“St. Maarten will have to accept conditions for financial assistance from the Netherlands”
PHILIPSBURG:--- Patients that are suffering from diabetes and hypertension and are running out of food supply should call 711 to get emergency delivery says Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs in responding to questions posed by SMN News. Dr. Felix Holiday Medical Director of St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) said that treatment for diabetics, hypertension and cancer patients remains on schedule despite the lockdown on St. Maarten to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Holiday said doctors (GPs) and pharmacies are on call to deliver medication for those persons that are most at risk during this pandemic.
Dr. Holiday said that since the outbreak on St. Maarten the SMMC has been in constant contact with the government, he said only patients that are very ill are hospitalized. Holiday said one of the focus is to ensure there are early detection and containment of the spread of COVID-19. Dr. Holiday urged the residents of St. Maarten to continue with proper hygiene and to maintain social distancing in order to flatten the curve on the spread of COVID-19.
Students that remained overseas and need any kind of assistance from the government of St. Maarten should contact their social worker directly, so said Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs said so far she had not heard students are having problems because they have the necessary health insurance where they are attending schools.
Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs called on the residents to use some patience when it comes to food deliveries, she also asked the people to exercise compassion when ordering and to allow those most in need to get their supplies first.
Jacobs also called on community council leaders to combine lists of people that are vulnerable and in need in their communities and to also call 711 to get those persons on the list at CPS. The Prime Minister said community council leaders and members could also volunteer to assist with the delivery of these food boxes.
On the situation with financial assistance from the Netherlands, the Prime Minister said that the Netherlands approved the budget support for 2018/ 2019 to the tune of NAF. 50.2M for St. Maarten. She said that money was transferred to the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten which is now available to the government.
Jacobs said the government used up money from its unforeseen budget for food supply and other medical supplies during this pandemic and to even fix the medical pavilion at the SMMC. She said the government has already surpassed its budget limitations thus hindering the way they had intended to attack the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jacobs said the Netherlands still did not make a decision on the support they will give the island for the fight against the COVID-19. She said the Minister of Finance requested NAF245M to cover the first three months since the outbreak. Jacobs said if the Netherlands placed conditions on the assistance they will provide for St. Maarten then the government will have to accept the conditions as long as it does not place the people on their knees at the end of this crisis.
The Prime Minister said the NAF245M is for the first 3 months in the fight against COVID-19, she is hopeful that by the end of the third month St. Maarten will be able to reopen its borders and to begin allowing visitors back to the island.
Jacobs had lots of praise for the people of St. Maarten whom she said are resilient people that did extremely well post IRMA. Jacobs also advised persons that are home to think of things such as business ideas or plans they could do after this pandemic or even during the lockdown.
Secretary-General of the Ministry of VSA Joy Arnell said ESF 7 has been working diligently to get the needed help to the residents. She asked the residents to allow those most in need to get help especially since the government is not in a position to provide assistance to the entire population. Arnell said the volunteers have been working from very early in the morning to 7 pm in the evening preparing boxes for distribution. She said thus far some 1200 boxes have been distributed and delivery will continue this week. Arnell also urged those that desperately in need to call 711 for assistance, she said this is the most effective way for CPS to identify or consider persons that will obtain assistance.
Arnell also explained that the 711 numbers can also be used when the negotiations with the banks are finalized. She said persons that need to change their checks would be able to call 711 to obtain a waiver to go to the bank.
Valya Pantophlet of the Ministry of TEATT said discussions are underway with the banks, while discussions are also taking place with supermarkets to provide different packages with essential items. Pantophlet said the feedback they are getting from the supermarkets is that people are ordering more luxury items instead of essential items which is what is delaying the delivery process. There are over 30 supermarkets that are onboard providing online shopping, with over 200 drivers doing deliveries.
Eva Lista de Weever head of CPS in her statement said St. Maarten has 52 confirmed cases of COVID 19 with 9 deaths.
As for the testing in hotspots, de Weever said that was placed on hold last week due to the lack of testing kits, however, it is expected those kits will arrive on St. Maarten this week and the testing will begin. She said last week the kits could not reach St. Maarten due to the lack of flights.
