For the first time in two weeks, no one died from the effects of Corona yesterday. The GGD does report that two people died earlier, but were not yet included in the figures. It concerns a patient in hospital and a patient who died at home. This brings the death toll as a result of Corona to 80.
There are now 100 patients in the hospital, 42 of whom are in intensive care. Nine Curaçao corona patients are in the hospital of Aruba for further medical care. 94 people tested positive on a total of 860 corona tests yesterday. A test ratio of 10.9 percent. The total number of active cases is now 3613. That is 224 fewer than yesterday.
Permit me to start by expressing our sincere gratitude to the COVID-19 Taskforce, the technical team, and all departments who in one way or another worked tirelessly on this temporary facility for the COVID-19 Test Center at the SXM Airport.
In January and February 2021, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the French Governments announced an order requiring all air passengers arriving to their respective countries from a foreign country to get tested no more than 3 days before their flight departs and to present the negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding the flight. This order went into effect from January 26, 2021.
PJIAE in collaboration with the Healthcare Laboratory Services (HCLS) launched the Test Center on March 20, 2021. Departing passengers now have the option to be administered an antigen test with only a fifteen (15) minute wait time for test results, before they check-in for a flight. The testing is carried out by the certified medical staff from HCLS. The test facility is open to ALL passengers without appointment, 7 days a week. Over 590 persons have been tested thus far. Forming part of the overall objective of the testing facility is to add convenience for the travelers.
On behalf of the Managing Board, the COVID-19 Taskforce, the staff and all the hardworking and dedicated employees of the Princess Juliana International Airport, we thank you for this accomplishment.
As of April 15th, there were three (3) persons who tested positive for COVID-19; however three (3) persons have recovered. The total active cases remains at thirty six (36). The total number of confirmed cases is now two thousand two hundred two (2202).
The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring thirty five (35) people in home isolation. One (1) patient remains hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 remains at twenty seven (27).
The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten has increased to two thousand one hundred thirty nine (2139). Thirty eight (38) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS.
The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) Airport Health Team in collaboration with Health Care Laboratory Sint Maarten (HCLS) have tested 2655 travelers arriving at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), while CPS tested 25, 304 people throughout the community. As the numbers continue to fluctuate, CPS will continue to actively execute its contact tracing measures.
Minister Panneflek urges everyone to remain vigilant and wear your mask, practice social distancing, sanitize or wash your hands frequently and refrain from mass gatherings.
** JCI SXM A.C.T.I.O.N to provide COVID-19 Vaccine Information/Registration at several locations on Saturday **
Volunteer and youth group JCI SXM A.C.T.I.O.N. will set up several COVID-19 Vaccination Information & Registration stands on Saturday, April 17th, at the following locations: Sunny Foods, Carrefour (Bush Road), Cost U Less, Market Garden between 10.00 AM and 2.00 PM.
The youth group will be handing out information flyers and answering questions about the COVID-19 vaccine or the rollout plan for the country. Additionally, they can register the person for a vaccine on the spot!
There are still people who have questions or trouble with the registration process. If you are going to do your weekend shopping, take the opportunity and stop by the information & registration stands, and don’t forget to bring your ID with you.
With the more contagious British (UK) variant now prominently present on our island, the need to protect ourselves against the virus has become increasingly important. Only if enough people become vaccinated can we stop the virus’s spread and prevent a situation like we are seeing on the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.
You can also register online via the online registration form, which is available in English, Spanish, and Creole, and can be found at https://forms.sintmaartengov.org/Form.aspx? fid=5376a115-73d0-4a74-b632-95a9448539b2&v=OGtn05kNmb.
Registration is free, and the COVID-19 vaccine is also free.
The Vaccine Management Team (VMT) also encourages everyone to assist friends, family, neighbors, and loved ones with the registration as we know that some struggle with the process.
Ask if you can help with registration, transport, or support if you suspect that someone needs it because only together can we reach our goal. If you have questions about the registration process, your appointment, or if you require additional information, contact the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) Collective Prevention Service (CPS) at 914 or email: vaccination@sintmaartengov.org
For more information on joining the volunteer team, WhatsApp Ravina: +1-721-527-4743 or email sxmaction@gmail.
