GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure (VROMI), Hon. Egbert Doran was welcomed to the project site of the Princess Juliana International Airport terminal building on Friday, February 25, 2022, for a visit and tour.
Minister Doran commented after the tour, “It was a pleasure for my support staff and I to receive an update on the airport. I am looking forward to the scheduled date of December 2022 when the new departure area of the terminal will be operational.”
At the start of the tour, the Minister and his entourage received a brief induction training from the Contractor’s On-site Health and Safety Officer.
This training is required for all persons visiting the site to ensure they are aware of the hazards, safety concerns, rules, and emergency procedures for the construction site.
The tour took the minister upstairs to level 1 where the removal of the top layer of tiles was being removed in preparation for the new Terrazzo flooring.
From this level, the minister got an aerial view of the ground floor where the main check-in area with the new kiosk, self-service bag drops will be introduced.
During the tour, the minister was updated on the progress of the works since Ballast-Nedam, the general contractor for the reconstruction project, took over the site in October 2021.
Some of this progress included the mobilization of their key personnel, completing zero surveys to verify the scope of work, setting up of the site offices, and the hiring of local workers and subcontractors.
The contractor was also able to complete various dismantling works on levels 2 and level 1, including the removal of the restrooms, various plumbing, flooring, and fixtures which will all be replaced.
The tour was led by Mirto Breell, Director of the Project Management Unit (PMU), which is the department at the airport that is responsible for the reconstruction of the terminal building that was seriously damaged during hurricanes Irma and Maria.
“I am happy to have the Minister of VROMI with us today, he is always welcome on the site and I appreciate the fact that the Ministry is showing this much interest in the progress of the project”.
