Authorities say in today’s paper the situation is under control again following a state of lawlessness in the streets after monster Hurricane Irma devastated St. Maarten/St. Martin. Up to two weeks later, during the period when the island was again threatened by also major hurricanes José and Maria, there were still indications of looting and robbing.
Public safety is obviously an essential requirement for a successful recovery. The criminals who stole from businesses and private individuals set that process back considerably with their selfish actions, at the expense of all others.
Any sympathy for a few individuals who might have taken some water or basic foodstuffs in despair does not weigh against the widespread theft of non-essential luxury items, including electronics, jewellery, cars, etc. Let’s face it, most of the looting was done out of greed rather than necessity.
And the latter does not bode well for “The Friendly Island.” In fact, it may effectively scare away existing entrepreneurs and prevent new ones from coming.
Security is one of the crucial components for a good investment climate. There is now understandable doubt whether putting money into the local tourism economy isn’t too great a risk in terms of the protection of property and life, especially in case of natural disasters.
The best way to counteract this is dealing swiftly and severely with violators and offenders, which has thankfully already begun. Equally important would be to catch as many of the perpetrators as possible.
The population can help by reporting suspicious behaviour or developments, like residents suddenly having a bunch of new stuff in their homes or gardens. Remember that while these persons may be family, relatives, neighbours or friends, their actions have turned them into public enemies.
