PSA: L'État d'Urgence à Saint-Barth

cassidain

Senior Insider
Just the messenger here, so don't shoot me, but it's official. The state of emergency declared by M. Hollande on the 14th for 12 days is now extended to Saint-Barth for the next week or so.

12235097_1104772126214204_1816984503749321907_n.jpg
 
Still a wonderful world. I figured with the 3 improperly documented people being held on SXM, a formal notice would come to the islands. People, the world as we knew it is a changin'! This reinforces the feelings and habits of vigilance that began in NYC in 2001.

Every day is a gift, that is why it is called the present.
 
Near as I can tell, there will be enhanced security at the airport and ferry terminal, a beefed up security presence, perhaps increased road stops, and limitations on weapons and ammunition. They are also asking civilians to be more diligent. Cas, please jump in with anything I missed or got wrong, and a translation if possible. We are here now and are obviously very interested.

I found this on the Google. Don't know if the same applies here, but my guess is that it does.

[h=2]French President François Hollande was quick to declare a state of emergency in the wake of Friday’s bloody terror attacks in Paris. But what does the "etat d'urgence" mean for the country and its citizens as they go about their daily lives?[/h]The state of emergency measures are set out in a 1955 law and are designed to be used in “cases of imminent danger resulting from serious breaches of public order, or in case of events threatening, by their nature and gravity, public disaster”.
The measures give a number of exceptional powers to the authorities, including the right to set curfews, limit the movement of people and forbid mass gatherings, establish secure zones where people can be monitored and close public spaces such as theatres, bars, museums and other meeting places.
The state of emergency also gives more powers to the security services and police, such as the right to conduct house searches at any time without judicial oversight, enforce house arrest and confiscate certain classes of weapons, even if people hold them legally.
Parliament can extend measures
A state of emergency can be put in place by the French president for a maximum of 12 days, after which he must get parliamentary approval for an extension. Hollande would therefore need to get parliament's backing by November 25 if he wants to extend the measures he put in place on Friday.
The last time France declared a state of emergency was during the 2005 riots in the Paris suburbs. Back in 2005, parliament approved a three-month extension to the measures introduced by then president Jacques Chirac.
A state of emergency has only been declared one other time since the end of France's 1962 war in Algeria. That was in December 1984 amid violence in New Caledonia, a French archipelago in the Pacific Ocean east of Australia.
Date created : 2015-11-15




Phil
 
I have a friend who owns a travel agency ( yes they actually still, exist ) and he tells me cancellations for European trips over the holidays are happening at a robust rate in his office......a very good friend of mine arrived in London yesterday to attend some big tennis match and he doesn't even want to be there but couldn't get out of it without taking a big hit to his wallet.....international .tourism is going to take quite a hit if the global community doesnt get a handle on this stuff....not that fear rules my life, but I'm kind of glad our spring vacation is a domestic one this year....
 
We also have a trip planned for France next spring, and just the other day our travel agent asked if we still planned to go. My answer was yes, but please find out what the various cancellation policies are. As we all know, this is a big part of ISIS strategy. It generates fear, and fear translates to trip cancellations or trips not planned, and eventually to serious economic problems. The world has to finally wake up and take serious action.

Phil
 
We are coming in Monday -- wife, two little kids, and me. Not too concerned about ISIS showing up at St. Barth.
 
We also have a trip planned for France next spring, and just the other day our travel agent asked if we still planned to go. My answer was yes, but please find out what the various cancellation policies are. As we all know, this is a big part of ISIS strategy. It generates fear, and fear translates to trip cancellations
Phil

if they were just blowing smoke and spewing rhetoric I would totally agree with that...but in the course of 2 weeks they ve taken down a commercial jet ( which Russia is finally admitting ) and created chaos and carnage in Paris..and no one had Intel on any of this to thwart it....and on top of everything else, they apparently have encripted communications down pat as well.....so they are clearly, at least for now, walking the walk..... A former player and very good friend of mine is the Dean of Students at the American School of Paris and lives a few blocks from where all this stuff happened, and he told me the other night the tense feeling and bad vibe in Paris right now is as bad as he s seen it..and he s been there 15 years
 
MARIGOT--French Minister of Overseas Territories George Pau-Langevin announced Tuesday the state of emergency declared by President François Hollande on November 14 regarding the terror threat affecting principally mainland France, has been extended to Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion Island, and St. Martin and St. Barths.
A release sent out by the Ministry said the decision is justified by the necessity to reinforce security in all territories during the state of emergency that will be extended to three months instead of the original 12 days.
The emergency measure will give civil authorities extra powers (Préfets and Interior Minister) to guarantee public security. The measures give law enforcement power to: randomly stop the circulation of persons and install zones of protection and security; to detain suspicious persons and their possessions; to ban meetings or demonstrations; to order searches in houses day or night; to give a compulsory order of residence to any persons whose behaviour or activity is deemed dangerous for security and public order; and lastly to order the submission of weapons and ammunition.
With regard to the geographical specifics of Collectivités located in the Pacific and the Collectivité of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, the state of vigilance code named “Vigipirate” will be reinforced.
Elsewhere, reinforcement of resources destined for Police, Gendarmerie, Customs and the Justice System is applicable equally to all overseas territories
 
If you are coming into SXM or SBH I would expect long lines at Immigration. Maybe even coming back to the US.
 
We'll be coming through SXM on Saturday - even with just carry on baggage I'm not going to take any chances and will have Vincent's Premium IV crew meet us. I have a feeling the airport will be a bit chaotic - I'd like to be in and out as quickly as possible. Fingers crossed!

Three more sleeps!

Sheryl
 
Sheryl have a safe trip

15 for ��

If you get a chance, can you let the gang know how your experience goes. It may change how we plan our trip.

Thanks
C
 
Sheryl have a safe trip

15 for ��

If you get a chance, can you let the gang know how your experience goes. It may change how we plan our trip.

Thanks
C

I will absolutely report back! A Saturday in November during a state of emergency will no doubt be a true test of what one can expect.
 
We are glad the island is not just dismissing the problems elsewhere thinking 'it can not happen here.' Makes it a safer place hopefully.
 
Top