St. Maarten Private Eye

Daphne, you really didn't get it, and you are certainly not a business owner on the french side otherwise you would know what you are talking about... You certainly don't pay a commercial rent, neither pay employees salaries and social security employer charges, etc...You are certainly someone very well secure with a paid salary in Euro, and certainly also ones who will pay in US dollars when going for dinner in Grand Case because they will give a discount if you pay cash... The cost of food is minimal in a restaurant expenses ! the poster above discribed it perfectly. The majority of the incomes of restaurants and businesses in the French side are in US Dollars, not in Euro... As even french resident will pay in US Dollars at places who give a "prefered" rate. So yes, when business owners need to change their US Dollars in Euro to cover their expenses they loose a lot. Neitherless, read TTOL and what the tourist themselves are saying about the gap between the Euro and the US Dollars. They will not come to spend on the French side next time they visit St Martin. So yes, the French side business people have the right to whine. you are mixing up everything and talking about "duty free cars"... what this has to be with the economy going down...Duh !!! I am wondering to know who is just "plain stupid" !.... Why don't you run for Office in the French side and fix the problem then?...you seems to have all the solutions.