MARIGOT--French-side Gendarmes and Police aux Frontières (PAF), along with Dutch St. Maarten Police Force KPSM controlled 364 vehicles and 412 persons on March 31, and those numbers are being repeated at checkpoints on a daily basis.
French and Dutch law enforcement agencies are mobilised to enforce the containment and travel restriction measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. Checks are carried out at border points and throughout the entire island.
Only cross-border workers and persons with urgent health reasons are allowed to travel between the French and Dutch sides of the island. Controls will be stepped up and penalties tightened in the event of a repeat offence. Controls began with explanations and warnings issued, but the police forces will intensify controls and proceed to penalties in the event of non-compliance with the measures.
The completed personal exemption document and identity document must be presented at each check. The personal exemption document must be filled in with indelible ink pen directly by the person who wishes to go out. It is downloadable from the Préfecture’s website and Facebook page. People who do not have a printer can copy it by hand. A new document is to be completed for each outing made.
The professional travel document must be stamped and signed by the employer, either in French or English. It is only valid for essential business trips and must be completed once. The document has a limited period of validity. If this document is not completed correctly and/or if it does not bear the correct information and company stamp, it is not valid.
For travel within the Dutch side, citizens also have to download a personal or professional waiver document from the St. Maarten government website www.sintmaartengov.org/coronavirus .
