Latest UPDATE Video Photos SVG St Vincent Grenadines Soufriere Erupts After Earthquake

Good morning everyone, here are the latest videos and photos along with messages straight from SVG. There were over 100 individual posts in the inbox, so working on that now. Additional footage etc will be posted below all day, so click back.

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St Maarten Special Weather Advisory Smoke From Soufriere SVG

St Maarten Special Weather Advisory Smoke From Soufriere SVG

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Latest Dutch Sint Maarten COVID-19 Update

Latest Dutch Sint Maarten COVID-19 Update

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St Maarten, Aruba & Curacao Politicians’ Won’t Have To Reduce Their Salaries Until June 2023

The ministers and members of Parliament cannot simply reverse the reduction on their salary that has been applied as a result of the liquidity support from the Netherlands.
The moment of expiry must in any case be after June 30, 2023, as stated in two Memorandum of Amendment (NvW) with the same purport to the National Ordinances on Financial Provision of Ministers and States. The NvW sets several conditions for the possible reversal of the salary discount. It now appears that the two NvWs were sent to the States on March 17 and placed in the hands of this newspaper. Tomorrow the National Ordinances will be discussed in a central committee meeting of Parliament.
In addition to the date mentioned, it has also been laid down that the discount on the remuneration of ministers and members of Parliament can only be withdrawn by National Decree and only when the support from the Netherlands has ended or no recourse is made to Article 25 of the Financial Supervision Act. (Rft) to deviate from the budget norm. Moreover, the National Decree must first be submitted to the governor and approved by the Minister of Finance. Finally, an evaluation of the public finances must show that the termination of the discount is in line with the state of the public finances.
But, as the AL also writes: ,, should be considered that it is not desirable for a temporary arrangement to become permanent. After all, the starting point of the draft National Ordinance (s) is still the connection with the remuneration of civil servants, on the understanding that the ministers (and members of Parliament, ed.) Are paid at the highest level. ”
The highest level. is actually scale 18 with an addition of 25 percent for the ministers. But scale 18 has not yet been officially formalized. As long as this is not the case, if the salary discount is reversed by National Decree, ministers and members of Parliament will revert to scale 17, step 9. The Memorandum: ,, As stated in the Explanatory Memorandum, a process is currently underway for formalizing the scale 18 in the remuneration of civil servants. This process was started because scale 18 was provided as part of the official structure at the start of Country Curaçao in 2010 and has since been applied for the remuneration of the secretaries-general. This process to formalization has not been completed. ”
The AL also includes: “Any formalization of scale 18 can only be worked through after the discount has ended.” And: “It seems desirable to the government that formalization of scale 18 cannot continue during the period that the Country is struggling with the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.” https://antilliaansdagblad.com/en/nieuws-menu/23454-korting-salaris-tot-medio-2023

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St Maarten Politicians Have Finally Crossed The Line: Rolando And Grisha In Bed With The Turkish And Sicilian Mafia Photos

It is one thing to wholeheartedly disagree on the principle of whether a donor (the Netherlands) may attach conditions to the large-scale interest-free provision of liquidity support to an island (Sint Maarten) in need. Even arguing that the decolonization process has or has not been completed is possible – even if it is very late, after all, the Statute is already 66 years old and in 2010 Sint Maarten voluntarily agreed to the status of autonomous country within the Kingdom. But politics in Philipsburg, at least the majority, is going a step too far by accusing the Netherlands at the United Nations (UN) for neo-colonialism, racism and xenophobia. Crosses borders.

