~ Former minister neglected projects ~
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs has blamed former ministerial neglect for the delays in the rebuilding of schools and the library. She said her main concern is not where companies come from, but that the work is done well and on time.
“When I came into this ministry, I found these projects neglected and ignored from the top,” Gumbs said during Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing. “To be very clear, this is not directed to my immediate predecessor, former acting minister Lyndon Lewis, but rather at his predecessor, who did not involve himself at all in the oversight of these projects.”
She said this lack of involvement caused serious setbacks. “The consequence of this neglect has led to costly delays, strained partnerships and a loss of public trust. We now face the challenge of rebuilding momentum and restoring confidence, issues that could have been avoided with proper oversight and interaction.”
Gumbs said the original letter of award had been retracted, leading to the decision to re-tender the demolition works for Sr. Marie Laurence School, the Library and Charles Leopold Bell School. The tender for the construction phase will be launched in the coming weeks.
Gumbs stressed that her ministry’s priority is ensuring the projects are completed properly, regardless of where the contractors come from. “I want to take this opportunity as well to make one thing very clear. My primary concern with these projects is not the country of origin of the companies working in St. Maarten, but rather the quality and timely completion of the work itself. I have expressed this both privately and publicly to local contractors. So, I feel comfortable reiterating it here.”
She also pointed out the importance of meeting international standards. “The reality is that this project represents our first major engagement with internationally-recognised procurement standards. This time through the World Bank, though it could be with any similar institution with similar requirements. This is an important part of our growth and development as a nation. We therefore have a choice. We can either resist change, stomp our feet and complain that the standards are too high, or we can rise to the challenge, equip ourselves with the tools to meet those expectations and continue progressing.”
Gumbs said the decision to cancel the previous contract had been difficult, but necessary. “The cancellation of this contract was not an easy decision to make, but as minister I have taken an active and proactive approach to ensuring that the Trust Fund-related projects under my ministry’s purview continue to move forward and gain the momentum that should have been there from the start because our children continue to wait.”
She underscored commitment to getting results.
“My focus remains on progress, not on votes, political mileage or perceived political fallout, but on getting the work done for the benefit of our people, especially our children. I look forward to the upcoming demolition of Sr. Marie Laurence School, Charles Leopold Bell School and the Library, and I will continue to closely monitor the construction phases of these very important projects to ensure that they stay on track moving forward,” Gumbs said.
