St. Maarten Private Eye

You misses a couple articles just before Christmas where Roy Marlin claims the government is working on the issue and that the Emilio Wilson Estate Committee they were putting together will go ahead with just two members.

EWEC to go ahead with two members - 23rd December 2005

Opposition seek answers on EWE from Exco - 21st December 2005

As usual this government treats NGO's as if they are an enemy, rather than partners, as most advanced and democratic governments do. It's doesn't help of course that pretty much anyone can go and start an NGO (Foundation), but there are many very worthy and socially beneficial NGO's out there that have a great deal of proffessional knowledge and experience that government could draw upon. Mostly the work these groups do freely by volunteers, another plus financially.

But they refuse to see it, they treat them all along the same lines. Fear of consequences when it comes to criticisng government is one weapon they use to keep NGO's from being too vocal. It always has to be political to them, the Dolphinarium, Dawn Beach, Cupecoy Sea Wall and EWE.

Poor ol' Roy must be suffering a little from paranoia, jumping at shadows. He thinks "permits are frivolous details" and sees individuals with hidden agendas" behind every corner. It's a smoke screen of course, deflecting from the issue of him failing totally with his Environment portfolio, he may as well not have it. Can anyone actually tell me if he has ever done anything in that position other than a few photo ops like this one.

The Today reports that the EWE Foundation set up to preserve the estate and government are expected to be working closely together. It makes complete sense right? These people have been working on ideas and investigating funding resources for the past 3 months whilst the government sat on it's ass and has now ended up with a court case being bought against it. The group have stated their goals very clearly and they are almost identical with those of the island council motion.

But no, we can't have that can we. It might make Jadira and those "bad environmental types" look good, people might start to respect and listen to what they have to say. Most of the current talk seems to be about how money from the Harbor Buy Back scheme would go towards the purchase of the estate. I would like to remind you all of this small article from the end of November. SXM needs to get some loans and Theo is going to be looking "everywhere" to get them, by the 15th January.

Does anyone really understand what this deal is all about and what is going on? Please tell.

In the meantime, what I'd like to see is a reporter with the balls to ask Theo or Richards if they met with the representatives of EWE BV whilst in Holland arranging the buy back. And if they did, what was discussed.

Fat chance huh?

Thought so.