A scene during the meeting.
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs as part of his efforts to modernise the Ministry met with Aruban Minister of Infrastructure and Telecommunication René Herdé.
The Minister was joined by VROMI Secretary-General Kenson Plaisimond, Kadaster St. Maarten Director Benjamin Ortega.
In March, Gumbs and Ortega signed a Memorandum of Understanding MOU to work to correct the historic gaps between VROMI and the Kadaster to improve data management and streamline public services. Similar to the MOU with VROMI, the Kadaster followed with a MOU with the Government of Aruba through Minister Herdé. As a result of these MOUs, this introductory meeting was held, with a key focus on strengthening cooperation on infrastructure.
Gumbs and Herdé shared their vision for enhanced infrastructure management through proper land administration and property registration systems facilitated by geospatial information systems (GIS). This compiled data would then be used to inform decisions on housing, maintenance plans for roads, drainage, and sewerage networks.
The Ministers discussed opportunities to exchange knowledge and experience, and best practices for the benefit of Aruba and St. Maarten. The recently concluded housing policy and the allocation of government land were core components of the discussion.
Within a few weeks an exchange between both Kadasters will take place, with the visit to St Maarten of the newly appointed Chief Mortgage Custodian of Aruba.
A Chief Mortgage Custodian ensures the authenticity and completeness of mortgage loan documents, creating a trustworthy chain of information essential for investor confidence and fraud prevention. This visit is one of many envisioned to cement the working relationship described in the MOU with regard to capacity building and knowledge exchange between both countries.
The discussion also covered the existing land management systems, their challenges and innovative implementations taking effect. The Ministry of VROMI currently manages all government land via a simplified dataset. The need to move to a more professional and reliable application is not only necessary but critical to efficient service provision. The ministry is currently exploring different applications to integrate cadastral records, building permits, and domain land, including software application TERENO, a system used across the region including in Aruba.
Minister Gumbs stated, “As the country continues to develop, we need to reflect on our foundations and improve our systems to support this development; a move to data sharing and digitalization, in a country with limited physical and financial capacity, is key to ensuring accuracy, long-term efficiency, and service to the people of St Maarten”.
Director Ortega expressed gratitude to both minsters and support staff in bringing to reality a strategy vision of collaboration at its best. This vision was presented during the first GKI-Geospatial Knowledge and Infrastructure summit held in St. Maarten in late 2025, where the vision of data sharing and establishing of a Caribbean Cadaster Association was introduced.
“With the support of the two Ministers, their respective Ministries responsible for Infrastructure management, collaboration between the various departments such as the Aruba Land Surveying and
Real Estate Registration (DLV), St. Maarten Domain Affairs, and the Mortgage Departments, improved services to the public is surely a vision of success that’s well underway to being realised.”
