President Daniel Gibbs asked the Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe so that Saint-Martin and the islands of the French Antilles can benefit, like Corsica, from the lifting of air restrictions in the context of the Covid deconfinement. This approach is joint with all the territories of the Antilles-Guyana and supported by the socio-professional associations of Saint-Martin.
Prime Minister,
"Following the deconfinement measures announced on May 28, we wanted to draw your attention to the dramatic consequences of a" shutdown "of overseas territories, especially Saint-Martin.
As you know, the Saint-Martin economy is based on a single sector of activity - tourism - on which nearly 70% of jobs (direct and indirect) in the French part depend. The resumption of tourism activity, even in a difficult international context, is vital for maintaining our jobs.
Like many public and private actors from overseas, we welcomed your announcements of May 14 at the end of the interdepartmental committee, reflecting the government's desire to revive the economy of the overseas territories.
However, your recent decision to maintain travel restrictions between mainland France and the overseas territories, with no known date in order to anticipate reopenings as regards the reestablishment of freedom of movement, deeply worries us.
While the metropolitan tourist economy, including Corsica, will be able to benefit from the removal of travel restrictions and several destinations in the Caribbean are preparing to welcome tourists again, Saint Martin will still be subject to severe restrictions. Continued isolation would be fatal to our economy.
The resumption of the tourist activity cannot be done without anticipation so much for the professionals of tourism, who are today unable to promote the destination without visibility, as for the visitors whose reservations remain strongly conditioned to an easing travel conditions.
We are well aware of the need to protect public health, which should not put our jobs and our businesses at greater risk. We are simply asking to benefit from the same conditions as France, even though the health situation has always been much more favorable in the Antilles than in the rest of the national territory.
Also we expressly request:
- The immediate lifting of the obligation of compelling reasons to travel to and from Saint-Martin;
- The lifting of the "fortnight" from June 22, 2020 and the setting up of a test at departure then on D + 8 for all passengers;
- The official announcement of the lifting of restrictions as soon as possible, in order to encourage reservations for the coming months;
Prime Minister, we are convinced of your determination to act to save our jobs, by preventing the suffocation of our economy.
Counting on your action, we ask you to believe, Mr. Prime Minister, in the expression of our best feelings. ".
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