Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
MARIGOT--Practically the entire law enforcement detachment of the French side will be on duty for President François Hollande's very brief official visit today, the first for a French President since Jacque Chirac's visit in 2000.
According to reports, 198 Gendarmes will be assuring security assisted by the Territorial Police and officers from Police aux Frontières (PAF). The President will also no doubt have his own security detail close to him.
The Presidential plane is due to touch down at Princess Juliana International Airport at 3:30pm where President Hollande will be welcomed by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, Governor Eugene Holiday and Chairman of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson.
The President's delegation comprises Minister of Overseas Territories George Pau-Langevin, Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira, Minister of Sustainable Development and Energy Ségolène Royal and President of Conseil Representatif des Francais d'Outre Mer (CREFOM), as well as the President's aides.
It was also understood there will be a large national media presence travelling with the President, in addition to media travelling to St. Martin from Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana.
The delegation then immediately departs for St. Barths before returning to Grand Case Airport at 6:30pm where the President will be met by Préfet Philippe Chopin, President Aline Hanson, Senator Guillaume Arnell and MP Daniel Gibbs. A portion of the public parking area at the airport has been closed off for the visit since Monday.
The motorcade then travels to Marigot and Hotel de la Collectivité where President Hollande will first lay a wreath at the war memorial in the garden to commemorate World War II Victory Day at 7:00pm.
He then goes into a meeting with the Territorial Council estimated to last 45 minutes. The Council has been preparing for this visit and will seize the opportunity to apprise the French President on a number of topics that will include the economy, role of the State, youth and education, employment and training, the urgent need of a reform for the social benefit Revenu Solidarité Active (RSA) and its control to eliminate fraud, security and justice system.
Opinions are divided as to whether the visit is a welcome morale booster for the population or whether the President's visit is too short to really have an appreciation of St. Martin and its problems, given he will only be in the territory less than four hours.
Before departing for dinner with elected officials of St. Martin and St. Barths in Marigot the President will address the population from the balcony of Hotel de la Collectivité.
Security is expected to be tight all around Hotel de la Collectivité with the streets closest to the building closed to traffic. The public is permitted to watch the wreath laying ceremony behind barriers and to listen to the President's address.
The delegation is due to depart that evening for Martinique which is hosting the regional summit, Caribbean Climate 2015, chaired by President François Hollande. The summit gathers over 40 heads of state, governments and Caribbean organizations to discuss the impact of climate change on the island nations of the Caribbean.
On Sunday, May 10, the President will inaugurate Memorial ACTe, a centre for expressionism on slavery and the slave trade in Guadeloupe before continuing on to Cuba and Haiti.
