News & Media

Demolition Works to Start Inside SXM Airport

Simpson Bay, St. Maarten (Sunday, December 10, 2017) – Work is expected to start this week on the demolition of the interior walls of the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) terminal building, said Michel Hyman, COO and Acting CEO of the Airport.

“On Tuesday, December 12, 2017, we will be selecting the contractor who will start on the demolition of the mold-infested interior sheet rock walls,” he said.

“We have been following the required procurement procedures, and the building was just recently inspected. The inspectors had to give their report on the mold in the building with recommendations on how to proceed, Hyman explained.

In the meantime, he said, everyone who enters the building has to put on their personal protective gear to ensure their safety.

“This is standard practice and we don’t want to endanger the health of anyone,” he said. SXM Airport suffered severe damages as a result of Hurricane Irma with recorded wind speeds of up to 240 mph at the facility. This was further worsened by Hurricane Maria that came shortly after Irma, bringing with it a lot of showers.

“Due to the water leaks, we are constantly fogging inside the building to avoid mosquito breeding places and to safeguard the health of our employees,” Hyman said, adding: “The intention is to rebuild the interior of the airport completely and restore it to the pride of place it had before the hurricanes.”

Management of SXM Airport meets regularly with the different stakeholders to inform them of developments at the facility, he revealed.