St. Maarten Private Eye

your friend from Africa thought that his African country men were cleaner than SXM? I ask you where this friend of yours lives in Africa. maybe the rich part of South Africa? This Daphe is starting to be a turn off.
While SXM indeed has a developing world infrastructure and at times would seem very third world, the island is a developing island with first world Airport and Harbour. That my friend Daphne you cannot find in a third world country.
I do think it is time that governments of both sides start paying attention to the infrastructure which includes basic environmental laws, legislation, policies and enforcement, you will have a hard time even convincing the Dutch that this island is Third World. The entire Dutch delegation will be here next week, I am sure when they see the SUV's driving on the road even if that road has running sewage, the Dutch will see this island as a developing world island with a neglected infrastructure.
As for this entire debate about Americans needing a return ticket, since when is this a debate? this has been like this for as long as I know and like a previous writer wrote, they are now playing stupid.
Daphne said something about Americans don't need us, but we need the Americans, news for you Daphne..... we don't need more people on SXM! we are full! the island is densly populated. This entire issue is out of proportion because Notaries and Real estate agents keep telling these expats wonderful stories and not the truth.
The island is suffering from environmental challenges exactly because the population has grown with villas, condos, shacks and shack villages. keep in mind that the high end home buyers who are expats are not paying any property taxes because we dont have any such tax on the Dutch side and the lower end shack renters are not paying tax either as their income is mostly in cash, they are domestic workers, handy men, lowly paid security guards etc, so we are left with the middle class to pay profit tax, TOT tax, wage tax for everyone.
And then you wonder why we have such a lousy infrastructure and environmental challenges? I do hope that you contribute your part Daphne on the Dutch side. Paying taxes, making sure your house or boat is doing the environmental friendly good things.