rental risk. • Recycling & circularity: On-site crushing of demolished concrete, wood/green waste shredding, and aggregate reuse wherever engineering allows. “We prefer to own the critical path,” Witteveen says. “If the plant is ours and the paver is ours, we control quality and timing, and our clients see the difference.” PEOPLE: HIRE CHARACTER, TRAIN SKILLS, BUILD ONE TEAM Windward Roads runs a Caribbean-first hiring posture—local teams across the islands, complemented by Dutch, English, and other expat supervisors or engineers where specialist skills are thin regionally. “We hire character and train skills,” says Witteveen. “The team is Caribbean at heart, with a few Dutch supervisors and engineers where needed. We put real effort into training and transparency so everyone understands the plan.” Culture is intentionally close-knit: Friday beers, team events, and open comms reinforce belonging. Four values show up on the walls and in project reviews: Team-member strong, Transparent, Educated, Enthusiastic. As a subsidiary of a 90-year-old Dutch group, the company also brings Dutch standards in safety, QA/QC, and documentation—while respecting Caribbean work culture. “It’s a different rhythm,” Witteveen says.“That’s the field you play on. It’s fun.” QUALITY, SERVICE, REPUTATION— MEASURED ON SMALL ISLANDS In a market of ~58,000 people on St. Maarten (and smaller on the satellites), your work is visible for years—and so are your relationships. Windward Roads bakes follow-ups and guarantees into close client handling. • Structured updates: Scheduled meetings and as-needed briefings on progress, budget, quality, and issue resolution. • Post-handover attention: Periodic checks and warranty actions to protect longevity. • Repeat business focus: “Most of our clients are 31 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 10 WINDWARD ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE
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