** VMT extends the period between 1st and 2nd vaccination from three to five weeks **
On Thursday, April 14th, the Vaccine Management Team (VMT) decided to change the interval between the two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from three to five weeks. With this adjustment, many more people will receive their first vaccination and thus provide better protection to more people and those around them from COVID-19 infection. This new policy will start on Monday, April 19th.
Curacao, Aruba, and Bonaire are experiencing very high rates of COVID-19 infection. Within only a few weeks, the number of cases on Curacao dramatically increased from just a handful to more than five thousand persons as the result of the more contagious British (UK) variant.
Curacao’s hospital is overwhelmed and unable to help regular non-COVID-19 patients; the country is confronted with one of the world’s highest infection rates.
A similar scenario can take place on Sint Maarten within the near future. Already 24 cases with the British COVID-19 variant have recently been detected on this side of the island. Vaccination coverage of the country is still too low to protect against a possible third wave. To create herd immunity, we will need to vaccinate 34.000 persons. However, we’ve roughly vaccinated 10.000 persons with only the first dose. Almost half of that group have also received their second dose by now.
The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) Collective Prevention Service (CPS) and Belair Vaccination locations have a collective capacity of nearly 1.000 vaccinations per day.
Five hundred persons for their first dose and 500 persons for their second dose. By delaying the second dose by two weeks, roughly 5000 extra vaccines can go to persons who haven’t gotten any vaccine. Otherwise, these vaccines would have gone to persons who already had one dose. The Pfizer vaccine provides 60 to 70% protection to people who have received their first vaccination. Extending the period between 1st and 2nd vaccinations to five weeks does not reduce the second vaccination’s effectiveness of 95%.
With this adjustment, the VMT aims to have a larger portion of our population at least partially protected against a possible third infection wave due to the more contagious UK variant.
It is essential to know that this updated policy only applies to new first appointments. So, suppose you already have your second appointment according to the original three-week interval. In that case, this appointment will remain on the same date. If you come for your first appointment after the upcoming weekend, your second appointment will be five weeks after your first appointment.
The VMT is happy to see the recent trend of increasing numbers of persons signing up for vaccination over the last few days, where the daily registration numbers doubled. If you haven’t done so already, you are strongly advised to register yourself, for your own protection and the protection of your family, community, and country.
Finally, the VMT adds that getting sufficient vaccination numbers will also encourage tourists to return to the island, revive our economy and provide business and income for all.
Pfizer is currently the best vaccine in the world, the Rolls Royce among all vaccines. Since it cannot be guaranteed that the future shipments of vaccines received from the Netherlands are the same, we must grab this great opportunity with both hands. We have no time to lose, the VMT concludes.
The Netherlands wants to introduce a mandatory quarantine for all travelers from high-risk areas from 15 May. Also from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Now that quarantine is still an advice and not mandatory. Research shows that few returning travelers adhere to the advice. It concerns ten days and with a negative test five days of compulsory quarantine. For violations, fines of 95 euros are awarded. Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eustatius are on the list of safe countries.
Right now the British variant of the Covid19 is killing many in Curacao, and it is spreading through St Maarten like wild fire. St Maarten is 37 sq miles. The UK is HIGH RISK! The highly virulent, British variant has the Curacao Intensive Care Unit swamped. Yesterday in Curacao ICU, it was another dark day as four more died overnight. Yet no discussion from our government, yet NO Quarantine. Because…MONEY!
Explain to us how Silveria is STILL allowing in HIGH RISK COUNTRIES on 37 square miles as Holland and America sends dozens of doctors and nurses to Curacao to stem the tide of deaths?
And these morons are anti maskers. Europeans wipe out 95% of the Western Hemisphere within two Years with diseases. People like to read everything but history books. Who us Nigel Farage? Well… if a lump of shit, could take a shit, it would produce a ‘Nigel Farage’. Had it been an African country or Brazil, there would be quarantine, but it’s England, home of the British variant……. During the St Maarten outbreak, understand our government basis all of its decision making not on health and life, but on greed. Greed decides all. Our government continues to allow high RISK anti maskers like Loterie Farm to socialize, profit off of Mass gatherings. Because the only ones who will be effected, the only ones who will be dying are us, the St Maarteners! They see the spread of disease, they see deaths in Curaçao, they just don’t care. Silveria and Rolanda Brison will have MORE blood on their hands.
So how is our government, our authorities allowing this trash who does not believe in wearing masks, allowed un our country with his racist, White trash ass to spread disease?
