TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Prefet condemns blockage

But doesn't do anything about it, even though it's "illegal".

I just returned from a trip to take some first-time visitors to Grand Case via Philipsburg and the windward side. We got a roadblock by hoodied kids on mopeds at the Dutch-French border; they first wanted money from us and I told them "no", then they wanted money for "food and drink" and I asked they "why" and after they told me "because of COVID and such" I told them "no" and they refused to let us through. I headed back and took the road along Oyster Pond (which I didn't know was still destroyed from Irma) but after rejoining the main road we passed some partial roadblocks in the Orleans Quarter there was a major one close to the butterfly farm which had burning tires and debris block the road. We returned the way we came and ended up at Pineapple Pete's and even there the effects were felt as they didn't have my selected meal because the daily delivery came from the French side and was blocked.

Who knows what they are ostensibly protesting against, the persons on the streets are just hooligans looking to make some money with those using "R"ental cars.

Zanshin--not a good visual for those first time visitors...

Right, they were shocked (and a bit afraid). I had my rental car deposit to worry about, otherwise I might have reacted differently; and in the end the road was blocked further downstream anyway so it wouldn't have brought me any advantage. But what kind of an idiot threatens you with violence and then blocks your car by putting himself on a moped in your intended driving direction? Certainly not anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of physics and tactics. And using "because of COVID" as a conversation gambit as to why I should give him my money wouldn't have gotten him far in his debating class, either

Somehow I don't believe the thugs attempting extortion see the inside of classroom, much less that of a debate class! lol

Thankfully on Wednesday we had the most delightful day on Orient before all of this crap started.

I'm off to Grand Case again tomorrow, but this time I'll go via Marigot and doubt that there will any blockage. The news show pictures of people playing dominos in the middle of the road - that is the type of protest I'd accept (but grumble at) and is more likely to be an expression of legitimate grievance than kids using palettes and extorting money. I am sure they'd get a serious spanking if any of their parents found out

A list of the reasons for these blockages has been placed at the entrance of the bridge of Sandy Ground where the traffic remains closed
no to the sanitary pass
no to mandatory vaccination
no to the pprn
no to the seizure of our land
no to the increase of local taxes
purchase of our land at 1 Euro
priority to local recruitment
no more pressure on our young students for compulsory vaccination

We are staying at La Playa and went to Philipburg yesterday to pick up a gift for my granddaughter, so we went through the barricades twice.

Some data:

- The barricaders were universally young, probably in their twenties.
- They were not well organized.
- The first barricade we ran into near Club Orient they were perfectly happy to let you through if you paid them. I paid them $5
- one well dressed young man on a motorbike offered to take us on a path to avoid the other blockades on the way to Philibsburg, which he did and I gave him another $10
- On the way back from Philibsburg I managed to avoid the French Quarter barricades with the help of my GPS
- We got through the barricades near club Orient again for $5
- Again the barricaders were all younger, but this time mostly on motorbikes and all seemed to be drinking beer

I talked to Zellman at Chez Leandra today and he got stuck in it yesterday with his young son. He talked to them about what they were protesting about and the ones he talked to had no answer other than “you should know”

So, not at all like other barricades I’ve seen.

Twenty somethings on motor bikes, drinking beer and taking money to let you through is not the norm.

In any case we are all set and can just rest on Orient for the rest of our trip

Ted

"I am sure they'd get a serious spanking if any of their parents found out"
I doubt that. A lot comes from bad parenting to start with.

Paying them just makes them keep doing it and doesn't do any good for the situation.

You are exactly right. If they are making money on this and the government does nothing,they will keep on blocking the road.

So color me simple here BUT.....why can't the Gendarmes just say "Get the F out of here" and clear the road. Too simple?

That is true with a lot of things.

I hate the idea of paying money but in this case likely saved damage to a rental car.

Sorry I don't think I would pay..

We are not going to pay. The problem is since the cruise shippers can’t get to the French side, the Dutch side beaches will be very crowded because they are dropping all the cruisers there.

Why aren’t the gendarmes called and get the roads cleared instead of just driving around.

Gibbs backs the Prefet.
Herald LINK

Yet they still do nothing.

This is really getting tiring. We spend the vast majority of our time on the French side. In fact, we wouldn't even go if we had to spend our whole vacation on the Dutch side. We have a mini (10 days) visit in January planned, staying in Parc Orientale. Going forward, if things don't change, we will make different plans until (if) they do. We love the island as a whole and have been going since '85. Two years ago we were staying in Orient Village and the roads were blocked going into Grand Case. We had to take a boat from Anse Marcel to get to the airport. Hotels, restaurants and other merchants will lose money. Seriously, the gendarmes could open the roads and stop this.

I drove to Grand Case today on the leeward side via Marigot and there was no issue, and decided to try Sandy Ground as well. Half of the road was blocked by a burned out car right on the far side of the French bridge but everyone was just driving around it, as did I. No issues at all today...

They blocked the road this afternoon at 5.00pm and we all had to turn around and go via Oyster Bay .

Agree. Heard the same scenario from a couple at the greenhouse happy hour Saturday afternoon

Any update on the road blockage?

This all sounds good in theory, and I'm not normally a glass half-empty kind of person, but...We're still planning to stay in Parc Orientale in January, however we'd have to think long and hard about another visit if these roadblocks continue.

I don't really blame you, but once you are within Orient Baie, you would probably be OK. It does give one pause though. Not really looking forward to young thugs on the street, demanding money for passage..