Marlin: says ignored warnings preceded serious police crash in Sucker Garden

GREAT BAY--Community leader, Sucker Garden business owner, and former Member of Parliament Cloyd Ohndhae Marlin is calling for urgent action and accountability from Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs following a serious traffic accident on the main Sucker Garden road on Thursday that involved police officers and resulted in serious injuries to the officers.

Marlin said the accident occurred on a badly deteriorated section of road near A&A Supply hardware yard, the same location he said he had publicly warned about weeks earlier. He expressed concern for the injured officers and called the incident a preventable failure of government response.

“I pray for a speedy recovery of our police officers,” Marlin said," adding that had the Minister of VROMI been proactive the incident could have been prevented. "The Ministry of VROMI has to do something now, right now, before somebody dies on this road."

According to Marlin, the damaged stretch of road has been in a dangerous condition for between four and six weeks, with a sinking section that he said has caused vehicles to lose control, particularly when traveling at speed, while also contributing to traffic congestion along one of the island’s busiest corridors.

Marlin said he repeatedly urged the Ministry of VROMI to inspect and repair the road before a serious incident occurred, but no corrective action was taken.

He argued that the latest accident reflects what he described as a pattern of inaction by the ministry, warning that the deteriorating roadway had already posed a threat not only to motorists, but also to pedestrians and oncoming traffic.

Marlin said the situation demands immediate repairs, full transparency on why earlier warnings were not addressed, and a more proactive approach to road safety from the ministry.

“The minister has to be proactive and stop being reactive. The people of St. Maarten deserve better,” Marlin said.

He further questioned Minister Gumbs’ handling of the matter, saying the public is left asking when the minister will begin acting before incidents happen rather than after lives have already been placed at risk.

Marlin also called on the Ministry of VROMI to dispatch repair crews without delay, stressing that the public has heard enough explanations and now needs visible action.

“No more excuses,” he said. “The minister is missing in action. It’s time for action.”

Marlin said the accident should serve as a wake-up call about the condition of critical public infrastructure and the consequences of delayed response on roads heavily used by the public and emergency personnel alike.

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