Silveria Jacobs, continue to take praise, while the only thing you have done for St Maarten is brought it deeper into the ser!
From the Daily Mail: EXCLUSIVE: Make mine a Farage one! Nigel enjoys a joke over drinks in the Caribbean (wearing no mask) while the rest of us are stuck at home… but the ex-UKIP chief insists he’s there on business.
Farage, 57, has been staying on the island of St Maarten for a number of weeks
He was pictured on a sun terrace at the at the St Maarten Yacht Club Bar and Restaurant on Saturday afternoon
Farage seemed in good humour, cracking jokes and talking loudly while soaking up the party atmosphere
St Maarten is described as a ‘millionaires’ playground’, popular with wealthy Americans which currently has 20 superyachts docked there
The ex-Brexit Party leader told MailOnline that he had been almost finished work there and would soon be leaving to take up some speaking engagements
Nigel Farage has been spotted enjoying himself on a Caribbean island after slipping away from coronavirus restrictions in the UK.
Farage, 57, was seen tucking into a meal and drinking on a terrace in the late afternoon sunshine last Saturday while pubs back in the UK were still closed.
He was accompanied by a grey-haired American businessman, his partner and her two young children who were playing on tablet screens as they sat under a Heineken parasol.
Farage seemed in good humour, cracking jokes and talking loudly while soaking up the party atmosphere at the St Maarten Yacht Club Bar and Restaurant.
It is currently illegal for residents of the UK to go on foreign holidays although overseas trips for business are permitted.
Farage told MailOnlin.e that he was on a lengthy business trip, saying: ‘I’m away for some time.
‘There are all sorts of restrictions you have to go through at the moment like quarantine restrictions or whatever.
‘But most of the Caribbean islands at the minute are very, very low on Covid and are acceptable destinations to travel to from other countries. I am away for several weeks.’
When asked to elaborate on the type of business trip he was on, he added: ‘I’ve got one or two speaking engagements coming up, and all will be revealed.
It is a business trip, I’m here and I’m working. The hours are pretty antisocial, I can tell you. You have to start at four in the morning.
‘I’m here for a couple of weeks, I’m nearly done actually, and then I will be off doing some public speaking engagements which are yet to be announced.
‘I’m not going to say where right now, but it doesn’t take much working out.’
Farage denied that he had been staying on a superyacht, but refused to elaborate about where he was staying.
He declined to identify his companions in the bar other than saying that he was with an American businessman who had his partner and her children with him.
The territory of St Maarten on the southern side of the island of St Martin has few British visitors and is a popular retreat for rich Americans and Russians who are often ferried to shore from their superyachts.
Wearing a baseball cap, a pink striped polo shirt and shorts, the charismatic former politician may have thought he would go unrecognised in the Dutch enclave.
But he was spotted by British yacht engineer Ray Godsall, 60, who was enjoying a drink in the same bar late on Saturday afternoon.
Mr Godsall said: ‘It was quite a surprise to see Nigel Farage sitting there. He was talking quite loudly. He was not drunk, but he had clearly had a few drinks.
him and his voice immediately. He was certainly in a very good mood and was very jovial.’
Mr Godsall who is originally from Arundel, West Sussex, has been living on St Martin since November while looking for work on a yacht after quitting his last post.
He said that he arrived in the bar at 4pm when Farage was already at his table with his dining companions.
Mr Godsall added: ‘He was with a man who appeared to be an American businessman. There was also an attractive woman who appeared to be the American’s wife or partner. She was Slavic or Russian.
‘The bar served American type food and it is not too expensive with a beer costing about $4 US.
‘Nigel was dressed very casually and the American guy was a bit more dressed up. The Slavic woman was dressed to the nines as they usually are.
‘People usually get brought from the yachts by tender to have a drink or meal on shore.
A lot of business gets done on yachts
‘It is a very popular spot. There must currently be around 20 superyachts on the dock. It is a real millionaire’s playground.
‘He and his group must have left at around 6pm. The island of St Martin is half French and half Dutch, and has very few British visitors. He probably thought that nobody would know who he was.
‘But he seemed to enjoy being out and about. I later went to another bar and a guy from Birmingham showed me a picture he had taken of him with his arm around Nigel.’
