Contracted work is paid while negotiations are ongoing for extra work.
Philipsburg – During today’s press briefing, The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) confirms that outstanding payments to Fleming Waste Solutions are the direct result of the absence of a formal contract, not an unwillingness to pay. Fleming Waste Solutions’ contracted work has been paid and continues to be paid. Only non-contracted services are encountering delays.
Fleming Waste Solutions has operated on the landfill without a contract since 2021. “Mr. Fleming’s contracted work has been and continues to be paid. This paints a very clear, objective picture that delayed payments have nothing to do with unwillingness to pay but the manner in which Mr. Fleming’s services were entered into in the first place. Similarly, several vendors are working on behalf of the Ministry without a contract and these have since been made or are in the process of being finalized.” Minister Gumbs stated during the press briefing. When later asked about the ongoing issues with contracts the minister stated “While problems may exist, it is my responsibility to find ways to clean up house, and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing”.
AIMS Implementation Reinforces Payment Controls
The full rollout of the Automated Information Management System (AIMS) in January of this year has made this requirement non-negotiable. All government payments must now pass through AIMS and can no longer be processed manually. In March, the Ministry of VROMI conducted staff retraining on the platform — a transition that has caused some disruption given VROMI’s limited prior use of the system.
The Ministry of Finance will not approve a payment without a (legal) basis. Contracts must be in place before work begins. Government cannot be expected to retroactively fund invoices submitted after services are rendered without a prior agreement. “We are still in the negotiation phase for formalizing these agreements” Minister Gumbs continued.
Negotiations Underway; Resolution Being Actively Pursued
The Ministry held its most recent meeting with Fleming Waste Solutions last week Tuesday. Negotiations toward a formal agreement — one that would grant both Mr. Fleming and Government the necessary legal and financial protections — are ongoing. The Minister has consistently given his assurances that the Ministry is working to resolve the situation, recognizing the financial impact of this on the company.
A Broader Commitment to Fiscal Accountability
This process reflects the Ministry’s commitment to responsible governance and proper stewardship of public funds. Sint Maarten cannot continue to operate in a manner where contractors work for years without formal agreements. The Ministry is committed to ensuring that this situation is not repeated.
A Message to the Public
The Minister calls on the people of Sint Maarten to look beyond the headlines — to consider who is reporting and why. “The same governance problems being raised today have persisted for decades. This Ministry is actively working to fix them. Efforts to politicize administrative matters or to use them as instruments of character assassination will not slow that work.”
