Police officials and St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation President Alston Lourens.
PHILIPSBURG--Police officials and St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation President Alston Lourens held a press conference on Friday to announce their zero-tolerance and instant-fines policy for Carnival 50 which begins today, Saturday, with the annual Causeway Jump-Up.
Persons who break the law during the upcoming Carnival season will be subjected to fines according to a “transaction list,” in the general police ordinance, and will have to provide payment immediately if they want to avoid jail time.
Persons who fail to follow commands from a police officer; disturb public order; remove, replace or take down a police barricade; or fight in public (not ill-treatment) will be fined NAf.150 or US $85. Persons who throw bottles will be fined NAf. 375 or $212.
In accordance with the weapons ordinance, persons who are found to be in possession of a weapon or an object to be used as a weapon other than a firearm will be fined NAf. 625 or $354.
According to the penal code, persons who resist arrest will be charged NAf. 625 or $354; persons who fail to adhere to an order given by a police officer, and those who insult an officer on duty will be fined NAf. 375 or $212.
Verbal threats that are not group- or gang-related carry a fine of NAf. 625 or $354; ill-treatment carries a fine of NAf. 750 or $424; destruction of property a fine of NAf. 300 or $170; public intoxication a fine of NAf. 150 or $85, and serving alcohol to persons under age 18 a fine of NAf. 625 or $354.
According to the opium ordinance (drug law), possession of up to three grams of cocaine carries a fine of NAf. 400 or $226; possession of more than three grams of cocaine, but less than or equal to five grams carries a fine of NAf. 625 or $354; possession of five to 20 grams of marijuana carries a fine of NAf. 325 or $184; possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, but less than or equal to 30 grams carries a fine of NAf. 625 or $354; and possession of 6-10 XTC pills carries a fine of NAf. 625 or $354.
Police are looking forward to the public behaving well during the planned public events.
