Madame Anne Laubies, Préfète of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin, visited Anguilla on Monday 12 December to meet with the Governor, Ms Christina Scott. Senior teams from Anguilla and St Martin, including Police, Customs, Immigration and Fisheries, joined discussions on issues of mutual interest and to foster closer working relationships between the two islands.
The Chief Minister and some of his Ministerial team also joined part of the meeting to discuss how processes and licensing can be facilitated to enable Anguillian fishermen to sell their catch in Saint-Martin. Discussions on these technical issues are set to continue between the French and the Anguilla Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources in the coming days and weeks. The aims to agree a clear process that can be disseminated to both sides to ensure the important and sustainable fishing trade between the two islands continues.
The meeting was also an opportunity for an exchange of information on policing activities, including plans to improve sharing of ballistic forensic information and ensure closer cooperation in the waters between Anguilla and St Martin. Marine safety was also a key concern for the St Martin team, particularly ferry boats operating in French waters late at night. The meeting also discussed the increase in illegal movements of both people and cargo between the two islands and neighbouring St Barts, and the steps needed jointly to address this.
The meeting was also an opportunity for an exchange of information on policing activities, including plans to improve sharing of ballistic forensic information and ensure closer cooperation in the waters between Anguilla and St Martin. Marine safety was also a key concern for the St Martin team, particularly ferry boats operating in French waters late at night. The meeting also discussed the increase in illegal movements of both people and cargo between the two islands and neighbouring St Barts, and the steps needed jointly to address thiThe meeting was also an opportunity for an exchange of information on policing activities, including plans to improve the sharing of ballistic forensic information and ensure closer cooperation in the maritime waters between Anguilla and Saint-Martin. Marine safety was a key concern for the Saint-Martin team, in particular ferry boats operating in French waters late at night when emergency services would take longer to respond to any incidents. The meeting also considered the increase in illegal movements of both people and cargo between the two islands and neighbouring Saint-Barthélemy, and the steps needed jointly to address this.
Cooperation and exchanges between the two sets of officials will continue in the coming months to take forward work across all these important areas. The next bilateral meeting is set to take place in April or May 2017 in Saint-Martin.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
