Both sides of the island were contemplating additional restrictive measures due to the local coronavirus outbreaks, but had not announced these yet up to last night. The government of St. Maarten was working on a decree to shut down evening entertainment businesses where patrons tend to party in crowded conditions without social distancing.
With 15 new infections bringing the confirmed active cases to 144 on Thursday such a reaction is understandable, but one gets the feeling much of the current damage in that sense had already been done before a midnight closure was imposed last weekend. As a matter of fact, most of the bars, clubs and casinos are apparently becoming quite strict about wearing masks and sanitising hands.
At the same time, the economy is hurting badly and 68 vacant stores on Front Street indicates the severity of this crisis. Care must also be taken to not punish the many good for a bad few, but rather focus on those breaking the rules.
Now that the dominant hospitality sector is finally getting back some guests from its main source market the US, certainly limiting restaurants to outdoor seating only would be a major blow. For those with adequate windows, turning off the air-conditioning and opening these to allow in the fresh breeze might be a practical alternative.
The Préfecture of St. Martin in its release regarding possibly more precautionary steps also said too many people are still crossing the controlled internal border. The statement concluded that “the health of the population is the only argument” for its decisions.
The latter sounds good, but isn’t life about more than not getting sick? Well-being requires other ingredients such as sufficient to eat and drink in terms of not just quantity but quality, a decent roof over one’s head with proper sanitary facilities, being with family, proper education for the children and – yes – recreational activities.
The reality is that even with continued liquidity support loans and food aid from the Netherlands or all the social assistance from the French State to the Collectivité and its citizens, a semblance of normalcy will not fully return until the tourist industry gets going so people can once again make a living of their own.
