MARIGOT/POINTE BLANCHE--Trouble appears to be brewing between the Dutch- and French-side ports over the cargo facilities, causing officials on both sides to fire off e-mails in an attempt to obtain information and clarity.
A Dutch-side port official wants to know how cooperation can continue in light of possible competitive services, while a French-side official questions his government as to what agreement exists with the Dutch side and whether this could hamper future developments of the cargo facilities on the French side.
St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies CEO Mark Mingo and former harbour affairs commissioner Theo Heyliger had met with President of the Collectivité Frans Gumbs and Senator Louis-Constant Fleming more than two months ago to explore ways the two sides could continue to cooperate and not compete in the cargo and yachting sectors as they have been doing in the area of cargo.
Vice President in charge of Economic Affairs and Harbour Daniel Gibbs was not in that meeting and now he is asking what agreement were made and whether those would hamper the French side from further developing its cargo facilities.
The matter came to a head this week, according to information received by The Daily Herald, when Mingo learnt that Gibbs was in Canada speaking to the Port of Montreal about the expansion/takeover of the French side's cargo area, a project that, if it becomes reality, could jeopardise the US $100 million investment and loan the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facilities has for its expansion. The jeopardy would come from the loss of business the Dutch side might suffer if cargo lines, in particular the French line CMA CGM, decided to move to the northern side.
The information about the Canada talks sparked an e-mail from Mingo to the French-side authorities and Dutch-side/French-side Liaison Marcel Gumbs asking what was happening with the cooperation between the two sides, in particular on the basis of non-competition.
Gibbs in turn took Mingo's e-mail as the Dutch side trying to prevent the French side from developing further. However, sources close to the Dutch side port said the two sides were looking into synchronising, in particular, bridge fees and areas where they could be competitive without damaging investments made already.
No written agreement or working agreement exists between the two sides and the meeting two months ago was the beginning of talks on working together. The source said the e-mails regarding the situation had arisen because the Dutch side had not been told that the French side was looking to expand its facilities in a competitive way while it was having exploratory talks on further cooperation.
The two sides have been promoting the island together at the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) annual conference and were slated to do so again in the Dominican Republic in October, but whether this cooperation will continue remains to be seen, as Mingo had indicated in his e-mails that he was not going to pursue working together until he had clarity about the French side's plans. He noted in the e-mails that he had the multimillion-dollar investment of the Dutch side to protect.
The issue now appears to have become heavily political on the French side, with Gibbs questioning in his correspondence how Gumbs and Fleming could have had contact with the Dutch side on matters regarding his portfolios without him present.
Gibbs also took offence that on Mingo's enquiry to the president via Dutch-side/French-side Liaison Gumbs about the state of affairs, the response was that the agreements made with Mingo and Heyliger still stood, because the French side port belonged to the Collectivité and what had been discussed in the meeting with the president and the senator still stood.
The enquiries and e-mails have caused somewhat of a political storm on the French side, with Gibbs demanding answers from his president and senator.
Mingo said this was a matter for the French side to sort out and declined to comment any further.
