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PHILIPSBURG--The country's Beach Policy is under review "to find the right balance on how beaches are utilized," Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Minister Claret Connor told Members of Parliament (MPs) in a meeting of Parliament's TEATT Permanent Committee on Tuesday afternoon in Parliament House.
The draft policy is now with the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI. The policy will encompass the responsibilities and purview of various government departments. The policy will also list the official names of all 22 of the country's beaches.
The Beach Policy was originally adopted by the Executive Council of the then Island Territory of St. Maarten in 2009, and a revision was carried out in 2012.
Conner was called to the committee to discuss the Beach Policy and the existing moratorium on beach vending. The meeting was requested by independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo who suggested it was time for the Beach Policy to become a national ordinance.
On the vending moratorium, Conner said the assessment of the current vending is geared to clearing up the number of vending permits in existence, and to determine the level of vending saturation on the beaches where economic activities are centred. The current beach vending moratorium was instituted for a year and is slated to be reviewed by May 31.
Connor said, "We need to ensure a proper system is in place ... the moratorium will stay until I am clear on how we are moving forward."
The minister said it should be clear how the existing structure had been affected by actions in the past and whether the standards have been adhered to in the past after the review of the vending situation.
Meanwhile, Connor told MPs of nine moratoria in place for areas covered by his ministry. These moratoria covered beach vending, casinos, lotteries, adult entertainment clubs, supermarkets, public transportation, pharmacies, and bars and restaurants (for specific areas).
The committee meeting, chaired by United People's (UP) party MP Tamara Leonard was suspended for two weeks hence after the discussion between MPs and Conner on the Beach Policy and moratorium wrapped up. When the meeting resumes, MPs and the minister will talk about the moratorium on taxi, bus and tour bus licences and the recommendation from the PricewaterhouseCoopers PwC report on integrity in the government administration.
