Business View Caribbean | July 2019

75 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN JULY 2019 stronger. He admits, “To build a better nation takes time. Now, some tenders are out, such as the repair of 250 houses. We are also seeing movement in the harbor, the airport, and some minor road construction. And there are private companies that want to build a new pavilion. We have contacts in project development that are coming with new ideas. So, there is a lot of movement on the island. It takes time because of what happened here with Irma, it was a national disaster and we must take that into account. It’s a lot we have to clean up, then we can start building back for a better future. And they’re doing it very well. I hear a lot of complaints that it’s moving slowly but if you want to do something of quality it takes time, investments, perseverance. The local and international governments want to help, but they also want to make sure that the funds are being used correctly.” In its 30 years on St. Maarten, Windward Roads has been involved with a lot of worthy causes. K1 Britannia was one of the first responders after Irma, bringing in water and ultimately assisting young people to get new jobs. Windward Roads helped K1 get a much-needed vehicle and monetary donations. “We also donated to the local Rotary Club,” says Montesant. “And we are looking into how to help one of the many schools with a courtyard. So, we are giving back to the local community.” Always deliver quality As for competition, Montesant asserts, “If you deliver the product on time and the quality is good, and you can back up the promises you make and be responsible afterwards, you will always win. The biggest challenge is not finding skilled labor, but understanding that we must help each other as a team. I use the three ‘C’s. We have to communicate much better, connect better, and therefore collaborate better. If we have unskilled personnel, it is our task as leaders and managers to take care for better education. So, investment is important for long-term goals and getting better quality. That’s what we are doing – investing in ongoing education for our employees, even the Directors have training. Our slogan is “Treat your WINDWARD ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE