Yes, SXM PE is finally back! Actually it's been back online for about 2 weeks, but I was away last week and have had no time to write a thing. Now I have a little, so it's time to see if we can breathe some life back into SXM's longest running and sometimes (hee hee) 'controversial' blog site.

Can it be done? I think so. While Facebook has a place and role to play in bringing people together to communicate and discuss issues of our island life, it does have it's limitations that SXM PE does not. For one thing you reach a much larger audience, for some reason, despite the inaction, SXM PE is still getting 500+ visitors a day and often comes up quite high in lists in google searches about the island.

But I will say again as I have said many times before, the success of this forum and blogging site depends a great deal on the support of those who value and read it. There are two ways you can give that support, one is to make a donation via the Pay Pal button, we are in urgent need of funds as we have to change our hosts and have some upgrading and improvements done.

The second, but I think perhaps an even more important and valuable contribution you can make, is your participation in sharing your opinions, ideas and comments. It's you that make this site a daily visit for many many people.

Regards and best wishes to all! - Flipper

Has anyone had a chance to read the latest POINT COM, the Collectivity's propaganda glossy put out monthly on both sides of the island. Well in the latest No. July 2010 is an article which on the surface may look a piece promoting assistance projects for the community. But once you understand what this piece is really talking about, then it becomes clear it is a sick joke and we are the brunt of that joke, the hard working Saint Martiner. I am sure the UP-UMP majority leaders were cackling their heads off when they read it to each other as they rolled on the floor with laughter at how they had tricked the Saint Martiner yet again.

Here it is...

So who are these lucky owners? None other than our esteemed Senator LOUIS-CONSTANT FLEMING and his sister ANNE BROOKS-FLEMING. and the article shows off the picture of their recently renovated buildings stretching along Rue de la Republique in Marigot (former site of Manek's and the old Chopard Jewllers building before it was demolished to make way for Anne's latest investment in Saint Martin's ailing economy).

This article appeared on the page reserved fro the OPPOSITION. On the surface the last paragraph is an attack on all the funding cuts to the 2010 Budget, but they did not use opportunity to spill the real story on Louis and friends. It is lamentable there have been so many budget cuts to worthy causes, so that these "lucky owners" can benefit once again. I wonder if Alain Richardson read or even understood the irony of this article.

One can just imagine the laughter emanating from behind the closed doors of power by these anonymous "lucky owners", as they read the article.

I have restrained myself from writing over the years because I have not seen any real efforts to eradicate our worst enemy, nepotism and personal aggrandizement at the expense of all hard working citizens. Nor have I seen any of these dirty politicians get their wings clipped. Even talking to news gatherers on both sides of the island, reveals a sad resignation to keeping the status quo and that it is a lost cause that will only get you in problems. Well I think it is time stand up against these audacious and blatant abuses of power.

And where the article states "it is difficult to identify the general interest", I guess they got that part right, they mean to say, It all depends on who you are !.

To all my readers, click this http://blog.atlantisring.com
and find dozens of letters of the last decennial.
Timeless, I should edit, copy paste them to the papers again.

The detention of Sir Bobby Valasquez in connection with apparent molestation of a teenager is generating a whole ton of comments on our two main local news sites, SMNN and SXM IT that are well worth a browse through. Bobby, and the reported victim, have both been convicted, judged and sentenced and of course there is speculations galore, but between it all there bits and pieces of information that makes me uneasy about it all.

With the growth of St Maarten’s economy, constantly rising quantities of waste are continuing to be produced. Tonnes of bio-waste arise in food and garden waste and the food and drink industry. The first priority, of course, must be to prevent / reduce waste. This can go hand in hand with major environmental and economic benefits.
The enormous quantity of waste produced every day on this island cannot simply be squandered. Bio-waste plays an important part in combating climate change and offers valuable potential in terms of protecting the soil and promoting the production of renewable energies, and is therefore a significant factor in the recovery of this volume of waste. This means that sustainable development can be promoted through the efficient management of resources.

When I started SXM PE back in April 2005 it wasn't just about having a place to vent and blog my opinions, there were other reasons, one of which was to spur and encourage discussion, debate and the sharing of ideas within the SXM Community and hopefully bringing together people who shared cares and concerns. Another was to create a library of sorts, a library that has been used by students, lawyers, journalists, 'pinheads' and the general public at large. Over 2.2 million pages have been viewed since I started this site.

When I started, there was very little SXM news online, the DH had a site, but it was dated and quite often stories had to be scanned to be posted on here. The Today, even today, has no website presence to speak of.

The DH recently rebuilt it's website, perhaps because they got a little tired of it being criticized, especially here on PE, and all in all they did a good job. However one small problem. The thousands of links listed here in the pages of PE and elsewhere on the internet to news on their old site no longer work. I don't know if they are still available online, perhaps they are, but really, the loss is heartbreaking.

It's not the loss to SXM PE that hurts most, the DH did demand once that we stop posting links to their website and I refused, telling them that posting limited partial content and links was not only legal but also normal for the internet, in fact it was good for them because it helped drive up their visitor and page view numbers. The real loss is to the community and general public of the island. The news we scanned is still there, but links to DH stories over the past years are now useless.

Sorry folks, I guess the DH just doesn't think archives and history are as important as we do.

Flipper

It's been a while since I felt like blogging, Flipper's email asking me to write something for the site a couple days ago was on my mind but honestly, I'm just too fed up with it all. But then, today reading the Daily Herald's (nice new site by the way DH!) story about Frans and George saying they don't think SXM should have separation of Church and State I no longer had any choice.

