Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

This Caribbean Leader's Blunt Coronavirus Message To Her Citizens Has Gone Viral

This Caribbean Leader's Blunt Coronavirus Message To Her Citizens Has Gone Viral

"I feel like all leaders should be talking to their citizens like this."

Silveria Jacobs, the prime minister of Sint Maarten, isn't accepting any of your excuses for leaving your house.

In wake of the threat posed by the global coronavirus pandemic, Jacobs ordered a halt to all nonessential movement in the small Caribbean nation of just 41,000 people.

On April 1, at the end of an hour-long briefing by officials, Jacobs had a simple message for her people about the importance of social distancing.

"We can stop [the spread of the virus]," she said. "Stop moving. Simply stop moving."

"If you do not have the type of bread you like in your house, eat crackers. If you do not have bread, eat cereal, eat oats, sardines," she said.

Jacobs told residents of the small island, which was devastated by Hurricane Irma in 2017, to treat the pandemic like a natural disaster.

"You're supposed to have a two-week supply for hurricanes, and at the beginning of this I said, 'Prepare your disaster kit as if you were for a hurricane.'"

She told people not to buy water or toilet paper but rather one to two weeks of food in the event of a full lockdown, which would mean grocery stores would close.

The prime minister said she doesn't want to order a full lockdown, so she is urging people to practice social distancing and remain home as much as possible.

"If the people of Sint Maarten do not adhere to the measures that the government of Sint Maarten is putting in place for your own safety, then I have no other choice," she said bluntly.

In contrast to briefings by US officials and President Donald Trump, which even some people in conservative media have found to be not useful, many people found Jacobs' straightforward tone quite helpful.



Many of the people sharing Jacobs' video are children of the Caribbean diaspora who could hear echoes of their own mothers and grandmothers in her address.




Others around the world are clamoring for her to-the-point leadership style.





Jacobs acknowledged that a lot of people in Sint Maarten are angry about the severity of the lockdown she's ordered, but she isn't backing down.

"Someone told me, 'You're starting to sound like the Suriname general,'" Jacobs said in reference to Desi Bouterse, the autocratic leader of Suriname who has been connected to the murders of opposition figures. "But it looks as if, at times, that is what is needed: a tough, hard exterior for people to listen."

Jacobs, who just took office in November, added that while many of the measures may feel extreme, there are unique challenges facing countries like hers. Sint Maarten welcomes a steady stream of tourists from around the world, boosting its exposure risk to the virus - but at the same time, the nation can only provide limited health care for its citizens.

"We only have two ICU beds," Jacobs explained. "That means two beds where a patient can be isolated and ventilated."

So let's all work to not disappoint the prime minister - because she's definitely coming for us if we do.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×