Expresses Sadness at the Loss of Life
The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams on Tuesday expressed the wish that the community of St. Maarten will work together and with officials to bring the island back on its feet. The PM’s comments come in the aftermath of Hurricane Gonzalo which caused damage in the various districts on the island, some of it quite serious. “As Minister in charge of Disaster Management I have been receiving constant updates from the ODM before, during and after the passing of Hurricane Gonzalo. Firstly let me express my deepest condolences at the loss of life. This is indeed a tragic event and I would like the family and friends of the deceased to know that my thoughts and indeed the thoughts of St. Maarten are with them in this difficult time,” stated Prime Minister Wescot-Williams.
The Prime Minister, who called into local radio station during the peak of the storm, reassured the community that all will be done to bring the island back on its feet; “We will weather this storm as we have weathered many in the past. St. Maarten and her people are resilient and strong and I am confident that within short and with the cooperation of all: government, private sector and residents, we will bring St. Maarten back on its feet. As we work to restore normalcy back to the island I urge all within the community to cooperate with one another, help your neighbors and friends to ensure that this will be something which we all will overcome in no time. I would like to thank the Office of Disaster Management and EOC members, the public safety and law enforcement authorities, our utility company, the Met Office, the road crews and all of those who worked hard before, during and after the storm in ensuring that we are safe. Much work remains to be done and I would like to stress that we be patient as we work hard to restore normalcy back to the island,” concluded Prime Minister Wescot-Williams.