MOUNT WILLIAM HILL--Flow St. Maarten has apologised to residents for road damage along Mount William Hill caused by the erosion of temporary trench closures linked to its fibre works, and announced that repair crews will return immediately, with permanent concrete restoration scheduled to begin on Monday, January 12.
The Daily Herald had reached out to Flow after being made aware that GEBE was not responsible for the work on which the paper reported in its Thursday, January 8, edition in an article under the headline “Rain washes away poorly restored roadside, causing access problems for Mount William residents.”
The work is part of Flow’s Fibre-to-Dutch Quarter project. Flow said in a statement on Thursday that it “sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to residents of Dutch Quarter by the erosion of temporary trench closures linked to our fibre works.”
According to the company, the soil-filled closures were intended as a short-term measure while permanent road restoration with concrete was scheduled. Flow said public holidays and subsequent heavy rains had delayed the concrete works. “We apologise for the condition this has left the area,” the company said.
Flow said its crews “will return immediately to stabilise and repair the temporary closures,” adding that permanent concrete restoration is scheduled for Monday, January 12. The company thanked residents for their patience as it completes fibre upgrades intended to deliver greater capacity and faster connectivity to Dutch Quarter and neighbouring communities.
The statement follows reports of road access problems after heavy rainfall washed away loosely restored roadside sections in areas where cable works were carried out late last year. Along Mount William Hill, sections of roadside that were excavated and filled with loose dirt were washed away during recent rains, causing access difficulties for some residents.
One resident in the most severely affected area faces access challenges, as vehicles are not able to enter their property or properly use the one available parking space. Flow said it is moving to address the situation through immediate stabilisation and scheduled permanent repairs.
The Daily Herald had originally reached out to GEBE on the matter, but in response to questions about the situation, utilities company NV GEBE clarified that the works along Mount William Hill are not under its responsibility. “Please note that this is not a GEBE open hole,” the company said, adding that the work being carried out there falls under the responsibility of Flow as part of its Fibre-to-DQ project.
GEBE also addressed concerns regarding similar conditions near Wing Da Supermarket on Nazareth Road, saying that it plans to restart that project next week. Regarding restoration standards, GEBE said that once roads are excavated and work is completed, the company has protocols in place to ensure affected areas are properly and permanently restored. The utility company said it follows standard procedures to ensure safety, quality, and long-term durability and indicated that it takes community safety seriously.
