PHILIPSBURG--While the public is largely complying with the regulations in place in keeping with the state of emergency and lockdown that St. Maarten is currently under, the police have had to issue 177 fines for non-compliance with measures implemented to mitigate the spread of coronavirus COVID-19.
According to Prime Minister and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Chairperson Silveria Jacobs, Emergency Support Function 5 (ESF 5) coordinator Police Chief Carl John reported that some challenges had occurred with the controls of the two zones into which the country was split. However, this is expected to improve as the days progress and people become accustomed.
With the reopening of a number of essential services for three days in the week, the country was divided into two zones. The public is only allowed to make use of these services in the designated zones in which they live. Zone A represents the East of Cole Bay Hill (Philipsburg, Cay Hill, etc.) and Zone B represents the West of Cole Bay Hill (Cole Bay, Simpson Bay, etc.).
The police are conducting controls at both ends of A.J.C. Brouwer Road (Cole Bay Hill) to ensure that persons do not enter another zone without urgent reason. Jacobs said John commended the public for their behaviour thus far and said compliance in general is “still going well.”
