PHILIPSBURG, SInt Maarten – The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure (VROMI), the Honorable Egbert J. Doran, announces the official launch of the digital electrical inspection form online. The project was part of an existing effort to transition the Ministry’s services online, led by project lead Emmalexis Velasquez, Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of VROMI.
Minister Doran stated that the digital process will operate slightly different, as it requires electricians to now register to the electrical inspection portal in order to obtain an E-login. The digital process enables electricians to start their registration process by going onto the following link, http://onlineservices.sintmaartengov.org/electricalinspections and conduct the entire process digitally.
This new procedure also recognizes the end of a phase with N.V. G.E.B.E, who previously provisioned the electrical forms. The process henceforth is now fully under the scope of the Ministry of VROMI.
The web address directs applicants to the electrical inspection information page outlining the steps of the process. Applicants are required to sign up digitally and will be prompted to provide profile information such as their names, company name, email address, a valid copy of their ID or passport, crib number and electrical diploma followed by submission. Each electrician’s registration request will be reviewed and subsequently approved or denied based on the qualifying documents and information by ministry VROMI’s electrical inspectors. Approval or denial status will be communicated via email with a suggested username and password and a web-link which will redirect electricians to their e-login.
Approved electricians will be able to immediately commence electrical inspection requests. Each electrical request for new clients will be submitted separately and a request identification number will be issued to each case. The duration of the entire process is expected to be improved tremendously as the application requests, approval, payment and on-site inspection dates are all digitized and processed online. It is noteworthy to consider that electricians will be limited to 5 failed electrical inspections or have their account temporarily disabled for up to a year of the last failed inspection date. Reinstatement will have to be requested by email to the Department of Inspection.
Recently, the Electrical Inspectors, Mr. Anthony Mardenborough and Mr. Mark Richardson, completed a training of the software and the portal that they will be utilizing to conduct the scope of their work. The Inspectors were provided with new digital tablets by the ICT Department. The training was led by Mr. Alain Roper of Computech, who is responsible for facilitating the technical aspect of the project.
Recent meetings held with N.V. GEBE also realized a phase of the process which will allow the Electrical Inspectors of the Ministry to digitally send each approved inspection to N.V. GEBE within the portal. A staff member at N.V. GEBE will then finalize the process by digitally identifying approval for the requested meter installment.
Minister Doran expressed that the launch of this project recognizes a remarkable step towards joining the world’s advanced digitized methods of conducting services for the Ministry. However, the Ministry acknowledges the rapid transition may require more informative demonstration for persons to become acquainted and well versed in the new way forward. The department therefore plans to release a how-to video of the process, and will schedule a week in November, whereby electricians will have the opportunity to partake in a brief demonstration and to also obtain assistance for registration.
As of December 30, 2020, the digital process will be the sole method of accepted operations. Electricians will be temporarily accommodated in person in the interim up until the suggested cutoff date.
