St. Maarten Private Eye

Well, it was breaking news a few years ago that the dump would be full by 2007, but of course the main man Roy did sweet FA except leave Theo with a mess. Tthe environmental groups have been talking about the need for processing and recycling for years now too, a simple crusher for glass would have been a very easy step to make, we could have buried most of it under the Westin and lined all the trenches for utilities as they now do on the French side.

The environment is becoming very important in EU policies and assistance, perhaps Theo should be looking there for help and solutions. If Theo is really serious then there is really no better man for the job than Paul Mooij, he can help write the new environmental laws SXM so desperately needs and he is highly knoweldgable about waste solutions.

I have my doubts about how a fee can be collected fairly, you would need an army of collectors to collect it. It might be a better idea to employ inspectors instead, to make garbage seperation a responsibility of residents and to issue fines to those who don't do it. It would take a few years to really kick in and lay down the infrastructure, but sorting garbage is a habit that people will grow into if there are consequences, just like wearing seatbelts. Perhaps the govt also has to consider an environmental duty on all imports, related to the waste those imports produce, now that we have Marcel Gumbs as coordinator with the FS maybe we can start to see some REAL cooperation in the future? St. Maarten also has an opportunity with the New Status to reform and restructure it's tax system, disributing it more fairly and closing the many many loopholes.

Just some quick thoughts...

Theo - Dumpsite full, collection must include processing - 30th July 2007

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