Moreover, Kingdom partner the Netherlands is affected where it is most sensitive, namely by harming its reputation internationally by stating in the authoritative American newspaper The Washington Post that there is a “racial settlement”. This is because the government of Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs requested a life preserver in connection with the corona crisis and received a bag of money-linked-to-conditions for this. It does not concern the entire States, because there are also two factions that explicitly distance themselves from this action and rightly warn that a handful of politicians are putting the fate of the Sint Maarten population at risk. Last year, the Netherlands provided 175 million guilders in liquidity support (in addition to gifts for food parcels and other emergency aid; matters that are actually the primary responsibility of an autonomous government). The amount of 175 million may not seem like much – compared, for example, to the 668 million that Curaçao received (not including the 170 million for the solution to the Giro Bank problem) and the 414 million for Aruba – but it is almost two-thirds of what Sint Maarten residents generated tax revenues in 2020 (only 288 million). Of course, they are loans, free of charge (= without interest), and it would be nice to the Netherlands if they could be canceled at some point, because according to the Central Bank CBCS it is already clear that the countries cannot pay them off for the time being. But the fact that the money is being conditioned is because much of the homework by the (islands) countries has not been done in recent decades. Almost all measures in the Coho Landspacks (Caribbean Body for Reform and Development) are matters for which the political administrators themselves should have been responsible for much earlier. Setting conditions, however, does not come close to racism. There is (also) something else at play. The allegations from Philipsburg seem mainly due to frustration and revenge from the corner of Heyliger and Corallo, who are ‘represented’ in parliament by States members Grisha Heyliger-Marten (yes, wife of Theo Heyliger, who was sentenced to prison) and her party colleague Rolando Brison. ; as “puppets on a string”. There is therefore talk of the “Cupecoy Shadow Government”. They not only take the majority in parliament in tow, but also put Prime Minister Jacobs in a difficult position. Is this really what the population wants? Nota bene in a crisis of unprecedented magnitude. Because there is more to it: financially it is a drama and in the judicial area is being demolished what has recently been built on. The right-minded on Sint Maarten, including the business community, are rightly very concerned. But much more than in Curaçao and Aruba, they are concerned from the wings. They don’t step forward. That is above all the moral duty of the Sint Maarten elite: step forward, to prevent worse, and mark the boundaries. Before it’s too late and the baby is thrown out with the bathwater. Sint Maarten is not far from there. https://antilliaansdagblad.com/nieuws-menu/commentaar-ad/23275-politiek-sint-maarten-overschrijdt-grenzen

Het hartgrondig oneens zijn over het principiële punt of een donor (Nederland) voorwaarden mag verbinden aan het op grote schaal renteloos verstrekken van liquiditeitssteun aan een eiland (Sint Maarten) in nood, is één. Zelfs beargumenteren dat het dekolonisatieproces wel of niet is afgerond kan – ook al is dat wel erg laat, immers het Statuut is al 66 jaar oud en in 2010 ging Sint Maarten vrijwillig akkoord met de status van autonoom land binnen het Koninkrijk. Maar de politiek in Philipsburg, althans de meerderheid, gaat een stap te ver door Nederland bij de Verenigde Naties (VN) aan te klagen wegens neokolonialisme, racisme en xenofobie. Overschrijdt grenzen. Bovendien wordt Koninkrijkspartner Nederland daarbij geraakt waar het het gevoeligst is, namelijk door de reputatie internationaal te schaden door in de gezaghebbende Amerikaanse krant The Washington Post te stellen dat sprake is van een ‘raciale afrekening’. Dit omdat de regering van premier Silveria Jacobs in verband met de coronacrisis een reddingsboei vroeg en daarvoor een zak-geld-verbonden-aan-condities kreeg. Het betreft niet de héle Staten, want er zijn ook twee fracties die zich nadrukkelijk distantiëren van deze actie en er terecht voor waarschuwen dat een handjevol politici hiermee het lot van de Sint Maartense bevolking in de waagschaal legt. Nederland heeft vorig jaar 175 miljoen gulden liquiditeitssteun verstrekt (naast giften voor voedselpakketten en andere noodhulp; zaken die eigenlijk de primaire verantwoordelijkheid zijn van een autonome regering). Het bedrag van 175 miljoen lijkt misschien niet veel – afgezet bijvoorbeeld tegen de 668 miljoen die Curaçao ontving (nog zonder de 170 miljoen voor de oplossing van de Girobankproblematiek meegerekend) en de 414 miljoen voor Aruba – maar is wel bijna twee derde van wat Sint Maartenaren in 2020 zélf aan belastingmiddelen opbrachten (slechts 288 miljoen). Natuurlijk, het zijn leningen, overigens gratis (=zonder rente), en het zou Nederland sieren als deze op zeker moment kunnen worden kwijtgescholden, want nu al staat volgens de Centrale Bank CBCS vast dat de landen ze voorlopig niet kunnen afbetalen. Maar dat de gelden geconditioneerd worden, is omdat de afgelopen decennia veel van het huiswerk door de (ei)landen niet is gedaan. Bijna alle maatregelen in de Coho-Landspakketten (Caribisch Orgaan voor Hervorming en Ontwikkeling) zijn zaken waar de politieke bestuurders eigenhandig al veel eerder verantwoordelijkheid voor hadden moeten dragen. Voorwaarden stellen komt echter nog niet in de buurt van racisme. Er speelt (ook) iets anders (mee). De aantijgingen vanuit Philipsburg lijken vooral ingegeven door frustratie en wraak vanuit de hoek Heyliger en Corallo, die zich in het parlement ‘vertegenwoordigd weten’ door Statenleden Grisha Heyliger-Marten (ja, echtgenote van de met gevangenisstraf veroordeelde Theo Heyliger) en haar partijgenoot Rolando Brison; als ‘puppets on a string’. Er wordt dan ook gesproken over de ‘Cupecoy Shadow Government’. Zij nemen niet alleen de meerderheid in het parlement op sleeptouw, maar brengen ook premier Jacobs in een lastig parket. Is dit werkelijk wat de bevolking wil? Nota bene in een crisis van ongekende omvang. Want er is méér aan de hand: financieel is het een drama en op justitieel terrein wordt afgebroken waar de laatste tijd aan is gebouwd. De weldenkenden op Sint Maarten, waaronder het bedrijfsleven, zijn terecht zeer verontrust. Maar nog veel méér dan op Curaçao en Aruba, zijn ze verontrust vanuit de coulissen. Ze stappen niet naar voren. Dat is vooral de morele plicht van de Sint Maartense elite: stap naar voren, om erger te voorkomen, en markeer de grenzen. Voordat het te laat is en het kind met het badwater wordt weggegooid. Sint Maarten is daar niet ver vandaan.

