St. Maarten Private Eye

Tax Talk

In a previous edition of the “Today” newspaper of March 29, 2008, a headline read “Verdonk: The Netherlands also responsible for bankruptcy Antilles”. But it is clear from the date of the Dutch document that follows, that the contents were forwarded to the local politicians and even some politicians on federal level. In 1990, the Netherlands amended their tax legislation to bring it more in line with the realities of the time. The present bankruptcy ordinance was written in 1931. The collection laws were written in the 1940’s. In spite of the booming economy, most businesses have their assets registered in offshore companies in other territories. The present collection legislature is not geared toward reality. The local government has not seen it fit for the last 25 years to invest in personnel, training and systems. The Island Council has not seen it fit to rewrite the Collection ordinance of 1970 in spite of the difficulties faced by the Receiver’s Office. The inability to ammend or lack of interest to rewrite the Collection ordinance of 1970, has cost the society immensely. There is no money to pay for infrastructural improvements, the environment is being destroyed, poverty and crime is on the rise. See below:

Business and Labor | Constitutional Change | Dutch Politics | Federal Politics | Island Politics | 11 comments | read more

Is Low Teacher Pay a Myth?: Teen Times Plagarizes?

Recently we were told that the Today Newspaper lauded an article in the Teen Times of February 27, 2008, entitled "Is Low Teacher pay a myth?" in order for it (Today) to continue its mission of demonizing the protest actions of the teachers. However, we have found that the only thing mythical is the scenario created by the TeenTimes writer.

The writer claims that the article arose out of "a simple debate between two of our writers," and that, "one of the conclusions by one of our writers was something many people only whisper: is low teacher pay a myth? In other words, are teachers getting exactly the amount of pay they deserve and are they simply over-dramatizing this 'where is our money' issue?"

The majority of this article is plagarized and taken out of context. If the Today indeed praised this article, then Shame on the Today newspaper for supporting the Myth of Plagarism!

One can also access the real article online here.

Or read the highlighted plagarized parts for yourself below.
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Education and Youth | Media | 13 comments | read more

Maria-NOT JUST ANOTHER POLITICIAN

The Democratic Party Government appointed Claudius Buncamper and Rafael Boasman to the board of St. Maarten Telecommunications Holding Company (TELEM). Claudius is the husband of Telecommunications Commissioner Maria Buncamper. He is already on the board of the Harbour and the head of maintenance at the Public Works Department. Boastman was the elections campaign manager for Maria Buncamper and he is the head of the Island labour department. The Leader of Government Sarah Wescot Williams says it is not unethical and not in breach of any regulation. When Claudius Buncamper was appointed on the board of the Harbour, Sarah said that his wife Maria was not a Comissioner at the time, but an island council lady-so she is not in the executive council. Well, now she is in the executive council. Is this not nepotism? DP says it is not. Well what really is Nepotism? People Speak. Click To Read highlighted News below:

Buncamper and Boasman on Telem Board
Board appointments draws Sharp Criticisms
Sarah says No Conflict Of Interest
Good Governance
Duncan says It is Nepotism
Gracita says it is Bad Judgment
Marlin tells Maria How Things Go
Moiky Slams Maria
Governor and Good Governance
Juliana Baptiste says I Believe in Nepotism
Duncan responds to Juliana Baptiste

Nepotism dates back to 1670 and it is the showing of favoritism toward relatives (favoritism as in appointment to a job based on kinship), based upon that relationship, rather than on an objective evaluation of ability or suitability. For instance, offering employment to a relative, despite the fact that there are others who are better qualified and willing to perform the job, would be considered nepotism. The word nepotism is from the Latin word 'nepos', meaning "nephew" or "grandchild".

Pronunciation: ne-pə-ti-zəm
Function: noun
Etymology: French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nepote nephew, from Latin nepot-, nepos grandson, nephew, relative
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Island Politics | Media | 11 comments | read more

Julien F or Julian A: Will the real PETTY please stand up?

Most recently Julian Pettty created quite a commotion on PE when he made the following statements:

“You can sit in you little cyber world with your little fake names and rub each other's ego's all you want, but until you get your message out in the mainstream with REAL PEOPLE attached to the complaints, you'll forever be having this lil members only party. This site is NOT mainstream. If you do a survey among the people that MATTER, you know, the "small man", nobody has even heard about or read this site.” – Julian A. Petty

“You bash politicians from behind a screen name the use the excuse "its your right". I beg to differ. People who hide behind a screen name are afraid that the hypocrisy of their lifestyles might render them silent if they want to give an opinon about anything. You preach about openess and transparency then hide behind a name. Hypocrites. After a while the only thing that comes from talking is SOUND! And I do believe that people are going tone deaf to this doom preaching from a bunch of ghosts.”
- Julian A. Petty

If that wasn't enough, he had the audacity to ask us to look him up. Julian, you asked us to look you up- Guess what, I did! You are most likely the indecent bus driver advancing your PAY AS YOU ENTER RULE

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Media | Roads and Traffic | 10 comments | read more

See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil- Ignorance is Bliss?

Who gives a damn what we say? Are they listening to us? Do they really care?
Who will they blame next when SXM becomes a country?

It was a pitiful sight to see how our Commissioners behaved before the Dutch? Like the picture above, Roy had his hand over his mouth, Louie had the SXM flag over his eyes and Theo became deaf after he fell in a pothole. The others suffered immediate amnesia.

The headlines below confirm that we are doomed under the Democratic Party.
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Business and Labor | Climate Change | Development and Construction | Environment | Health | Justice Police Crime | Tourism | 26 comments | read more

Senior Citizens Rot For Free!

The only persons who will benefit from the government’s ill-conceived Bus Fare Hike are the ones who own the bus licenses, bus permits and the buses----- and they are certainly not the bus drivers.

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Roads and Traffic | 3 comments | read more

Government raids itself?

Look what government has come to. It is raiding its own self. Just when the Government Building is almost completed and all the illegals have worked their guts out for the government, they have decided to ship them home.
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Immigration | 2 comments | read more