MARIGOT:--- Members of the Soualiga United Movement (SUM) are busy finalizing their plans for the protest action they will commence after September 15th against the border controls that are manned by the Police Aux Frontiers (PAF) and the Gendarmerie.
Members of SUM told SMN News that they intend to do what is necessary to remove the border controls and reinstate the free movement of people between St. Martin and St. Maarten. The members are calling on the entire population when more details on the action are released. They said they will begin the protest action with a motorcade in order to sensitize everyone on St. Martin and St. Maarten about the actions that will be taken.
The SUM said that they are waiting until September 15th since that is supposed to be the last day for the controls and are hopeful that the Préfet Délégué Madame Sylvie Feucher respects the wishes of the people and have the checkpoints removed. Currently, the Oyster Pond and Low Lands borders are closed while checkpoints are in Bellevue and Belplaine. These border controls are not helping to decrease the spread of COVID-19 in fact it's killing the economy on St. Martin and St. Maarten the SUM members said.
The SUM along with the Chamber of Commerce and several businesspeople including some doctors on St. Martin have expressed their concerns about the border controls which they said are hindering the free movement of people as well as hindering the economy.