https://antilliaansdagblad.com/nieuws-menu/commentaar-ad/23275-politiek-sint-maarten-overschrijdt-grenzen

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THE VICE-CHANCELLOR’S FORUM ROYALTY, RACISM, REPUBLICANISM & REPARATION: Preparing for the 60th Anniversary of Nationhood in the CARICOM Region

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By Dorbrene E. O’Marde, Chairperson ABRSC

I thank The UWI and the Centre for Reparation Research for affording me this opportunity to share ideas in this – the Vice-Chancellor’s Forum. I send very special regards to VC Prof Sir Hilary Beckles at this time and I am sure you all know why. We have your back Sir!

I also wish to let the CRR know that I have observed their love affair with the letter ‘R’ – in their acronym and also in the subject of this discussion. I hope they allow me to add another ‘R’ – regionalism in my presentation. I isolate from the topic – two Rs – Republicanism and Reparations. I think if we deal with reparations we are automatically dealing with both Royalty and Racism – in a way.  

One of the unwritten but fundamental principles of the CARICOM 10-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice is that having recognized the massive psychological trauma inflicted on us as a people, we must repair ourselves – a concept of ‘internal reparations’ which tends however to be  focused on the personal or individual. So we have called for the rejection and/or remedying of the denial of the African natural – redefinition of standards of beauty, end to skin bleaching and hair processing and affirmation of African based cultures in speech patterns, traditional medicines and nutrition, religion and the arts.

But there are two broader aspects of repair that we must pay attention to as we move in celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of nationhood in the CARICOM and those are i) decolonisation and ii) the failure of republicanism movements. I use the latter term – not as the political scientist does – but simply refering to the constitutional and other changes required to free us from the rule of a foreign monarch. It is important that we examine the contemporary picture.

Our region still is stomping ground of four former enslaving nations – the British, the French, the Dutch and the USA. Colonies still exist – The British Anguilla, BVI/Tortola, Montserrat, Turks & Caicos along with the Cayman Islands; the US-bought St Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico; the French Departments of Guadeloupe/Marie Galante, Martinique, Cayenne, St Martin & Saint Barthélemy; the Dutch St. Maarten and special municipalities Saba, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire.

