Préfet Serge Gouteyron and Commandant Stéphan Basso speak at a press conference on measures put in place for the Easter holiday. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT—Gendarmerie patrols will be fully mobilised over the entire Easter holiday period in St. Martin and St. Barths to ensure COVID-19 regulations are respected, Commandant Stéphan Basso indicated at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
Patrols will be present at the popular beaches, in part as a preventive measure by reminding arriving persons or families of the sanitary protocols to be adhered to, particularly at Le Galion Beach, and secondly to exercise controls if regulations are broken. The Gendarmerie’s nautical brigade will also be on patrol near the beaches of Tintamarre and Pinel Island.
Despite the tradition for large holiday gatherings at Easter, Préfet Délégué Serge Gouteyron appealed to the population’s “civic mindedness and common sense” to respect sanitary protocols and social distancing to prevent the consequence of stronger measures being put in place if there is a surge in COVID cases.
He said members of a family must remain within their own family group and be separated from other groups by a distance of two metres to avoid mixing. On the public road gatherings of more than six persons and alcohol consumption is banned. Bars and restaurants also have to close at midnight.
These establishments receiving the public are warned to respect the regulations. The Préfet said he will have no hesitation to immediately close down any establishment in violation of the rules.
