Ministry VROMI is prompting residents to prioritize cleaning up their surroundings during the last two weeks of the Hurricane Cleanup Campaign to assure their surroundings are free of any unwanted items, hazardous objects or any other waste that might pose a danger during a hurricane.
“Unkempt surroundings can pose a serious threat during hurricanes with strong winds and severe torrential rains. VROMI has experienced it all during the past including obstruction of emergency vehicles needed to rescue residents, severe flooding due to blocked trenches etc. Residents have two more weeks to cleanup and dispose of any unwanted items and it is essential they prioritize this responsibility” emphasized Public Works Department Head Claudius Buncamper.
Ministry VROMI has been implementing various hurricane preparedness practices including the recent construction of the floodgates, cleaning of primary trenches, preparation of the Great Bay Channel and storing of backup diesel for the pump houses among other responsibilities.
“Despite our ministry responsibilities, the island as a community must take initiative in securing their surroundings from danger. Branches of trees, zinc and other items that can fly into the sky can cause severe damage to structures and, worse yet, human beings and livestock. If the necessary precautions are not taken by all stakeholders, our hurricane preparedness executions will have been in vain.” Quoted Contract Manager, Eustaquio Richardson.
Loose items and other debris from private properties can block trenches, which result in quicker flooding, damage homes, block roads, and other events that make it difficult for response personnel to assist the public or assess effected areas.
The Pre Hurricane Cleanup Campaign will run for two more weeks until August 2, 2015. The remaining schedules are as follows:
Parcel 1 Colebay/Simpsonbay (complete) Leonard Enterprise
Parcel 2: Cul de Sac Basin July 4 – August 2, 2015
July 18, 19, 20, & 21 – St. Peters and Retreat Estate
July 25 & 26 – Zagers Gut, Bush Road and Dutch Cul De Sac
August 1 – Cay Hill
August 2 – Welgelegen Road and Belair
Meadowland N.V. Tel/Fax: 1 721 542 8862 Email: in**@me**********.com
Parcel 3: Lower Princess Quarter June 27 – August 3, 2015
July 18, 19, & 20 – Belvedere
July 25, 26, & 27 – Sucker Garden and Arch Road
August 1, 2, & 3 – Defiance and Oysterpond
All Waste in Place N.V. Tel: 1 721 543 0551
Parcel 4: Great Bay Area June 25 – July 20 2-15
July 17, 18 & 20 – Residential Pondfill, A. T. Illidge Road, and Longwall Road
July 16, 17, 18 & 20 – Fort Willem
Clean St. Maarten Tel: 1 721 543 0155 Email: in**@cl**************.com
Residents will be able to dispose of any unwanted garbage including, loose household appliances, old furniture, pieces of wood, tree branches (pruning of trees), zinc, or any pieces of garbage that can become airborne during a hurricane.
Garbage should be placed in heavy duty bags or boxes in managed piles or groups and can be placed outside of household walls, fences and in the additional larger garbage bins that are strategically placed in every district by each hauler to ensure intake of the increase in disposed waste during the campaign period.
Residents should however refrain from disposing of garbage around utility outlets including water meters, pipes etc. and disposing of garbage in isolated piles of individual items that can be blown into other people’s property, public roads and spaces, or be tampered with by stray animals.
If garbage should go unnoticed, residents can contact their community councils or assigned district hauler to collect the waste.
Each district/area community council is in contact with their district hauler and is currently taking inventory of residents who do not have a personal garbage bin. Residents who wish to submit a request for a personal garbage bin should communicate such as soon as possible for timely preparedness.
All cleanup schedules are weekly placed in the papers via the Government Information Page and are available on VROMI Facebook page: Ministry of VROMI, https://www.facebook.com/MinistryVROMI as well as on the government website http://www.sintmaartengov.org/government/VROMI/Pages/default.aspx .