Visitors who arrive in St Maarten after having been in the UK must show a negative PCR test result for coronavirus taken within the previous 72 hours.
But there is no requirement to quarantine, even though the authorities on St Maarten consider the UK to be a ‘high risk’ country for Covid-19.
Visitors from the UK are instead only required to self-monitor themselves for high temperatures and ‘possible flu like symptoms’ for 14 days while in the territory. Mr Godsall added: ‘It is all very relaxed compared to other islands. There are no direct airline flights from the UK – but you can fly direct by private jet. The airport is full of private jets.’
The Hague – While the progress committee was optimistic about the Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) at the end of 2019, the prospect of improvements is now very low. On the other hand, there seems to be more prospects for the prison system, because money is being made available in the Country Package for the construction of the Point Blanche prison.
This is what the progress committee writes in the 39th report on the implementation of the action plans drawn up in 2010. State Secretary Raymond Knops of Kingdom Relations sent the report to the Lower House yesterday. He had received it himself a month ago. The progress committee has not had a member on behalf of Sint Maarten for some time now, because the government has not yet made a nomination. The work is also hampered by the corona crisis, because a working visit on site was not possible. Instead, phone and video calls were made to gather information. This still shows a not very positive picture. Job books for KPSM and Point Blanche have been missing since 2010. “That means that neither of the two services can permanently place personnel and cannot work according to the set-up described in the development plans.” The government of Sint Maarten has plans for the justice organization, the committee writes. Justice Minister Anna Richardson is aware of the urgency and wants to formalize the job manuals and staffing plans for July 2021. However, the committee notes that the advice on this from the Government Accountants Bureau Foundation (Soab) does not correspond with the adopted action plans.
Regarding the prison system, the committee is pleased with the agreement between the Netherlands and Sint Maarten. This provides for a “substantial contribution” from the Netherlands, not only financially, but also in the cooperation that “should lead to the realization of the Sint Maarten detention plan”. EUR 20 million has been earmarked for new construction and EUR 10 million for other bottlenecks. There will also be personnel support and expertise from the Netherlands. Currently, the staffing at Point Blanche is “extremely meager”. The fact that the problems at the KPSM have not yet been resolved is not up to the force, emphasizes the committee. It is the successive Justice Ministers who have failed. “The staffing of the force is structurally much too low, which leads to the structural overtime of the people who can be deployed. That is a situation that is undesirable. ” It is necessary to expand the force to the agreed minimum strength. Current forecasts indicate a strength by the end of 2022 of 64.2 percent of the required 394 function units (FTE).
Border and Port Security Sint Maarten Airport added Vision-Box biometric ABC e-gate solution in 2017
International
A joint initiative of Princess Juliana International Airport N.V., Immigration and Border Protection Services, the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) and Vision-Box to reinvent and modernize the airport has entered phase two with the launch of Vision-Box biometric Automated Border Control (ABC) eGates. The vb i-match ABC eGates join the already existing vb i-match security checkpoint eGates installed in the first phase of the project and together, streamline the identification processes for departing passengers, when entering airside and clearing immigration. At the eGate, passengers scan their ePassport, where facial biometric information from the e-chip is scanned and matched with a live facial image capture of the passenger. Each passenger transaction is monitored by an immigration officer using vb inspector, a monitoring system that provides immediate information on each passenger’s identity and transaction status, detects identity fraud, leverages biometric and biographic information during real-time checks of intelligence and criminal databases, and instantly alerts border officers in case of an emergency. Jean-François Lennon, VP for Global Business Development & Sales of Vision-Box commented, “The identification of travelers in advance will allow for effective situational awareness, for the detection of potential risk situations and for the activation of preventive measures, as well as offer a range of opportunities to leverage data, in a privacy-responsible matter, towards more secure, agile, and efficient processes.”
