PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Minister of VROMI Angel Meyers is clearing the air on the suggestion that the work being done on the property Over the Bank is an election gimmick. According to the minister, the work there is part of a process which started before he became minister.
“There were discussions that government had acquired property Over the Bank and that the ministry had to initiate to start the process to have the property sub-divided and have the terms of reference for putting in the infrastructure and so forth,” The bidding for the sub-division for the property began in February and a decision was made in April with work beginning thereafter, Meyers disclosed.
The minister said that the subdivision of the property was completed by the end of July. There has been over 300 requests for government lots. The minister insisted that the project is not an election gimmick. “If we have to follow that trend, then its best we sit down and do nothing till after election,” he said. “The notion somehow is that because an election is right around the corner, that somehow we quickly giving out lots and so forth; that is far from the truth.
It’s a process that started in December. As I just indicated, I received the transitional document, and then we went through the whole procedure preparing a terms of reference, putting out for a bid awarding a contract; there were negotiations in between where they presented different drafts of the sub-division. Eventually one was agreed upon and that was approved,” the minister explained. He added that the plan is part of government’s master plan to make housing available for the island’s young professionals.
