Blogs

Oh Boy! The SXM Political Circus is back in town! So much fun to be had! But before we get started I'd like to make an appeal to all readers of SXM PE, we need your help!.

Three years ago we here at SXM PE put together the St. Maarten 2007 Island Council Election Section. We would like to do this again for the upcoming elections, but time is short. We are going to need your help, this is what we need:

Links to any websites belonging to individual candidates and the parties, photos of candidates or billboards, scanned pamphlets and flyers and anything else related.

Over the coming week we will prepare the 2010 SXM Election Section in the same way we did before, with separate pages for each party and for their candidates. Ideally we would like to do much more, question candidates on their positions on certain issues for example, list their interests, particularly their business interests and be a real watchdog for bulls**t and dumb policies. But until a real sponsor steps forward we will have to live with whatever the current SXM Main Stream Media feeds us.

In the meantime we here will do what we can to give you an information resource that can help you decide who deserves your vote.

Can you help us out? Post links to websites below and email us with photos and other things at sxmpemail at gmail dot com.

Flipper

Yes, SXM PE is finally back! Actually it's been back online for about 2 weeks, but I was away last week and have had no time to write a thing. Now I have a little, so it's time to see if we can breathe some life back into SXM's longest running and sometimes (hee hee) 'controversial' blog site.

Can it be done? I think so. While Facebook has a place and role to play in bringing people together to communicate and discuss issues of our island life, it does have it's limitations that SXM PE does not. For one thing you reach a much larger audience, for some reason, despite the inaction, SXM PE is still getting 500+ visitors a day and often comes up quite high in lists in google searches about the island.

But I will say again as I have said many times before, the success of this forum and blogging site depends a great deal on the support of those who value and read it. There are two ways you can give that support, one is to make a donation via the Pay Pal button, we are in urgent need of funds as we have to change our hosts and have some upgrading and improvements done.

The second, but I think perhaps an even more important and valuable contribution you can make, is your participation in sharing your opinions, ideas and comments. It's you that make this site a daily visit for many many people.

Regards and best wishes to all! - Flipper

Everybody knows about the new political thrill. Right?
And aren’t we all DYING to finally see its’ manifesto?
Unfortunately it is yet to make a grand entrée. The bore of waiting and considering the fact that its’ figurehead has never made the slightest greenwashed impression on me, have induced me to extend a helping hand (shown kindness may be applauded here).

Has anyone had a chance to read the latest POINT COM, the Collectivity's propaganda glossy put out monthly on both sides of the island. Well in the latest No. July 2010 is an article which on the surface may look a piece promoting assistance projects for the community. But once you understand what this piece is really talking about, then it becomes clear it is a sick joke and we are the brunt of that joke, the hard working Saint Martiner. I am sure the UP-UMP majority leaders were cackling their heads off when they read it to each other as they rolled on the floor with laughter at how they had tricked the Saint Martiner yet again.

Here it is...

So who are these lucky owners? None other than our esteemed Senator LOUIS-CONSTANT FLEMING and his sister ANNE BROOKS-FLEMING. and the article shows off the picture of their recently renovated buildings stretching along Rue de la Republique in Marigot (former site of Manek's and the old Chopard Jewllers building before it was demolished to make way for Anne's latest investment in Saint Martin's ailing economy).

This article appeared on the page reserved fro the OPPOSITION. On the surface the last paragraph is an attack on all the funding cuts to the 2010 Budget, but they did not use opportunity to spill the real story on Louis and friends. It is lamentable there have been so many budget cuts to worthy causes, so that these "lucky owners" can benefit once again. I wonder if Alain Richardson read or even understood the irony of this article.

One can just imagine the laughter emanating from behind the closed doors of power by these anonymous "lucky owners", as they read the article.

I have restrained myself from writing over the years because I have not seen any real efforts to eradicate our worst enemy, nepotism and personal aggrandizement at the expense of all hard working citizens. Nor have I seen any of these dirty politicians get their wings clipped. Even talking to news gatherers on both sides of the island, reveals a sad resignation to keeping the status quo and that it is a lost cause that will only get you in problems. Well I think it is time stand up against these audacious and blatant abuses of power.

