PHILIPSBURG:--- For years, residents have navigated the challenges of St. Maarten’s roadways, often wondering where their road tax contributions were going. At the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, the Minister of VROMI, Patrice Gumbs Jr., made a significant announcement that promises to transform how the island manages its infrastructure: The Road Fund will officially take effect on January 1, 2027.
This long-awaited move marks a pivotal shift from reactive repairs to proactive planning, ensuring that the money collected from drivers goes exactly where it belongs—back into the roads they drive on every day.
Unlocking the Road Fund Law
The implementation of the Road Fund isn't just a new policy; it is the enactment of a law that has been on the books but never fully utilized. As Minister Gumbs Jr. explained during the press briefing, the Road Fund law explicitly stipulates that all road tax revenue must be dedicated to the fund. However, this legal requirement has never been put into practice until now.
The disparity between revenue collected and infrastructure spending has been stark. Minister Gumbs Jr. revealed that last year alone, the government collected over 9 million guilders in road taxes. Despite this substantial income, only about 600,000 guiders were allocated specifically to road infrastructure (excluding CAPEX).
Starting in 2027, this dynamic changes completely. "The ministry will take the full nine to ten million every year," it was noted during the briefing. This ensures that the dedicated millions collected from vehicle owners will finally be reinvested directly into the road network.
Green Light from the General Audit Chamber
The path to this implementation was cleared significantly earlier this year. On January 23, 2026, the General Audit Chamber responded favorably to the Ministry's proposal to implement the Road Fund. With this crucial approval in place, the Ministry is now moving full speed ahead to prepare for the 2027 launch.
More Than Just Potholes: A Comprehensive Approach
This initiative is more than just filling potholes. The Road Fund is designed to support holistic improvements to the island's transport infrastructure. According to officials Ema Lee and the Minister of Romy, the fund covers "everything related to the road." This includes:
- Road surfaces
- Sidewalks for pedestrian safety
- Street lighting
- Speed bumps and traffic calming measures
Minister Gumbs Jr. also highlighted that the Ministry will be establishing strict road quality standards. They are currently looking into introducing regular road maintenance contracts. This shift is critical. Instead of scrambling to fix problems after they appear, the government will have the resources readily available to make necessary investments much more quickly than before. It allows for "better planning, moving from reactive to proactive in handling road infrastructure."
Funding the Future
While the primary source of the Road Fund is the annual road tax, the legislation allows for a more robust financial structure. The fund can also source financing from specific fees and dedicated donations from the budget itself.