GREAT BAY--National Recovery Program Bureau Director Claret Connor says the success of eVROMI will depend on coordination, information sharing, training and consistent use by the institutions and people responsible for making the system function.
Connor made the remarks during the June 11 launch of eVROMI, where government officials, representatives of the World Bank and the St. Maarten Trust Fund, Kadaster St. Maarten, the Digital Leadership Team and other partners gathered to mark the introduction of the new digital system.
“For eVROMI, the value is very practical. Better address data and better organized information can support better planning, better coordination, and better public administration,” Connor said. “It can help Government work with more clarity and confidence.”
He added that improvements made behind the scenes can, over time, strengthen the service the public receives.
Connor said eVROMI should also be viewed within the broader purpose of the Digital Government Transformation Project, which he said is not only about introducing technology, but about strengthening the systems that support service delivery.
“It is about building capacity, improving processes, and creating tools that can serve the country beyond a single project or a single moment,” Connor said.
From the premise of when things are done right the first time, you only have to do them once, Connor stressed that digital systems do not create value by themselves. A system may be well designed, he said, but it still depends on people, institutions and processes to make it useful in daily government operations.
“That collective effort is important, because digital systems do not stand on their own,” Connor said. “A system can be well designed, but it still depends on people, institutions, and processes to make it useful.”
The eVROMI system forms part of the Digital Government Transformation Project and is intended to support better organization of address data and geographic information. Connor said this can strengthen planning, coordination and public administration, while helping government work with greater clarity.
He acknowledged the role of the Ministry of VROMI and the Permits Department in using the system to support government operations going forward. He also highlighted Kadaster St. Maarten as a key partner in strengthening the foundation around address data and geographic information.
Connor further recognized the Digital Leadership Team, the World Bank, the St. Maarten Trust Fund, technical teams, government stakeholders and participants in the training process for helping bring eVROMI closer to practical use.
“Today is an important step within the Digital Government Transformation Project, and it is also a good moment to recognize the work that has gone into bringing this system to this point,” Connor said.
He noted that the public often sees a project launch as a single moment, including the presentation, signing, demonstration and formal introduction of the system. However, he said the work behind implementation is usually much broader.
“When the public sees a launch, they see the result,” Connor said. “But for those involved in getting a project to this stage, we know that there is always a longer story behind it.”
That longer process, he said, includes meetings, reviews, discussions, approvals, adjustments, training sessions and follow-up. Connor said those steps are necessary to move a system from an idea on paper to something that can be used in practice.
“In many ways, that is why today’s launch matters,” he said. “It reflects not only the introduction of a digital system, but the collective effort needed to bring different people, processes, and institutions together around a practical result.”
Speaking on NRPB’s role, Connor said the bureau was pleased to contribute through its support for implementation.
“Our work is often to help connect the different parts of the process, including Government priorities, partner support, technical inputs, procurement requirements, and the steps needed to keep implementation moving,” he said. “It is not always the part of the work that is most visible, but it is an important part of helping projects move from planning to delivery.”
Connor also emphasized that the work does not end with the launch. He said the continued value of eVROMI will depend on how it is used, maintained and carried forward.
“A launch is a milestone, but the true value of a system is seen in how it is used, maintained, and carried forward,” Connor said. “That will require the same coordination and commitment that helped bring us here.”
He congratulated the Government of St. Maarten, the Ministry of VROMI, Kadaster St. Maarten, the Digital Leadership Team, the World Bank, the St. Maarten Trust Fund and all partners and stakeholders involved.
“Today represents progress, but it also represents responsibility,” Connor said. “The responsibility to use what has been developed, to continue improving it, and to make sure that the work serves the purpose for which it was intended.”
Connor concluded that eVROMI’s success will depend on whether it helps government work better and deliver stronger results.
“Systems become meaningful when they help people do their work better,” he said. “That is the opportunity before us with eVROMI, and I look forward to seeing how this system continues to support the work of Government in the period ahead.”
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