The president of the Community, Daniel Gibbs, has just sent a letter to the Minister for Overseas France, Annick Girardin asking him that the French government put an end to border controls, in harmony with Sint Maarten.
"The Minister of Sint Maarten, Mrs. Silveria Jacobs, kept me informed, on Saturday May 16 in the morning, of the decision of the government of Sint Maarten to lift border controls as of Monday May 18, the confinement phase taking effect late Sunday, May 17 in the evening, on the Dutch side.
During preliminary discussions in a tripartite meeting, Thursday, May 14, Prime Minister Jacobs had already expressed her willingness to end border controls with Saint Martin, as of Monday May 18, while the local representation of the State, madame the prefect, wished to continue these checks.
The Collective has no decision-making power in the matter. However, from the start of the crisis, as elected representatives of Saint-Martin, I, with my First Vice-President Valérie Damaseau, participated in the weekly tripartite meetings in a spirit of cooperation and fraternity and in order to bring our vision.
We therefore made known to our counterparts, during this meeting on Thursday, May 14, our favorable opinion on the principle of stopping controls. We have proposed to the competent authorities that their decision could take place during the following week, depending on the results of the last screening campaigns of the two parties, while the whole island has now started the phase of deconfinement.
After the official announcement by Minister Silveria Jacobs on Saturday morning following the vote on Parliament's motion, I immediately contacted the Minister for Overseas Affairs, Ms. Annick Girardin, to explain the situation in Saint-Martin and to inform him of the position of all elected officials of the Collectivity. I therefore asked him, also by mail, that France put an end to border controls, in harmony with Sint Maarten; even if the decision came earlier than expected in a tripartite meeting.
The Collectivity plays its role in this cooperation between sovereign states, with the aim of harmonizing decisions as much as possible, in the context of this crisis.
However, it is now up to the French State alone to take responsibility for border management.
Today, our common challenge with Sint Maarten is to revive the economy of the island and successfully complete the deconfinement stage jointly. It is a challenge that we must take up together, in the interest of the health of the inhabitants of the two parts of the island.
We will then have to prepare together for the opening of international air borders to boost tourism on the island.
Saint Martin and Sint Maarten are inseparable and must go hand in hand to face deconfinement in the context of this health crisis, but also so that the population of the island can relive and resume their habits of work and life, while respecting the barrier gestures that are now part of our daily lives.
Border control was instituted for reasons of health emergency which no longer apply today. In fact, the current health resources, both French and Dutch, have been reinforced and must henceforth make it possible to deal with the occurrence of new cases.
The health situation of the island was managed jointly, in good intelligence, with a common will to face, together.
Today, the government of Sint-Maarten and the French state services, in collaboration with the community of Saint-Martin, must be able to continue to manage the future health situation together and take the necessary decisions in the event of need.»
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