Traffic flows both ways at the Cole Bay border after the French-side checkpoints were removed on Tuesday. (John Halley photos)
MARIGOT--Free circulation between the two sides of the island was re-established by the Préfecture on Tuesday, June 2, with removal of border control checkpoints at the Cole Bay border and at Belle Plaine in French Quarter.
Checkpoints were removed as of midnight June 1. The Préfecture said the increasingly stable health situation on both sides of island permitted the controls to be lifted, prompting a collective sigh of relief from the population.
The Dutch St. Maarten government and the Préfecture implemented a strict travel restriction between the two sides of the island on March 29 to limit spread of the COVID-19 virus. Crossing the border was only permitted for certain reasons on production of an authorisation signed by the Préfecture and the St. Maarten government.
There was some concern that containers in Oyster Pond and Cupecoy had not been removed. The Préfecture said these were in the process of being removed during the day by the services of the Collectivité and Préfecture.