And where the article states "it is difficult to identify the general interest", I guess they got that part right, they mean to say, It all depends on who you are !.

Hey, I know this is a small story amongst many other bigger ones going on, but I'd like to say something about it because I feel it's just another reflection of how dysfunctional SXM's government departments are.

In June last year the Census office announced that yet again, the one and only machine they have for making ID cards was out of service. In August they told us that the problem was the software and it was being upgraded. In March this year it was finally working again. And now, again, it is not.

Will be another 10 months before it is working again? Does it need replacing completely or perhaps another purchased as a standby? And are those using it actually trained in it's operation and care? Will those with expired cards be given a break from police or immigration, or will they have to spend nights in a police cell while their renewal status is investigated? Will the census office offer letters to those with expired card or those waiting so they can avoid that horrible possibility?

To all my readers, click this http://blog.atlantisring.com
and find dozens of letters of the last decennial.
Timeless, I should edit, copy paste them to the papers again.

Have you ever read something that made you fear your eyes would dangle from their sockets?
Well, here’s one that did the trick for me:

Click

The detention of Sir Bobby Valasquez in connection with apparent molestation of a teenager is generating a whole ton of comments on our two main local news sites, SMNN and SXM IT that are well worth a browse through. Bobby, and the reported victim, have both been convicted, judged and sentenced and of course there is speculations galore, but between it all there bits and pieces of information that makes me uneasy about it all.

Jose Lake Sr was an island Hero, one whom I believe has yet to be honored with a roundabout, not to worry though, Theo's building a few more and hopefully he will get a spot. He was smart, he was progressive and he championed free speech, which I can confirm doesn't earn you many friends amongst 'Pinheads' or others who don't want their doings talked about or criticized. I sure they don't like us adopting Billo's term, lol.

Anyhoo, this blog post is about SXM PE, about freedom of speech and about using it. This site was created with the intention to provide an outlet and forum for people of the island to vent, share opinions and ideas, discuss and debate issues and to share information. (Whistle blowers, our email is sxmpe at gmail :)) It has most certainly not been about making money, it has survived on volunteered time and donations till now, in fact I still owe the guy who rebuilt it last year a few hundred $'s, I think the donation button still works if you are so inclined :)

SXM PE needs people to use it, blogging is open to anyone and I invite again all those progressive, thinking, caring and intelligent people out there on the island to make use of it. FB is all fine and great for sharing stuff with friends, but it does have it's drawbacks and limitations. SXM PE offers a free place about SXM for you to post your thoughts and opinions and create a broader and perhaps even freer discussion. Hey, you can even do so with an alias.

Please watch this video about preaching to the converted, because what you say and think can have an impact and power, a power the intelligent, progressive and caring people of this island need to use. The madness of pond filling, pollution, corruption, crime and destruction of the island and it's community will go on day after day until you do. Who else is there except you? Leopold James and Wild Willy Haize?

A guide on how to post a blog on SXM PE.

With the growth of St Maarten’s economy, constantly rising quantities of waste are continuing to be produced. Tonnes of bio-waste arise in food and garden waste and the food and drink industry. The first priority, of course, must be to prevent / reduce waste. This can go hand in hand with major environmental and economic benefits.
The enormous quantity of waste produced every day on this island cannot simply be squandered. Bio-waste plays an important part in combating climate change and offers valuable potential in terms of protecting the soil and promoting the production of renewable energies, and is therefore a significant factor in the recovery of this volume of waste. This means that sustainable development can be promoted through the efficient management of resources.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbU2ErX9fdc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugl1o5J38FE&feature=related
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Over the past few years I have written more than a few articles on here about Climate Change and Oil, in most of them I have argued that even if you are a skeptic about CC, that there are plenty of other reasons why we, the Human Race, must kick our addiction to it. It will be the death of us if we don't.

BP it seems, unsurprisingly, has been lying about how big the leak is. The true volume of the leak is not 5000 barrels a day, but may be much closer to 70,000 barrels a day, comparable to 1 Exxon Valdez every 4 days. I strongly suggest everyone to read the following links.

Gulf Gusher Worst Case Scenario.

Worst Oil Spill Ever.

