SXMElections.com

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs with Prefette Sylvie Feucher held a press conference on Sunday afternoon where they announced that special measures are going into effect on March 30th, 2020. 

Feucher and Jacobs have decided to put stricter controls at the border whereby only persons crossing over on either side for work or medical will be allowed to cross the border.  Jacobs said the Dutch side will now have attestations in the English Language for persons to circulate on the public roads while the French side will have it in the French language. Jacobs explained that businesses that violate the restrictions for essential businesses will be shut down. She said the time for a warning is now over. Jacobs said that the measures that are now being enforced are to further limit the spread of the COVID-19.
Jacobs said that a curfew will be in effect from 8 pm to 6 am as of Sunday midnight, March 30th, 2020. She said persons that have to work during the early hours of the morning will be allowed to pass if they have the attestation and proof that they have to work, the same goes for persons seeking medical treatment. She said businesses already have to close at 6 pm which gives everyone enough time to get home on time. However, the French and Dutch sides have decided to implement stricter border controls. This is meant to ensure that those persons that cross the border are for essential movements, such as working on either side of the island. These measures Prime Minister Jacobs said will be implemented as of midnight tonight the new measures will be implemented, while the curfew will go into effect at midnight on Sunday/ Monday 30th March. The country's Prime Minister said the decree to restrict movement is now in place and will be published on Monday.

It must be noted that residents on either side will not be allowed to cross the border for shopping as only persons that crossing the border for working and medical purposes. Leisure activities and visiting families are now prohibited for the next two weeks.

Jacobs said residents from both sides will not be allowed to leave their home before 6 am, she said hopefully with the additional measures the scooters will be off the roads, while there would be less reasons for persons to occupy the limited hospital beds.
Chief Commissioner of Police Carl John said that French and Dutch police will be patrolling on both sides of the island. He said that cooperation has been enhanced on both sides.
Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs said the French and Dutch cooperation is at 100% and the measures are taken is to really protect the island. She said that patients that were advised to stay in insolation if they do not comply with those persons will be picked up and placed in isolation and when that happens family members will not have the opportunity to visit.
Prefette Sylvie Feucher called on parents and or families to instruct their youngsters to stay off the public roads, she said that at the moment both sides of the island have problems with scooter riders and its becoming out of hand.
Feucher said that St. Martin also has some good news by some cases where patients were cured of the COVID-19
Prime Minister Jacobs also advised that COIVID-19 patients are not allowed to depart St. Maarten through Princess Juliana International Airport. She said this measure was taken to avoid cross-contamination and to protect airport workers.
Jacobs said the line between Colombia and St. Maarten has reopened in order for non- COVID-19 patients that need emergency medical treatment can be evacuated.
Feucher said the French side conducted more tests and that is why the French side numbers are higher than the Dutch side, she said St. Martin also kept some tourists that were sick. Feucher further explained that at the moment they are seeing that there are infected among the local population, therefore it is essential that stricter measures be applied because very soon there will be a limited amount of tests like it is in France and Guadeloupe.