There were a few critical comments after it was recently announced that the police had intensified their presence in Philipsburg going into the busy period. Certain persons openly wondered why such protection can be made available where there are many tourists but not for just locals.
To start, people working in the stores and offices benefit too, not only visitors. In addition, also residents go to town more often during the holiday season, mainly to shop.
Most important, the island and others nearby to a large extent depend on income provided by international guests for the livelihood of their inhabitants. To top it off, the hospitality industry is extremely sensitive to security issues.
It has recently been suggested (see letter on today’s opinion pages) that fewer passengers than before appear to be coming off the cruise ships. There are even indications that some may have been told it might not be safe unless they go on a tour, etc.
Whether the latter is true or not, it remains essential for the destination’s survival to provide an adequate measure of visible and effective security in tourism areas as part of efforts to restore the economy to pre-Hurricane Irma levels. That is clearly in everybody’s interest.