When I started SXM PE back in April 2005 it wasn't just about having a place to vent and blog my opinions, there were other reasons, one of which was to spur and encourage discussion, debate and the sharing of ideas within the SXM Community and hopefully bringing together people who shared cares and concerns. Another was to create a library of sorts, a library that has been used by students, lawyers, journalists, 'pinheads' and the general public at large. Over 2.2 million pages have been viewed since I started this site.

When I started, there was very little SXM news online, the DH had a site, but it was dated and quite often stories had to be scanned to be posted on here. The Today, even today, has no website presence to speak of.

The DH recently rebuilt it's website, perhaps because they got a little tired of it being criticized, especially here on PE, and all in all they did a good job. However one small problem. The thousands of links listed here in the pages of PE and elsewhere on the internet to news on their old site no longer work. I don't know if they are still available online, perhaps they are, but really, the loss is heartbreaking.

It's not the loss to SXM PE that hurts most, the DH did demand once that we stop posting links to their website and I refused, telling them that posting limited partial content and links was not only legal but also normal for the internet, in fact it was good for them because it helped drive up their visitor and page view numbers. The real loss is to the community and general public of the island. The news we scanned is still there, but links to DH stories over the past years are now useless.

Sorry folks, I guess the DH just doesn't think archives and history are as important as we do.

Flipper

CLICK HERE!

Shown on Dutch TV this past week. Mostly in Dutch, but not so difficult to understand.

It's been a while since I felt like blogging, Flipper's email asking me to write something for the site a couple days ago was on my mind but honestly, I'm just too fed up with it all. But then, today reading the Daily Herald's (nice new site by the way DH!) story about Frans and George saying they don't think SXM should have separation of Church and State I no longer had any choice.

I've covered religion and SXM's religious nuts a few times over the years, one my first blogs here was titled Gay Gay Gay Gay Gay, I was sick and tired of reading religious clap trap and homophobic hate speech in our papers, and about 3 weeks later the two CBS gay guys got whacked over the head with a tire iron in Maho. Links to some of my other blogs can be found on one I wrote last year titled 'State and Church Separation?'

Before I get stuck in to this lovely meaty morsel laid before me, let me just state as I have done in the past that it is not my intention to offend those with religious beliefs. However, I reserve the right to have and hold to my own non religious beliefs and that means it's probably impossible not to offend those with them when speaking my mind. You have been warned.

Public prosecutors are there to defend victims of crime. So why does Rienk Mud, Public Prosecutor ignore police depositions that involve victims of theft and assault and battery?
Answer: he does not like the police case officer who recorded the depositions.

Result? The victims have to take out civil actions against the perpetrators. That rather defeats the purpose of public prosecution.

He should resign. He should resign especially since those depositions pinpoint the assailants and since one of the perpetrators involves a member of the Wathey family!

Any comments?

A Dutch uncle is somebody who wags their finger and tells people what they should do. A Dutch Party is a party where the host is drunk before the guests arrive. Observers of the 2010 Heineken Regatta have formulated a new expression: a Dutch Race. A Dutch Race is one in which handicaps are so lop-sided that anybody in a bathtub and a mouthful of rum can win this world reputed event.

For example, the international crew members on board the German sailing vessel Nel Maria were not too pleased with the intrinsic absurdity of the handicap system. Having passed the finishing line in first place first on three occasions and scored high in league position during the other races, their disappointment at not winning the sailing trophy was reasonable to say the least.

Sadly for SXM, it's political leaders suffer from severe short sightedness when it comes to planning for the future, the SXM we have today is the result of policies of the past. I believe for example that the crime and youth problems we have today are connected with not investing enough in our schools, in education, social services and the justice system in the past. Add the lack of any real co-ordination and planning between education and labor depts, and by the failed policies of job creation though condo and hotel developments and it seems logical to me the result would be unemployed, disaffected and disrespectful (of the law and society norms) people out there.

But that's all for other blogs and I have to resist getting sidetracked, this one is about GEBE and the future energy problems/needs they should be preparing and planning for. Are they? I don't think they are and if you out there are fed up with power outages and high prices now then you should be concerned about it, because the future appears to hold more of the same.

Two weeks after Richard Branson and the WSJ raise alarms about pending Peak Oil, GEBE restate their intentions to invest millions of dollars more into another oil generator next year.

