POND ISLAND–The St. Maarten Police Force KPSM on Wednesday issued a firm warning against persons being involved in arson at the dump on Pond Island, indicating that this is a criminal offence.
The warning comes because the police have received three reports of persons shooting flares at the dump. A similar warning was also issued by Justice Minister Cornelius de Weever during the weekly Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday.
Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Ricardo Henson said in a statement that the Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure VROMI reported that it had received three separate complaints regarding three separate incidents of unknown persons shooting flares in the direction of the dump site.
The flares came from the direction of Arch Road in Sucker Garden and, according to Henson, they are “intended to ignite the garbage at the dump site and cause a large fire.” These incidents occurred on Saturday, July 20; Tuesday, July 30; and Wednesday, July 31.
“KPSM is sending a warning to the community that shooting flares at the dump site with the intention to ignite the dump site and cause a fire is a criminal act called arson. Arson can cause destruction, severe damage to one’s property, one’s health and it can even lead to death. This type of behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Anyone caught committing this act will be arrested and punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Henson warned.
De Weever said during the press briefing that this action is punishable by law. “We do not need any landfill fires,” he said. He called on the public to assist by reporting these acts to ensure that the police are informed “and hopefully we can capture the culprits of such acts.”
Bron: Daily Herald