This is the state of political dependence in the region, a state that is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, adopted by General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 that affirmed that ‘the subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and co-operation.’

All English speaking nations except Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Dominica still swear allegiance to Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith – the owner of all state property, including prisons.

And as anachronistic as that may sound – and is, and notwithstanding the advances we have made in political thought and activism in the immediate post independence periods – Black Power, The UWI think-tanks and uprisings, socialism, revolutions in Trinidad and Grenada, the establishment of CARICOM and the OECS – the fact remains that if the issue of the acceptance of republicanism is put to most populations in this region, it would be rejected. The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has tried. In Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada, referenda to reject the Privy Council and join the Caribbean Court of Justice failed – miserably.  One should note here that referenda are required in the constitutions of some countries to change entrenched clauses – those clauses that make some portions of a constitution virtually irrevocable.

One suspects, without empirical evidence, that calls for independence in colonies will also be rejected by the majority of electorates.

But the call for national transition to a republic has been going on for decades during our independence period. It was raised here in Antigua and Barbuda by Sir Lester Bird since the mid-nineteen nineties…PM Portia Simpson raised it in Jamaica since 2012, to have it repeated by present Prime Minister Holness in 2016; in Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur raised the issued as far back as 2003…to be followed by PM Freundel Stuart and now by PM Mia Mottley who is poised to shepherd the matter through the Barbados parliament.

But why this reluctance to make advancements in our nationhood? Some may point to a long period of colonial cultural aggression – forcing many my age to sing ‘Rule Britannia – curiously ascertaining the fact that Britain – the most heinous of enslaving countries – never ever will be slaves – one wonders what they have against slavery’; to celebrate the Queen and Prince Charles’ birthday and Empire Day and Commonwealth Day – lauding the fact that for a while there ‘the sun never set on the British empire’; along with the deification of the literature of Keats, Wordsworth and Shakespeare and the required study of history – solely thru British eyes; and of course the teachings of the Christian church that always had the rich man in his castle and the poor man at the gate – positions ordered by its God.

It is easy to suggest that therein lies the reason for our seeming affinity to the monarchy and her institutions such as the Privy Council – and it is easy to suggest that the reparations movement must sponsor a serious struggle to push back against colonial education and its accompanied abuse – to push back against the psychological trauma that we enunciate in our 10-point plan. But there is an equally important consideration.

I was an active participant in the campaign in Antigua and Barbuda to reject the Privy Council and during that campaign one of the many issues that surfaced –and I think this may be pan-Caribbean – was a lack of confidence in our governments to abide by the democratic principles which they preach and on which they were elected…a fear of the disregard and compromise of the rule of law and its importance to the protection of civil and other rights; an example-strewn history of the dictatorship of parliaments – a system based on the ayes-have-it, generally in total disregard of minority but correct views.

The contradiction in this is that the governments the electorates impugn with improper motives are the very governments they elected. The CRC reparations movement faces a similar challenge – the potential of its rejection because of its imperative leadership of Heads of Governments. ‘Dorbrene boy, if this reparations thing work, you know dat as soon as dem politicians get hold of de money, it gorn,’ or ‘mek sure dem boys don’t get hold of that money’ or even more damaging ‘the only reason dem talking reparations is because of their failure to govern properly and their corruption’.

But this is not all. There is distrust of regional organisations. The CCJ example comes forcefully to mind. CARICOM itself is still discussed as a ‘talk shop’. The OECS has seemingly lost effectiveness – Covid has made unimportant one of its main achievements – the OECS union with its freedom of travel, of establishment, the end of work permits. So it seems that the advance of the reparations movement is dependent of good Caribbean governance and regionalism made relevant to the masses of Caribbean people.

I then ask the question, for which I have no answer, how – as government appointed commissions and committees – how do we get involved in issues that may be in full contradiction of the ruling party that appointed us? We know the politics of this region – I need not say more. How do we as regional bodies ourselves – The UWI and the CRC challenge other regional bodies about their relevance and performance?

