GREAT BAY--Residents of Belvedere have expressed surprise and concern following reports that All Waste in Place will no longer be responsible for garbage collection in their district under the government's new solid waste contracts.
The company, which residents credit with providing nearly flawless service over the past five years, did not participate in the latest bidding process. As government prepares to introduce new contractors, residents are hoping that whoever assumes responsibility for Belvedere will maintain the standards of punctuality, dependability, accountability and courtesy they have come to expect.
The reaction emerged Tuesday as information circulated about the reported results of the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure's (VROMI) latest garbage collection tender. While the Ministry has not formally announced the successful contractors or their assigned collection areas, the prospect of a change in Belvedere has already prompted residents to reflect on the quality of service they have received. Their concern is not simply about which company wins the contract, but whether a new operator will be able to maintain the consistency that has characterized collection in their neighborhood.
According to residents, active on social media and whatsapp, All Waste in Place established a dependable collection routine, with garbage generally removed on schedule and workers demonstrating professionalism in their interactions with the community. Residents also praised the company's transparency and accountability, describing an operation that responded to community needs and maintained reliable communication. After five years of what they consider exceptionally good service, residents are concerned about the possibility of returning to the collection problems experienced in other districts.
The positive assessment of All Waste in Place is consistent with findings from a recent People's Tribune survey examining residents' experiences with garbage collection services across St. Maarten. The August 2026 survey attracted 428 respondents and examined satisfaction levels, collection reliability, worker professionalism and preferences regarding garbage collection companies. Among respondents dissatisfied with their existing service provider, All Waste in Place emerged as the most preferred alternative, receiving 44.5 percent of responses to that question, followed by Meadowlands with 32.1 percent.
The survey also revealed that residents want a greater role in decisions concerning the companies responsible for collecting garbage in their communities. A combined 61.4 percent of respondents supported giving residents more influence over the selection of garbage collection contractors. Those findings give additional context to the reaction in Belvedere, where residents believe their experience with an established service provider should be relevant to expectations for the next contractor.
Importantly, All Waste in Place's anticipated departure from the new collection arrangements is not the result of the company being unsuccessful in the latest tender. The company did not submit a bid for the new three-year contracts due to an administrative issue and therefore was not competing for a parcel under the revised procurement exercise.
