A video report on an incident at what the author called the “checkpoint” at Bellevue early Monday morning that went viral on social media once again illustrates how damaging the current border restrictions are. Apparently, a mother – said to work for the Collectivité – coming from the Dutch side was not allowed to take her children to school on the French side, even though they are all French.
The woman mentioned that it supposedly had to do with her husband living on the Dutch side, but that she also has a home in French Quarter. Soon afterwards there was a similar situation with other students.
The controls were obviously prompted by health and safety considerations related to the rising local coronavirus risk. However, they are having a detrimental impact on the people’s well-being and even resulting in the loss of basic rights, such as that to education.
This situation cannot be allowed much longer. Elected representatives and the government in Marigot need to impress on regional and national authorities the uniqueness of this small, two-nation island and the way in which its two sides historically coexist.
There is no indication that cross-border movement led to the current outbreaks on the island, nor of reopening Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) to US travel being the cause. While active COVID-19 cases were still increasing as of last night, the current pictures on both sides are not so different as to justify the continued closure.
The reality is that without its traditionally open borders St. Maarten/St. Martin will never be able to return to even a “new” normal.