What however is clear to me is that we must broaden and support struggles for decolonization – as a human rights issue; republicanism – not only the replacement of a white monarch by a national, but as the next step in our constitutional and independence advancement;  and regionalism – the basis of our future as reparations issues. Is this point 11 of our ten-point plan? We must not celebrate sixty years of nationhood in CARICOM without sharp focus on these issues and we must insist on and demand for progressive leadership. 

Antigua Observer Newspaper

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Info Update 4 Videos Pyroclastic Lava Flowing In SVG Soufriere Volcano Latest Videos

La Soufriere SCIENTIFIC UPDATE – 12/04/21 6:00PM

  1. The pattern of seismic activity changed again, with the end of
    the episodes of high-amplitude tremor 2-8 hours apart.
  2. Three episodes of tremor have been recorded since 6am, two of
    them lower-amplitude and the third, at about 5pm, was high-
    amplitude.
  3. The episodes continue to coincide with periods of enhanced
    venting or explosive activity
  4. A reconnaissance of the entire north coast of St. Vincent from
    Chateaubelair to Georgetown with assistance from the Coast
    Guard.
  5. Observations made indicate that pyroclastic density currents
    (PDCs) had descended several valleys on the southern and
    western flanks of the volcano and had reached the sea at Morne
    Ronde, Larikai and Trois Loupes Bay.
  6. Extensive damage to vegetation was noted in an area extending
    from Larikai Bay to Turner Bay on the west coast.
  7. No other areas along the coast had been affected by PDCs but
    villages located on the eastern flank of the volcano had been
    affected by heavy ashfall.
  8. Explosions and accompanying ashfall, of similar or larger
    magnitude, are likely to continue to occur over the next few days
    with the chance of PDCs occurring.
  9. Visit the International Volcanic Hazard Health Network for
    volcanic ash information resources:
    www.ivhhn.org/information10

LaSoufrière #svg #uwi #redalert #monitoring #volcano #stilldangerous

NEMO St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Department of Emergency Management
NEMO Saint Lucia
Nadma Grenada

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British Fugitives Alison Gracey And Christopher Jones, Wanted For Murder Who Fled After Being Allowed Bail By St Maarten Courts 10 Years Ago…BUSTED In Spain!

A British couple who became fugitives 10 years ago following the death of a scuba diver on their Florida charter-boat have been captured by police in Spain.

Their arrest came within four days of the pair featuring on America’s Most Wanted, a newly revived Fox TV series that had last been on air the same year that they had evaded a US indictment.

Alison Gracey, 53, and Christopher Jones, 56, have now been arrested in Madrid and, according to Fox, are being held on charges of involuntary manslaughter and making a false official statement.

Gracey and Jones ran a dive-charter company called Key Largo Scuba Shack in the Florida Keys. On 18 December, 2011 Aimee Rhoads, a 36-year-old diver on holiday from Seattle, booked a trip on their 9m boat Get Wet.

Carrying six passengers including Rhoads and her sister-in-law, Get Wet was heading towards its second Molasses reef dive-site in heavy seas when it began taking on water. Witnesses on another dive-boat nearby said that the vessel sank within two minutes. Rhoads and another diver, Amit Rampurkar, were trapped in the cabin.

Get Wet captain John Nathaniel dived to retrieve the divers, bringing up Rampurkar first before returning for Rhoads. Both had been unconscious. The other dive-boat picked everyone up but Rhoads could not be resuscitated.

A subsequent investigation alleged that Gracey and Jones had been repeatedly informed of major safety problems with Get Wet but had refused to take action. In the USA vessels claimed to carry no more than six paying passengers did not need the annual safety and biennial hull inspection required by larger vessels.

The US attorney’s office stated that Gracey and Jones, who at the time of the incident were in the Bahamas opening a Scuba Shack in Bimini, had operated the boat in an “alleged unlawful and careless manner” that had “caused the death of an individual scuba diver”.

It also stated that they had knowingly “made a false statement to the US Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center about the boat’s ownership”. Gracey faced a maximum prison term of eight years and Jones ten.

