The armed home invasion on September 5 (see last week Monday’s newspaper) in Point Pirouette once again exposed a vulnerability when it comes to fighting crime. The culprits apparently came and went by boat via Simpson Bay Lagoon, robbing occupants at gunpoint.
In December 2024 there was a string of thefts from yachts. At the time there had been no agreement in place to regulate chasing suspects over water between the Dutch and French sides of the island.
This drawback was overcome back then by working closely together through coordinated and joint patrols, better communication between authorities, clear and efficient complaint procedures for stolen property, more cooperation with marina security, etcetera. Cross-border pursuits by the coastguard had already been possible, with planned aerial surveillance and tracing.
The "Hot Pursuit during Maritime Counter Drug Operations in the Vicinity of Saint Martin and Sint Maarten" treaty was signed on March 10 of this year. It allows Dutch and French law enforcement to pursue vessels involved in illegal activities across the maritime boundaries, closing procedural gaps used in the past to exploit jurisdictional limits.
The recent incident shows these measures provide no guarantee, but at least there seems to be less of a “safe haven” for criminals in local waters. This is important not only to better protect land-based residents and visitors, but also the marine industry.
Its significance was confirmed by an economic impact study also from two years ago showing that in 2023 the sector amounted to 16.3% of St. Maarten’s gross domestic product (GDP), attracted 26,386 visitors on 4,029 vessel arrivals and contributed US $140 million in direct spending. In addition, it supported over 300 local businesses and sole proprietors with 4,769 employees producing $242 million per year.
Needless to say, a reasonably secure environment was key to this positive development over the past decades. Effective collaboration between law enforcement on either side of the open border remains critical to keep it that way.
