Are you at sea and visiting St Maarten on New Years Day?

From the local newspaper.

PHILIPSBURG--Businesses in Philipsburg are allowed open on New Year’s Day, Sunday, January 1, 2017. An exemption for businesses in this area only was signed off by Acting Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Prime Minister William Marlin.

The exemption was given to cater to cruise passengers who will be in port aboard three scheduled cruise ships on Sunday. Businesses can keep their doors open until 6:30pm.

The exemption is an amendment to the business closure notice published by Government on December 15 that stated all businesses must be closed on January 1, 2017.

gary

Our ship on New Year's Day was dead quiet until at least noon on NY day a few years back now. I hope they open stores at noon or one because I don't think it's worth ruining their employees NYE having them get up and open the store's in the morning.

On both the NY's cruises that we have done we specifically chose cruises with NY's as a sea day so we wouldn't feel like we were missing something if we slept in.

According to the rules, it is supposed to be entirely voluntary and workers to receive premium pay.

I think the real story here is a softening of the (in the past) very strict rules about shops being open on Holidays, whether Public or Official, by the rules.

At least funeral parlors have always been exempted.

gary