SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) – The St. Maarten Consumers Coalition (SMCC) issued a press statement over the weekend with respect to this weekly press conference held last Thursday. The statement says: “In the Daily Herald in the beginning of last month[1] we could read the arguments of the Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Ludmilla de Weever against Carnival 2021 expressed in the weekly Council of Ministers press conference of Wednesday Dec 2nd, 2020.
“AVOIDING LARGE GATHERINGS. Minister de Weever we quote to have said: “The position I have taken is that group gatherings will not be encouraged”. “Without the music events, you will be avoiding large gatherings.” She said that similar notifications against large gatherings were also sent to the organisers of the Heineken Regatta and SXM Festival.
“GREEN LIGHT FOR SAFE CARNIVAL 2021. In a press release from government two weeks ago we were informed that during a Council of Ministers meeting on January 14 the SCDF has been granted the greenlight to proceed with planning and execution of Carnival 2021 in St. Maarten, after taking into consideration the plans for a safe Carnival 2021. “The Council of Ministers is convinced that the agreed upon public health protocols to be implemented by the Sint Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) will ensure public safety.” So what happened with the avoid large gathering arguments from Minister of TEAT Ludmilla de Weever?
“MONITORING INFECTION RATE AND CAPACITY HEALTH SECTOR. The press release stated: “Government has concerns regarding the hosting of large events, however, it is expected that the infection level of the COVID-19 virus will be different during the months of March and April as a result of more intense testing which remains ongoing and the administration of vaccines expected mid-February.” This decision was taken with the understanding that “should St. Maarten’s COVID-19 situation worsen in regards to the spread of the virus and medical capacity, cancellation of Carnival 2021 can still take place. As such, the infection rate will continue to be monitored as well as the capacity of the health sector to handle any possible outbreak”. So what happened with the arguments of not encouraging large group gatherings?
“GREEN LIGHT TURNED RED. In a press release from government two days ago, Tuesday January 26, 2021, one could read that the Council of Ministers decided to cancel the planning and execution of both Carnival and Heineken Regatta for 2021 in the interest of the general health of the citizens of Sint Maarten. This decision comes after consultations with various relevant stakeholders, including health care professionals and law enforcement on the presented reduced activities planned for Carnival 2021 and the Heineken Regatta and considering the impact that the events would have on the population. “To avoid any further increase in the spread of the virus amongst the community and those that need to enforce and safeguard our country, the Council of Ministers agreed with the recommendations and canceled both Carnival and the Heineken Regatta for 2021.” So, what happened in these two weeks? Did the COVID 19 situation worsen? Was there an outbreak? According to the health report of January 25th, provided by Collective Prevention Services (CPS), the average active COVID-19 cases remain steadily high, not only as a result of the holiday festivities, but also due to apparent complacency with public health measures among the population. The cases are expected to increase! Various new strains of the COVID-19 virus have been detected in several countries around the world resulting in a travel ban of linked countries. With these substantial developments, which will further strain the limited manpower within the health care sector and law enforcement, the government was strongly recommended to impose stricter public health measures. Which stricter measures will be imposed? Curfew as in the Netherlands? Lock down as in some other countries?
“CPS CONCERNS SAME AS OF THE UNIONS. In our press conference last week, we brought the position of the Windward Islands Chamber of Labor Unions, which came with the same concerns as CPS, and called on the Minister of Public Health Social Development and Labor as well as the Council of Ministers in its whole, to review and reverse this decision to give subsidy to the Heineken Regatta organizers and green light to the Carnival 2021 organizing foundation! This week the Health Care Workers Union board members also explained publicly why they do not want to expose their frontline workers to more pressure, risk and stress if we organize large gatherings.
“Which measures to be taken? As Consumers Coalition we strongly recommend the Prime Minister and the whole Council of Ministers to have a social dialogue with the Consumers Coalition which represents the Seniors and Pensioners and the workers and their families in our society!”
[1] Daily Herald December 3, 2020 “SMCDF slams Ministers’ criticism on Carnival”
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