Doran questions VROMI tender, road funding and Alegria permit talks
MP Egbert Doran raised questions in Parliament about a garbage tender, road funds, development permits and 2027 budget plans.
MP Egbert Doran raised questions about the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure’s garbage collection tender, road funding and development permits during the continuation of Parliament’s 2027 budget debate on Wednesday 4 November. Doran, a former VROMI minister, asked Minister Patrice Gumbs to explain the tender process and the ministry’s handling of the Alegria development.
Doran questioned how companies could have been notified of their rankings and reportedly engaged in contract discussions while the minister had said no contracts had been awarded. He also asked about the cancellation of an earlier tender, the disqualification of bidders over unsigned official documents and the decision to restart the process after competing prices and proposals had been disclosed.
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The MP said he was concerned about whether the process was fair and followed the rules, and about its effect on garbage collection workers. He asked the Prime Minister to explain the legal basis for disqualifying companies over documents such as business licences and certificates.
On roads, Doran asked why road-repair tenders had not been issued and requested clarification from the Minister of Finance on funding. He referred to about five million guilders connected to road improvements and asked how the funding position would affect projects promised for 2026. He also asked about money previously allocated for road signs.
Doran questioned continued discussions about a possible Alegria permit after legal proceedings in which he said government had defended its position. He also asked about a proposed public-private partnership for bridge repairs, including what a private party would receive in return, whether the Council of Ministers approved the arrangement and the timing of a permit-related notice in the National Gazette.
He further sought information on 17 hectares associated with Rainforest Adventures, the Virginia Heights housing project, financing for 2027 capital projects, a possible tourist levy or environmental fee, ambulance staffing, fire department placements, Justice workers’ back pay and conditions at Marie Laurence School.
File photo: Tommy Miles / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 · cropped, SXM Today mark added
