St. Maarten economy gets moving with every open door

PHILIPSBURG–The resilience of the St. Maarten people and her economy are shining through.

One week in the post-Irma reality, more and more businesses are opening their doors and residents are adjusting to their new routine of limited mobility due to a curfew, dwindling supplies, homelessness and a giant need for water and fuel.

A welcome sign for the economy was the reopening of Postspaarbank PSB this morning. Accountholders queued at the bank on Bush Road as soon as the curfew was lifted at 8:00am. They were each about to withdraw a maximum NAf 1,000.

The bank opened its doors at 9:00am and will remain open with security from the Dutch Royal Marines and Police until 1:00pm.

Other welcome signs were the reopening of stores stocking building and repair materials such as Budget Marine and ACE.

Food availability improved slightly with several supermarkets selling food items and more set to come online.

A huge question is the speedier distribution of food aid to the neediest of the community sent to the country by the Netherlands and other agencies. Distribution has been sporadic at best and a number of communities have not yet been reached with either food or drinking water.

Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/69393-st-maarten-economy-gets-moving-with-every-open-door

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