GREAT BAY— A high level delegation of French St. Maarten joined their counterparts on the Dutch side of St. Maarten on Wednesday, April 29, for discussions on the Franco-Dutch treaty.

Members of the French commission attending the meeting included Prefect Dominique Lacroix, who led the French delegation.

St. Maarten’s governor Franklyn Richards led a Dutch-Antillean Steering Committee Franco Dutch Treaty attending the meeting, held in the Claude Wathey Legislative Hall.

As this was the first meeting of the steering committee in its official composition, a working group was officially installed as an initial step for the implementation and the carrying out of the treaty.

The treaty makes it possible to organize joint controls for passengers arriving at St. Maarten’s airports.

The treaty has as goal to facilitate cooperation between the French and the Netherlands Antilles authorities in preventing illegal immigration to the island.

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