BACK STORY: On one of the premier vacation paradise jewels of the Caribbean, Sint Maarten, the joint initiative of Princess Juliana International Airport N.V., Immigration and Border Protection Services, the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM), and Vision-Box has been heavily engaging in transforming the airport into a world-class passenger experience. This commitment to reinvent and modernize Princess Juliana International Airport continues with phase two of the project with the upgrading of the airport’s passenger immigration infrastructure, now employing Vision-Box self-service biometric automated border control eGates intended to modernize the process, improve the security of the identification procedure, and expedite passenger flow at one more stage of the passenger journey across the airport. vb i-match ABC eGates have now integrated the recently announced seamless passenger journey designed by Vision-Box, joining the already existing vb i-match security checkpoint eGates installed in the first phase of the project. Together, these solutions are streamlining identification processes for departing passengers, when entering airside and clearing immigration. Chief of the National Police Force of Sint Maarten Carl John states that, “The main goal is to introduce an integrated passenger experience program that seamlessly streamlines the identification, verification, validation and enrollment processes in such a way that it positively enhances passenger flow, while maintaining the highest level of security for travelers.” The enthusiastic arrival of biometric ABC eGate technology at SXM Airport means that, after successfully entering airside using vb i-match security checkpoint eGates, passengers crossing the border will be able to complete the entire immigration process in just a few seconds using a customer-centric self-service touchpoint – vb i-match ABC.
Once at the eGate, the passenger will first scan their ePassport, where facial biometric information from the echip is scanned and matched with a live facial image capture of the passenger.
Once at the eGate, the passenger will first scan their ePassport, where facial biometric information from the echip is scanned and matched with a live facial image capture of the passenger. Once all identification and safety checks have been successfully conducted, the passenger is allowed to clear immigration. At the forefront of modernizing the immigration clearance procedure is cutting-edge fraud detection and self-clearing biometric identification capabilities, using an advanced eGate security algorithm authenticating the passenger’s ePassport and identity through multiple fraud and security operations, which take just a few seconds. Newly appointed airport ambassadors are there to greet and guide travelers in the use of the eGates, additionally to the support of a passenger-centered, expertly designed User Interface, oriented towards the success of the operation! Additionally, every passenger transaction is closely monitored by an immigration officer using vb inspector, a monitoring system giving the officers immediate information on each passenger’s identity and transaction status, detecting identity fraud, leveraging biometric and biographic information during real-time checks of intelligence and criminal databases, and instantly alerting border officers in case of an emergency. Planned for later in 2017 as part of phase three is the addition of vb orchestra, a robust and unifying management suite that will give SXM Airport, Immigration and Border Protection Services, and the KPSM a complete overview and control of the entire passenger flow infrastructure and security network. Orchestra will give airport and security management officials an effective tool for the proactive monitoring and risk-based assessment of passengers. This software engine gives officials the ability to enhance operational security, while optimizing the passenger experience through flow metric reporting and business rules configuration. The full realization of SXM Airport, Immigration and Border Protection Services, KPSM, and Vision-Box’s collective vision for a full self-service airport of the future will come to fruition with the installation of Vision-Box’s Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) platform, thus delivering to all stakeholders the full benefits of an Entry/Exit system further boosting the internal security of the airport. The API/PNR is also slated to go fully live at the end of 2017. Jean-François Lennon, Vice-President for Global Business Development & Sales of Vision-Box highlights that “It has been an amazing journey. With the latest generation of passenger identification technology in place, Princess Juliana International Airport will soon be ready to benefit from a game-changing asset made possible by a robust orchestration platform and an API/PNR framework: the power of anticipation. The identification of travelers in advance will allow for effective situational awareness, for the detection of potential risk situations and for the activation of preventive measures, as well as offer a range of opportunities to leverage data, in a privacy-responsible matter, towards more secure, agile, and efficient processes.”On one of the premier vacation paradise jewels of the Caribbean, Sint Maarten, the joint initiative of Princess Juliana International Airport N.V., Immigration and Border Protection Services, the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM), and Vision-Box has been heavily engaging in transforming the airport into a world-class passenger experience.
This commitment to reinvent and modernize Princess Juliana International Airport continues with phase two of the project with the upgrading of the airport’s passenger immigration infrastructure, now employing Vision-Box self-service biometric automated border control eGates intended to modernize the process, improve the security of the identification procedure, and expedite passenger flow at one more stage of the passenger journey across the airport.
vb i-match ABC eGates have now integrated the recently announced seamless passenger journey designed by Vision-Box, joining the already existing vb i-match security checkpoint eGates installed in the first phase of the project. Together, these solutions are streamlining identification processes for departing passengers, when entering airside and clearing immigration.
Chief of the National Police Force of Sint Maarten Carl John states that, “The main goal is to introduce an integrated passenger experience program that seamlessly streamlines the identification, verification, validation and enrollment processes in such a way that it positively enhances passenger flow, while maintaining the highest level of security for travelers.”
