Sint Maarten – 4th post hurricane gonzalo national clean up and recovery

On Wednesday a second follow-up COPI (operational disaster management group) met to assess the current recovery phase of the country.  Additional information will be provided on Thursday as the national cleanup effort continues and additional updates come in from the various Emergency Support Functions that are leading the national clean up and recovery effort.

INTRODUCTION:

This is the fourth update in connection with the post-Hurricane Gonzalo recovery phase.  COPI continues to receive on-going assessment reports as recovery and cleanup efforts continue:

NV GEBE ELECTRICITY & WATER SUPPLY:

• GEBE Electricity: Unsafe situation concerning live wires have been completed.  GEBE crews have now started reconnecting households in areas that still have outages. Call GEBEs emergency number to provide information about your outage such as your address and phone number: 1 844 4323 213.

• Water: all consumers should have water service by 7.00pm, Wednesday evening.  12 water storage tanks are being filled to capacity.  The country’s three water plants are working full capacity to restore water to consumers.  Some challenges during the course of Wednesday have been resolved.  Customers who still have challenges with water Wednesday evening should call GEBEs emergency number 1 844 4323 213 to report the aforementioned.

SCHOOLS:

• Contractors start work on eight schools on Thursday.  CIA school will be open on Thursday.  Traffic Police will be in the Cupecoy area to assist with any traffic congestion.  Ministry VROMI is currently assisting with 12 schools in order to have them ready in time for a possible Monday re-opening.  A final assessment will be carried out on Sunday, October 19.
• It has been decided that schools will remain closed until Monday, October 20.  This would allow adequate time for cleanup activities and repairs to take place.
• The Ministry of Education will meet with school management/boards on Friday, October 17 to assess the overall progress being made in connection with the cleanup/repairs of schools. 

FRONT & BACK STREET UPDATE/BEACH PROMENADE/GREAT BAY BEACH:

• Front Street: Ministry VROMI announces that the cleaning of Front Street has been completed;
• Back Street: Clean up operations will continue on Back Street on Thursday and should be completed on Thursday;
• Clean up of the Beach Promenade and Great Bay Beach will start on Thursday and all efforts will be made to have it completed by Friday at the end of the day;

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES:

• Registration for Assessment of damage due to Hurricane Gonzalo will continue at the Department of Social Services (Pondfill) until Wednesday, October 22.  Office hours are from 8.00AM to 3.30PM.  Priority is for senior citizens, disabled/handicapped.
• There is an urgent need for donations of tarpaulins, home repair tools and wood.  Donations should be made to the St. Maarten Red Cross!

NATIONAL CLEAN UP CONTINUES:

• SPECIAL NOTICE:Police will be shutting down certain streets in collaboration with Ministry VROMI in order to facilitate the clean up efforts currently taking place.  Clean up crews have experienced aggressive behavior from motorists and this is totally unacceptable.  Vehicles should also not be parked in a certain manner that obstructs clean up efforts.  Police will be present to have these vehicles removed whenever necessary. The removal of “closed road street barriers” by individuals is punishable by law and this measure will be enforced should the person(s) be caught in the act.
• Landfill is open: persons taking debris to the landfill need to be patient and wait their turn to enter the area;
• Clean up continues under the Ministry VROMI and private contractors;
• Large Green Waste Bins: have been placed at various locations along the main roads to collect hurricane related debris; these will also be placed along secondary roads as well;
• Homeowners and businesses busy with cleanup, do not dump bush or tree trimmings or other garbage/debris on top of GEBE water meters or electrical meters; this is to prevent damage to the aforementioned and outage of service to consumers;