PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA), the largest business representative on the island, together with the St. Maarten Police Force, would like to thank Mr. Walker on behalf of the business community, and the people of St. Maarten for his assistance and heroism in stopping one of the jewellery store robbers on July 11th, when Dazzling Gems was attacked by three armed men who committed a "Smash and Grab" robbery.
Mr. Walker along with his wife and son were shopping on Front Street, two stores down, when they heard a loud noise of glass breaking. Being an ex-British Armed Forces Officer, he went outside to have a look and spotted a man running out of a store, concluding immediately from the person's attire and the bag he held, that he was a robber. Running after the robber, he grabbed him by the waist to prevent him from getting away into a vehicle. Moments later, Mr. Walker was struck on his head by the weapon from a second assailant and both robbers managed to get into a waiting car. As the car started to drive away, Mr. Walker was forced to let go.
Mr. Walker and his family first came to St. Maarten in 2002 through an exchange from the RCI timeshare exchange company and immediately became owners at one of St. Maarten's renowned properties, this was their sixth visit. "We just love the island, the people are very friendly, it is not too commercial, a good value for your money, and there is a great variety of excellent restaurants and with my son being a master diver, we just keep coming back" said Mr. Walker.
This little incident will not be deterring them from returning over and over, the only thing that could, he said, are the high airfares. With only Air France and KLM flying here from Europe, prices are becoming extremely high. He hopes that other carriers like British Airways will start flying this route soon and that as a result of competition, prices become more reasonable.
As a thank you, La Vista Resort has offered the Walker family a complimentary one week stay at their resort and Dazzling Gems offered them a $200 gift certificate. In addition, Aquamania has offered Mr. Walker's son a double tank dive to the wreck and reef sites around St. Maarten.
The St. Maarten Police Force would like to encourage anyone who witnesses a crime, to in their own way, assist by being attentive, observant, and provide valuable information. The SHTA is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair marketplace. For more information please contact our offices at 542-0108 or visit our website at www.shta.com.