VROMI Minister Gumbs Receives Housing Development Plan for Belvedere

GREAT BAY--St. Maartener Dejon Daly, a student at the Breda University of Applied Sciences, submitted his final thesis to the Ministry of VROMI, concluding his six-month internship.

Dejon’s thesis, entitled “Resilience through Spatial Design,” presents scenarios for the development of Belvedere North, which was purchased by the Government earlier this year. Daly and the Minister worked closely in formulating his research question: “How can urban design interventions empower St. Maarten communities to build and maintain hurricane resilience through strategic public space, infrastructure, and neighborhood design.”

He was given access to develop the recently purchased Belvedere parcel, meeting with several stakeholders throughout the Ministry of VROMI, including the Policy, Infrastructure, and New Works Departments, as well as the Ministry of VSA and the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation.

In his thesis, Daly’s scenarios focus on solutions that work with rather than against the natural environment. He places strong emphasis on factors such as community, natural light, wind, and drainage, and developed a most resilient scenario that includes apartments, including for vulnerable groups, townhomes, single-family homes, a community center, and a cemetery.

The Ministry will use Mr. Daly’s thesis as the basis for the development of the new Belvedere housing project.

Mr. Daly expressed his gratitude, describing his experience as a great honor and thanking all those who helped make the project possible.

“I am happy I was given the opportunity to use the knowledge I’ve gained and also learn even more while with the Ministry, especially the local context,” Daly said.

Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs stated: “I am immensely proud of the quality of work and analysis undertaken by Mr. Daly in support of the Government’s mission. Together with the establishment of the mortgage guarantee fund, and the enhanced relationship with the housing foundation, we are well underway to building safe, affordable, and quality housing for our St. Maarten communities.”

Mr. Daly returned to the Netherlands last week and will be defending his thesis today, Friday, June 18, 2026.

‍