Marigot:---Ever since the anonymous letter was sent to the Collectivity of St. Martin threatening the president and senator with death threats. SMN News learnt that the president has decided to have a personal bodyguard who walks around with his bulletproof vest. The bodyguard is no other that Patrick Paynes a member of Territorial Police.
SMN News learnt that President Gumbs is nervous since his life was threatened by authors of the letters. It is also understood that Gumbs is taking the matter seriously while he refused to accept full responsibility for the rising crime rate. So far, the president did not say if the COM is taking any responsibility towards the killing of Bertin-Maurice. Rigobert Bertin Maurice was also a contracted employee of the COM. Relatives of the now dead man had said he had signed a contract with the COM two days prior to his slaying.
On Thursday, security at the Collectivity increased due to a territorial council meeting that was in process. Several employees and council members made sure they left the COM the moment it began to get dark claiming they do not want to be around when there is any type of attack.
The president spoke at length about the threatening letters during the council meeting he also informed the councilors that one of the letters was sent to him and the senator in a pizza box.
The writer of the letter has given the president and senator until today (Monday November 30 2009) to pay the Euros 100, 000.00 to relatives of Rigobert Bertin-Maurice who was killed on September 24 2009 in the vicinity of the COM.
The perpetrator of the letter said the Collectivity is responsible for the death of Bertin Maurice since the killer Jean Marc Sharpless was instructed by a territorial police to park in a parking spot belonging to Bertin-Maurice a resident living opposite the COM.
In an invited comment leader of the opposition party Alain Richardson said death threats should be taken seriously. Richardson said while he does not know what has motivated the person or persons to write such a letter or to become this desperate, threatening the lives of other people is not acceptable.