Local News
Sucker Garden and Rolandus Canal road repairs scheduled to begin
Works to repair the Rolandus Canal in Sucker Garden, including a collapsed stretch of King of the Sea Road, were scheduled to begin on 12 October, according to the government. The Ministry of VROMI is carrying out the project with the support of Cupecoy Development N.V.
By SXM Daily ยท
Works to repair the Rolandus Canal in Sucker Garden, including a collapsed stretch of King of the Sea Road, were scheduled to begin on Monday 12 October, according to the government, which announced the start date in a release on 7 October.
Photo: Ymnes / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) is carrying out the project with the support of Cupecoy Development N.V. The government says it is the third public-private partnership started by VROMI Minister Patrice Gumbs. The project is valued at just over USD 750,000 (XCG 1.365 million, according to the government).
What the works cover
The repairs focus on the stretch of the canal in Sucker Garden, which the government spells Suckergarden. According to the release, they include:
- fixing the collapsed stretch of King of the Sea Road
- reinforcing the area around the seven bridges that cross the canal
- installing and repairing railings
A local contractor is doing the work.
Why it matters
The Rolandus Canal is the drainage system that runs from Defiance to Great Bay along the eastern side of Sint Maarten, and it is a key part of the island's stormwater management, according to the government. Over the years, the land around the canal has eroded. The government said the condition of the canal affected how it works and posed a safety risk to residents of the area.
Detours and schedule
The ministry said work schedules and alternate routes would be published in the coming days, and that it would inform residents of any changes. No detours have been announced as of 14 October. The government has not given an end date for the works.
Corrected 14 Oct 2026: an earlier version said the works began on 12 October; the government said they were scheduled to begin then.
Sources
- https://www.sintmaartengov.org/news/Pages/press-release.aspx?slug=minister-of-vromi-announces-repair-of-rolandus-canal-in-suckergarden