The enthusiastic arrival of biometric ABC eGate technology at SXM Airport means that, after successfully entering airside using vb i-match security checkpoint eGates, passengers crossing the border will be able to complete the entire immigration process in just a few seconds using a customer-centric self-service touchpoint – vb i-match ABC.
Once at the eGate, the passenger will first scan their ePassport, where facial biometric information from the echip is scanned and matched with a live facial image capture of the passenger.
Once at the eGate, the passenger will first scan their ePassport, where facial biometric information from the echip is scanned and matched with a live facial image capture of the passenger. Once all identification and safety checks have been successfully conducted, the passenger is allowed to clear immigration. At the forefront of modernizing the immigration clearance procedure is cutting-edge fraud detection and self-clearing biometric identification capabilities, using an advanced eGate security algorithm authenticating the passenger’s ePassport and identity through multiple fraud and security operations, which take just a few seconds.
Newly appointed airport ambassadors are there to greet and guide travelers in the use of the eGates, additionally to the support of a passenger-centered, expertly designed User Interface, oriented towards the success of the operation! Additionally, every passenger transaction is closely monitored by an immigration officer using vb inspector, a monitoring system giving the officers immediate information on each passenger’s identity and transaction status, detecting identity fraud, leveraging biometric and biographic information during real-time checks of intelligence and criminal databases, and instantly alerting border officers in case of an emergency.
Planned for later in 2017 as part of phase three is the addition of vb orchestra, a robust and unifying management suite that will give SXM Airport, Immigration and Border Protection Services, and the KPSM a complete overview and control of the entire passenger flow infrastructure and security network. Orchestra will give airport and security management officials an effective tool for the proactive monitoring and risk-based assessment of passengers. This software engine gives officials the ability to enhance operational security, while optimizing the passenger experience through flow metric reporting and business rules configuration. The full realization of SXM Airport, Immigration and Border Protection Services, KPSM, and Vision-Box’s collective vision for a full self-service airport of the future will come to fruition with the installation of Vision-Box’s Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) platform, thus delivering to all stakeholders the full benefits of an Entry/Exit system further boosting the internal security of the airport. The API/PNR is also slated to go fully live at the end of 2017.
Jean-François Lennon, Vice-President for Global Business Development & Sales of Vision-Box highlights that “It has been an amazing journey. With the latest generation of passenger identification technology in place, Princess Juliana International Airport will soon be ready to benefit from a game-changing asset made possible by a robust orchestration platform and an API/PNR framework: the power of anticipation. The identification of travelers in advance will allow for effective situational awareness, for the detection of potential risk situations and for the activation of preventive measures, as well as offer a range of opportunities to leverage data, in a privacy-responsible matter, towards more secure, agile, and efficient processes.”
The Police of Sint Maarten (KPSM) has been continuously working towards putting a halt to the increase in car thefts taking place on both sides of the island. We continue in 2021 the fight against this type of crime.
Over the last few months, law enforcement from both sides of the island, have intensifying controls on all vehicles. Since 2020 KPSM put together a dedicated team, consisting of several specialized officers, to carry out specific tasks in connection with the car theft investigations. The team located and retrieved vehicles suspected of being stolen and also arrested the suspects involved.
During the course of these investigations started in 2020, various vehicles were confiscated. Most of the confiscated vehicles were returned to the rightful owners. Upon further examination of a few of the confiscated vehicles, it became impossible to determine the original or legal owners of the vehicles. The culprits had manipulated the VIN numbers or engine numbers in such a way that it was impossible to determine ownership.
Through this press release, the Sint Maarten Police Force would like to request those persons, who may own any of these vehicles, to visit the station in Philipsburg. The rightful owners, with the legal documents, can collect their vehicles until the end of May 2021.
It’s imperative that members of the public avoid buying motor vehicles that can be potentially stolen. Some buyers of these vehicles have no idea that these vehicles were stolen until it is too late. At which point they will be at a double disadvantage because the vehicle will be confiscated, they will be arrested, as well as their monies will be lost.
The Sint Maarten Police Force will continue to work tirelessly to prevent vehicle theft but only with the help of the community, can we stop the circulation of stolen vehicles.
Please find attached a series of photographs of several confiscated vehicles whose owners cannot be identified.
