~ NAf. 150,000 from roads budget redirected for queen's visit ~
ST. PETERS--The first phase of the L.B. Scott Road sewage line has been laid and the road opened over the weekend in time for the start of school today, Monday.
Only the first layer of asphalt has been laid. The next layer will be placed in December, Deputy Prime Minister/Infrastructure Minister Theo Heyliger said Sunday when he made his second site visit in two days.
The next phase ? from Cake House to the A.Th. Illidge Road sewage treatment plant ? will be carried out in June 2012. The ultimate goal is to connect St. Peters and surrounding areas to the sewage treatment plant.
Department of New Projects Development and Planning head Kurt Ruan said that when the expanded sewage plant came on line next year it would need a certain volume of sewage water to function optimally, thus the feverish work to connect as many neighbourhoods as possible to it.
The ministry has to find ways to repair several culverts that are vital links to the drainage system that Heyliger hopes will be taken over by utilities company GEBE soon, based on an agreement brokered in the early 2000s. GEBE taking up its role and living up to its agreement is expected in the coming months when "certain changes [in the company] come to pass."
Drainage and deteriorated roads continue to be a problem, Heyliger said, adding that he knew several other areas needed work, but the money in the ministry's budget was not enough. Some NAf. 2 million is used annually just to fix potholes.
Putting a further strain on the budget is the redirection of some NAf. 150,000 from the ministry to aid in the preparation for and hosting of the royal visit of Queen Beatrix, Crown Prince Willem Alexander and Princess Maxima in late October, he said.
As for the state of the roads, Heyliger said the importation of cars continued, banks continued to give the easy financing on cars "instead house loans to our people" and insurance companies give the "best rates on car insurance instead of hurricane shutters."
Meanwhile, several infrastructure projects that were slated to be carried out this year were put on hold because of the crisis with the 2011 budget that was finally approved in June. Several of those road projects will take off in the coming months.
Progress is also being made on the ring road with the Department of New Projects Development and Planning undertaking a traffic study. Heyliger said the first draft showed "a significant decrease" in traffic congestion on W.J.A. Nisbeth Road. The feeder roundabouts and parking spaces also were found to be on target for their intended purposes.
Some NAf. 30 million is needed to complete the ring road and approval of the country's borrowing capacity is required from the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT, the minister said. This project and the expansion of St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) have to be looked into for the benefit of residents.
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