Windward Roads to complete sewage system in Dutch Quarter
PHILIPSBURG — Wndward Roads deal with the Public Prosecution in the Larimar corruption case is finally coming to fruition. The Larimar-trial examined the activities of several companies, among them Windward Roads, that paid bribes to offshore entities and that ended up in the pockets of former politicians Theo Heyliger. At the trial, Windward Roads promised to execute $2 million worth of projects on the island to compensate for its wrongdoings.
The public prosecutor’s office announced in a recent press release that it has agreed to allow Windward Roads to complete work on the Dutch Quarter sewage pump station and the upgrade of the associated sewage system.
The work will begin on August 7 and take six months to complete. With the execution of the project, Windward Roads is paying off the $2 million fine it received during the Larimar-trial in 2020. The Larimar-investigation uncovered a web of bribery, money laundering and forgery that resulted in sentences for Heyliger, Windward Roads (now former) director Hendrikjan Boekhaar and three others.
Windward Roads has already paid off part of its fine with the construction of the Foga sewage pump station. The company will satisfy the rest of the fine by providing all labor, materials and other project-related items for the completion of the Dutch Quarter project.
Work will begin on the A.Th. Illidge Road in the vicinity of Dutch Quarter. The new pumping station will move sewage from Dutch Quarter and the surrounding area to the wastewater treatment plant on Illidge Road.
Windward Roads will complete the construction of the pumping station and a small section of the main sewage line on Illidge Road. The company will furthermore demolish the existing pumping stations, reconnect the pressure lines, install a new sewage system from Hodges Lane to the Martin Luther King Jr. School and install house connections on the main road and on Hodges Lane.
The work requires road closures. The Ministry of VROMI will publish a traffic plan before the work begins.
On August 1, the ministry hosts an information meeting for residents at the Dutch Quarter Community Center.
