POND ISLAND--Government hopes to see continued technical meetings about border issues between the Dutch and French sides of the island in October. Meetings will not only cover the Oyster Pond border, but all borders shared by the two sides, said Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin.
“If we continue as scheduled, formal border negotiations could start at the end of the year,” Romeo-Marlin told the press on Wednesday.
The border is under dispute pending negotiations between the Netherlands and France, leaving the local government “limited in its actions.”
St. Maarten maintains that Captain Oliver’s Restaurant and Marina are on Dutch side territory, said Romeo-Marlin. The restaurant and marina has operated under Dutch side licences for more than 40 years.
“St. Maarten regrets the fact that the discussions on the border demarcation in Oyster Pond have affected the operations of the restaurant and marina and does its utmost best to resolve this situation,” Romeo-Marlin said.
On April 18 and 19, an informal technical meeting on boundary issues was held in Paris between representatives of France and the Dutch Kingdom. St. Maarten formed part of the kingdom delegation at the talks.
