PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Luc Mercelina and Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs cosigned a letter of intent, the Gustavia Appeal, in support of regional cooperation in waste during the Zero Waste Conference. Spearheaded by SYVADE, the Regional Waste Management and Recovery Center in Guadeloupe, to address waste at the regional level.
Co-signing the Gustavia Appeal were Mr. Xavier Ledee, President of Saint-Barthelemy; Mr. Louis Mussington, President of Saint-Martin; Mr. Kyle Hodge, Minister for Economic Development and Natural Resources of Anguilla; Jean-Philippe Courtois, First Vice-President of the Departmental Council of Guadeloupe; Mr. Bruce Zagers, Commissioner of Saba; and Mr. Domique Biras, President of SYVADE. The Sint Maarten delegation included Mr. Stuart Johnson, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister; Mr. Claret Connor, Director of the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB), and Mr. Ronald Halman, Representative of Sint Maarten on the Trust Fund Steering Committee.
In the Letter of Intent, Governments recognized the shared challenges of managing waste and the need to collectively find solutions. As part of its mission, SYVADE supports cooperation across municipalities and agencies in Guadeloupe and has been working to expand this collaboration throughout the Caribbean. This initiative towards a regional approach to waste is supported by the European Union and aims to assist Caribbean islands with waste solutions through knowledge exchange, advanced technology, and innovative financing.
The Ministry of VROMI is in the final stages of designing the solution for the landfill under the Emergency Debris Management Project (EDMP). The project, administered by the World Bank, through the trust fund, has earmarked over USD$50 million towards waste reforms. These reforms will consist of physically improving the landfill, enhancing existing waste regulations and financing, and introducing a more circular economy that makes use of the value of our collective waste; thereby minimizing the amount of garbage going to the landfill.
Minister Gumbs outlined his Ministry's definition of success for EDMP as the "improving of current disposal practices supported by a financially sound waste management system that focuses on creating a circular and safe economic environment. Gumbs concluded by stating "these efforts are geared towards the closure and rehabilitation (cleaning up) of the existing landfill site; cooperation with our subregional partners plays a critical part in achieving this success through joint solutions for waste treatment and management".
As focal point of the Trust Fund, Prime Minister Mercelina reiterated his commitment to supporting VROMI’s vision for waste reforms through regional cooperation. During the conference Prime Minister Mercelina met with regional colleagues to discuss economic opportunities through regional cooperation and how best to align national policies to facilitate such engagement. Prime Minister, who is charged with foreign relations, pledged his support to facilitate agreements that may be deemed necessary to support this initiative. "the Caribbean must no longer see waste as a burden, but as a resource and an opportunity,” stated Prime Minister Mercelina reflecting about the seminar. “We are here because regional cooperation is key to supporting our future; our environment demands more than words, it demands decisive, collective action.” Prime Minister concluded by issuing a call to regional leaders to be a catalyst for real change, underscoring Sint Maarten's readiness to find regional solutions to collective challenges.
As Minister Gumbs continues to lead in the advancement of EDMP, what will be important is a comprehensive update to the Parliament of Sint Maarten in the coming months. The request for this meeting will be made once the long-term vision for waste management is finalized. Minister Gumbs stated that "for the first time ever both political will and financing have aligned and offered the opportunity to fix the landfill and by extension our ongoing waste challenges. The Government of Sint Maarten remains committed to addressing this in support of improving the overall well-being for both residents and visitors alike, as well as our future generations.