First try, share your thoughts on it. :) - Hady

Some of the world's most baffling social problems, says Peter Eigen, can be traced to systematic, pervasive government corruption, hand-in-glove with global companies.

Is King TO constipated? It's a possibility considering his latest comment about the roads and potholes. As Commissioner for public works and many 'friends' in the road construction business you would think he would know a little bit about them.
Heyliger questions why PJIA can’t give back to community.

Let me explain for you TO. When a pothole begins it lets loose a whole bunch of stones and gravel that create more potholes. In addition the edges weaken and the pothole gets bigger, collecting rainwater which causes more weakness and expansion. When you leave potholes for month and months as has been done at this particular section of road then the results are what we all see today.

Instead of blaming PJIA's extension, which by the way has nothing to do with the state of the road, a road that has ALWAYS had pothole problems, try doing your job and making sure Public Works does theirs. By TO's logic, maybe we should be asking the car importers and rental companies to fix the roads too.

Oh, and when oh when is the media of this island going to put this man on the spot and press him for answers on what he's doing about the SOAB report and VROM?? It is his portfolio afterall isn't it?

Oh lawdy, here I am getting controversial again, SXM PE is never going to get any advertisers at this rate, lol.

On the French side you see Gendarmes all the time, they patrol Grand Case and Marigot at night on foot. On the Dutch side you rarely see a police car, I think I see them more often when they are escorting some official through our traffic jams.

Compare these two reports.
Bandits Convicted to Jail. - Arrested and convicted within 5 days.

Young men jailed for supermarket robbery. - Time between arrest and conviction, almost 3 months. They got a discount because of police detention.

Food for thought, no?

Marty’s Giro in Simpson Bay is a great place to eat on the island. But this Thursday evening, the Rainbow Warriors (read local gay society) that congregate there for a discrete tête-à- tête got more than they could chew. Some local rich female (with a bad hairstyle and an inebriated proboscis) who unwisely bought land in Statia declared her distaste for the practice of zoning on the Historical Gem.

Unfortunate for her was the presence of a local historian who reaffirmed the importance of conserving the Island’s historical heritage and avoiding the catastrophic over development that has defaced the identity and thus image of St. Maarten.

“You are just a gay asshole,” she voiced with self proclaimed authority.

Needless to say, the camp followers were perturbed about the remark and became feint as robins. They referred to Marty, the owner for some kind of immediate resolution. None was forthcoming.

Nostradamus was also perturbed. Rich people have a habit of being oblivious to feelings and the eminent sear identifies with emotional damage especially when its source originates from the intellect of an ant. His mind recalls that wonderful retort of Winston Churchill when confronted by Lady Astor and her accusation that he was drunk. “Yes, madam, I am drunk. But in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.”

Law is a delicate institution and nowhere else than on St. Maarten can its interpretation be subject to scrutiny and sometimes frivolous scandal. Step forward Mister Richard Gibson who is widely rumored to have boxed off his second wife by building a complete dividing wall that runs through the middle of his luxurious Maho house.

The incidence of physical and thus media exposure of the celebrity variety is an increasing phenomenon on the island. Allegations that Julian Rollocks was parading in his underpants in October last year have been followed up with front page titillation via Mister Gibson’s own newspaper that the DP secretary is “broke” and has “serious issues with spelling and grammar”. For Mister G, as he is affectionately known, the boot is now clearly on the other foot!

Attorney General Wants Appeal Court to Uphold Verdict---- Laviest Broke Down in Court ---- Says his Mistakes was Not of Mal-Intent---To know Fate on February 11th.

And he burst into tears as he accepted the award.....

SOAB is the organization that functions as the internal auditor of the government of the Netherlands Antilles. Fifteen (I always thought 2010 – 1994 = 16…) years in business and claims to ‘know government’; SOAB has conducted research on how permits were and are granted within the sector ROB (ruimtelijke ordening & beheer/area planning and management). They were requested to do so on the third of February 09 by the ExCo. A year later their 32 page report, with an analysis of the administrative organization of ROB and its internal control measures, appeared.

The SOAB Report, in Dutch. Click open this post to find the PDF.