In June 2015 the two British citizens were arrested in the Dutch Caribbean island of St Maarten, but were released on bail by the authorities pending extradition. They fled the island and had last been reported in France in April 2017.

https://divernet.com/2021/04/12/dive-boat-fugitives-caught-on-tv/

12 April 2021

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St. Barts plans to reopen borders for tourism in May

The island of St. Barts had to suspend tourism on February 3, when France closed the borders to its overseas territories due to fears that the variants of the virus would spread even more. However, they are carrying out a strong and immediate vaccination campaign so that their borders are reopened in May.

While vaccinations for eligible citizens on the island have been underway since mid-March, the country will undergo an intense vaccination campaign courtesy of the French government to ensure that most of the 10,000 citizens receive their vaccinations.

Once the mass vaccinations have been completed, the island is expected to be able to welcome travelers in May, boosting tourism once again and giving travelers another destination to visit in the Caribbean. France’s other territories in the region, Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Maarten, are also closed to visitors at this time, with no information on whether or not they will reopen soon. https://contactonews.co/noticias/9645-st-barts-planea-la-reapertura-las-fronteras-turismo-mayo

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St. Maarten and Royal Caribbean Meet, Discuss Homeporting April 12 2021

Representatives from Royal Caribbean Group and Port St. Maarten during a meeting in early April 2021.

The management of Port St. Maarten has met with Royal Caribbean Group executives for strategic discussions concerning further strengthening their partnership.

The two groups, among other things, talked about the future homeporting of the Celebrity Millennium in St. Maarten, which starts this June.

 “We looked at how we can further increase and enhance homeporting opportunities and other potential business based on the ports Ernest & Young High Level Strategic Plan,” the port’s management said on Apr. 8, according to the port’s social media page.

“The Royal Caribbean Group executives were also introduced to the Chief Operations Officer of the Princess Juliana International Airport – St. Maarten with respect to the homeporting of the Celebrity Millennium and what the logistics would entail for such an operation. All three parties have to be in sync, and close collaboration is needed in order to make a success out of this opportunity,” it added.

Port St. Maarten said that it is committed to working closely with partners in further enhancing the infrastructure, visitor experiences and building upon a solid foundation that has existed with the cruise industry.

“Additional discussions will be taking place in the coming weeks with respect to further extending current partnerships,” the port added.

The Royal Caribbean executives were given a site tour of the facility, which will play a primary role in processing cruise guests prior to boarding the Celebrity Millennium and upon their return.

The preparations for the homeporting of the Celebrity Millennium, which will set sail from the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility on June 5, 2021, are continuing, the port said.

The 2.038-guest Celebrity Millennium will be offering seven-night itineraries departing through August 2021. According to a recent press release from Royal Caribbean Group, the ship will sail with vaccinated crew, and will be available to vaccinated adult guests and children under the age of 18 with a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of embarkation.

The Celebrity Millennium is expected to sail with approximately 50 percent capacity in the initial stage.

The management of Port St. Maarten said this would be the largest homeporting vessel to date to carry out operations at the country’s main seaport.

“This is the first time that we will be carrying out homeporting operations during the hurricane season and, therefore, will be taking additional precautionary measures to guarantee a seamless operation during the period the vessel is homeporting out of St. Maarten,” the port’s management said.

“The past homeporting experience since 2013 – that the port has garnered over the years from this niche market – is based on the synergy of all staff, along with management, which was one of the contributing factors for the Royal Caribbean Group to select St. Maarten,” it added.

According to the port, the build back of the current homeporting facility will take approximately two weeks. The Port St. Maarten team is working at “full speed ahead on the buildup in close collaboration with the Group in order to assure a smooth and efficient resumption of the cruise business to St. Maarten,” the port said

The port believes that homeporting will generate more airlifts via the Princess Juliana International Airport, bring additional business for local service providers where it concerns vessel provisioning and fuel supply, and create the potential for pre- and post-cruise extension visits at hotels. In addition, it will increase business activity for restaurants, tour operators, taxis, car rental companies and many other varied small and medium-sized business operations and entrepreneurs. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24751-port-st-maarten-and-royal-caribbean-meet-discuss-homeporting.html

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