While stay-over tourism in St. Maarten, with the exception of timeshare, has found it tough to rebound from 9-11 until now, cruise tourism has continued to show strong growth here, much to the delight of downtown businesses, tour bus companies and land as well as water taxis. That is not as obvious as it may seem, mind you, and certainly not the case in all parts of the Caribbean. Both Curacao and Aruba report a slowdown, while St. Thomas has lost a number of cruise lines due to crime and the harassment of passengers.
Up to now St. Maarten, with its new harbour, has done exceptionally well in this department. The inaugural call of the Carnival Legend is just another chapter in that success story, while the optimism expressed by merchants concerning prospects for the upcoming season is encouraging.
What is not encouraging at all is the scene that apparently unfolded at Captain Hodge Wharf as passengers got off the tenders. A recent survey already showed that the majority consider harassment one of the most negative aspects of their St. Maarten experience. Yet the situation seems to be getting worse before it gets better. Some people and those who employ them apparently do not see or want to see what long-term harm their actions can cause the island and consequently themselves.
It is obvious that something needs to be done, to prevent what happened in St. Thomas from happening here. The stationing of Voluntary Corps members to assist the police in Philipsburg in general and at the wharf in particular does not seem a luxury at this point. If government cannot afford to foot the bill, perhaps a way can be worked out for other entities involved and directly benefitting from cruise tourism, such as the harbour, tendering services and downtown merchants, to invest in better security for their principal clients.
Otherwise, the shortsightedness of some could in the end prove detrimental to us all.
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