CAY HILL–The application process for the Hurricane and Disaster Passes for the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season commences today, Monday. Deadline for applications is Monday, May 7. The annual hurricane season starts on June 1 and runs through November 30.
Disaster Passes and the Hurricane Passes will be issued by Government to qualifying individuals. No passes will be issued to business owners, with a few exceptions.
Disaster passes are for crucial disaster relief organisations and will be valid for three years. These passes will cover Emergency Operations Centre staff, Emergency Support Services staff, crucial governmental organisations and entities involved in disaster management such as medical institutions, general practitioners and pharmacies, Red Cross, Windward Island Emergency Medical Services (WIEMS), White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation, National Security Service VDSM, Sea Rescue, Shelter Management, Ministers and their drivers.
Hurricane Passes will be issued for two years to government personnel without a disaster pass; essential personnel of crucial companies or organisations: water and electricity company GEBE, Seven Seas Water, telecom and Internet providers, Princess Juliana International Airport, Port St. Maarten, hotels and guesthouses, marinas, fuel distributors and gas stations, banks, medium and large supermarkets, restaurants (providing food services to emergency services), importers and wholesale companies for perishable goods (requests can only be submitted for refrigeration and/or generator technicians).
The organisations entitled to disaster and hurricane passes can request personal passes for their key personnel.
Passes will allow the holders to access public roads to visit their businesses/properties to assess damage. No company passes will be accepted during curfew hours. These will only be accepted during certain stipulated hours as announced by the Prime Minister in a curfew situation.
An application form can be requested by emailing
hurricanepassrequest@sintmaartengov.org . The request should include organisation name and pass type.
When submitting an application, the requester must include a copy of business licence fee paid (or receipt) for 2017/2018, proof of 2018 registration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, copy of applicant’s valid St. Maarten identification card, one passport-size photo of new applicant and NAf. 50 in “leges” stamps per application (obtained at the Receiver’s Office or the Public Service Centre). The latter is a non-refundable handling fee.
The completed application forms and supporting documents must be submitted to Secretary of the Offices of the Fire Department and Disaster Management, Jackal Road 5, Cay Hill, Monday to Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm; or Simpson Bay Public Service Centre, Airport Boulevard 6, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 12:00pm and 1:00 to 3:30pm.
Applicants will be informed by e-mail or telephone when to pick up the pass at either address.
The Office of Disaster Management, which falls under the Ministry of General Affairs, handles the application process for the passes on behalf of the Prime Minister.
The hurricane pass system is a mechanism to maintain public order during emergency situations. The Prime Minister assesses the damage in conjunction with Government’s Emergency Disaster Management entities after a disaster has occurred and can impose a curfew if the extent of the damage poses a threat to the community’s safety and security.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/75721-hurricane-pass-application-process-commences-today
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