffic modeling, and tested scenarios, backed by clear accountability from the Minister of VROMI. He warned that without evidence and simulation, the country remains stuck debating which ideas “sound good” without knowing what will actually work. York argued that serious countries do not make major infrastructure decisions by instinct, they model and test first, then implement.

In comments to The Peoples’ Tribune, MP York said Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs has “skirted his responsibilities long enough” and that the minister’s repeated failure to respond to Parliament or to even attend requested meetings, has moved beyond political frustration and into a matter of public consequence. York said the minister “does not come to Parliament” unless it is for a meeting the minister himself requests, and he described this pattern as habitual and unacceptable. He said the public, the media, and Parliament must now insist on accountability.

MP York is a civil engineer specialized in traffic and mobility and his suggestions are grounded in professional planning standards and proven methods used internationally. His training and experience make him well positioned to advise on a data-driven approach that tests solutions before St. Maarten commits public funds.

York said he submitted a meeting request in early November to discuss island infrastructure, including traffic, and has received no response. He said the same ministry that should be leading on roads, drainage, erosion, and traffic management has provided no clear answers and has avoided scrutiny. York said his concerns are documented in Parliament and that he has repeatedly raised issues through the proper channels.

On solutions, York outlined a structured approach centered on traffic measurement and modeling rather than guesswork. He said traffic data must be collected systematically, with the island broken into zones for phased analysis, for example Phillipsburg, Cole Bay, Simpson Bay, and key corridor roads. He said this data should then feed into a traffic simulation model for St. Maarten, allowing government to test scenarios before investing in major infrastructure changes.

York said modeling would allow decision-makers to evaluate the likely impact of measures such as new road alignments, one-way conversions, intersection changes, or other traffic management steps, before committing public funds. He added that government should train one or two staff members to maintain and update the model over time, making it a living planning tool rather than a one-off report. York said he has urged this approach to the Minister for nearly two years, and that if it had been adopted when first raised, St. Maarten would already have baseline data and tested options in hand.

"I submitted a meeting request at the beginning of November to discuss the island’s infrastructure, which includes traffic. What is happening with the roads? What is happening with drainage? What is happening with erosion? He (the Minister) has no answers," MP York said.

"Before making major investments, government must rely on evidence-based decision-making. I have told the Minister this already. If he had acted then, we would have data by now, we would have seen what traffic simulations show, and we could already be working toward a solution. Instead, we still do not have it. People can keep saying one idea sounds good or another sounds better, but we still do not know what will actually work because it has not been tested. Anyone can say “build a tunnel,” or “put the road here,” or “move it there.” But nobody knows the real impact unless you test it. You need to build a model and run the scenarios. Everywhere in the world uses models before making significant infrastructure investments. Only in St. Maarten do we leave it up to whichever way the wind blows."

York also tied the gridlock issue to economic performance and the tourism product, noting that congestion carries real costs for businesses and residents and undermines visitor experience. He referenced concerns by the taxi association that delays are affecting tour reliability, including the risk of passengers missing ship departure times, a scenario he said damages confidence in what St. Maarten is selling as a destination. He questioned how the country can market itself effectively while failing to ensure that visitors can move safely and reliably to beaches, attractions, and back to port within expected timelines. "Where is the Minister of TEATT. How is she not holding the Minister of VROMI accountable? What and where are the plans?"

York said that if the minister is not responsive to Parliament, citizens, or the media, then stronger public pressure is necessary. He said he attempted to address the matter through Parliament as required, but with no response to meeting requests and no clear answers from the ministry, the situation demands a firmer stance going forward.

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