I've covered religion and SXM's religious nuts a few times over the years, one my first blogs here was titled Gay Gay Gay Gay Gay, I was sick and tired of reading religious clap trap and homophobic hate speech in our papers, and about 3 weeks later the two CBS gay guys got whacked over the head with a tire iron in Maho. Links to some of my other blogs can be found on one I wrote last year titled 'State and Church Separation?'

Before I get stuck in to this lovely meaty morsel laid before me, let me just state as I have done in the past that it is not my intention to offend those with religious beliefs. However, I reserve the right to have and hold to my own non religious beliefs and that means it's probably impossible not to offend those with them when speaking my mind. You have been warned.

A Dutch uncle is somebody who wags their finger and tells people what they should do. A Dutch Party is a party where the host is drunk before the guests arrive. Observers of the 2010 Heineken Regatta have formulated a new expression: a Dutch Race. A Dutch Race is one in which handicaps are so lop-sided that anybody in a bathtub and a mouthful of rum can win this world reputed event.

For example, the international crew members on board the German sailing vessel Nel Maria were not too pleased with the intrinsic absurdity of the handicap system. Having passed the finishing line in first place first on three occasions and scored high in league position during the other races, their disappointment at not winning the sailing trophy was reasonable to say the least.

First try, share your thoughts on it. :) - Hady

Is King TO constipated? It's a possibility considering his latest comment about the roads and potholes. As Commissioner for public works and many 'friends' in the road construction business you would think he would know a little bit about them.
Heyliger questions why PJIA can’t give back to community.

Let me explain for you TO. When a pothole begins it lets loose a whole bunch of stones and gravel that create more potholes. In addition the edges weaken and the pothole gets bigger, collecting rainwater which causes more weakness and expansion. When you leave potholes for month and months as has been done at this particular section of road then the results are what we all see today.

Instead of blaming PJIA's extension, which by the way has nothing to do with the state of the road, a road that has ALWAYS had pothole problems, try doing your job and making sure Public Works does theirs. By TO's logic, maybe we should be asking the car importers and rental companies to fix the roads too.

Oh, and when oh when is the media of this island going to put this man on the spot and press him for answers on what he's doing about the SOAB report and VROM?? It is his portfolio afterall isn't it?

Oh lawdy, here I am getting controversial again, SXM PE is never going to get any advertisers at this rate, lol.

Marty’s Giro in Simpson Bay is a great place to eat on the island. But this Thursday evening, the Rainbow Warriors (read local gay society) that congregate there for a discrete tête-à- tête got more than they could chew. Some local rich female (with a bad hairstyle and an inebriated proboscis) who unwisely bought land in Statia declared her distaste for the practice of zoning on the Historical Gem.

Unfortunate for her was the presence of a local historian who reaffirmed the importance of conserving the Island’s historical heritage and avoiding the catastrophic over development that has defaced the identity and thus image of St. Maarten.

“You are just a gay asshole,” she voiced with self proclaimed authority.

Needless to say, the camp followers were perturbed about the remark and became feint as robins. They referred to Marty, the owner for some kind of immediate resolution. None was forthcoming.

Nostradamus was also perturbed. Rich people have a habit of being oblivious to feelings and the eminent sear identifies with emotional damage especially when its source originates from the intellect of an ant. His mind recalls that wonderful retort of Winston Churchill when confronted by Lady Astor and her accusation that he was drunk. “Yes, madam, I am drunk. But in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.”

Attorney General Wants Appeal Court to Uphold Verdict---- Laviest Broke Down in Court ---- Says his Mistakes was Not of Mal-Intent---To know Fate on February 11th.

And he burst into tears as he accepted the award.....

The SOAB Report, in Dutch. Click open this post to find the PDF.

From a couple years back, still relevant though :)

A political system must be under-pinned by a valid legal system. Over the next two weeks, Nostradamus predicts that details will be revealed about two of the most prominent legal minds on the island who have used their position to massage the rule of law to falsify documents and acquire land and title.

Court rules against EWE Developer

EWE - Today O & C

Emilio Wilson Estate & Park Thread and Archives

And so the story goes....Di da di di da di di da di

After years of warnings about the consequences of dumping raw sewage and waste into the ditches and bush lands of Bonaire and the recent exposure by Sean Paton that these warnings have proved to have been on target, the government of Bonaire has decided to let Scientology's ship Freewinds continue the practice.

Yes, that is correct, Freewinds have the permission of the Bonaire Island Government to dump waste and contaminate the water table of Bonaire with bacteria and toxins, damage that will affect the environment and future generations of the island for decades to come. How did they get this permission?

Is it just that the Bonaire Island Government are ignorant incompetent morons, or is it because Scientology, known for circumventing and breaking the law, sometimes in extreme ways, have paid them off in some manner? I know what I think is most likely, because it's hard to believe anyone could be so stupid and blind to the consequences of what is being done.

We expect our politicians to speak and think intelligently and preferably to engage both faculties at the same time. Joke or ‘catch’ of the week is William Marlin, leader of the National Absent Party.

To illustrate exactly how absent his mind was, he told a high ranking group of cruise line executives that he “looked forward to many more visits from Oasis of the Seas and thanked Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. for “bringing the Titanic of the 21st century to St. Maarten.”

As I drove down the Pondfill Road a couple days ago for the first time in a couple weeks my heart sank looking at the amount of pond being filled for the Ring Road. I started to wonder how many other people who gave no thought to it a couple months ago are now thinking that maybe it's not such a great idea after all?

No doubt when the flooding happens, and I think most of us know it will, then it will be blamed on 'freak weather' or some such stupidness. What is clear this morning in the Daily Herald is that much more of the pond is being filled than is necessary for the road.

The biggest laugh these last days was not the comedy show, but the lauding of TO by the PM and others for his 'vision'. LOL, too darn funny. What won't be funny will be the flooding caused by his filling of the Salt Pond for his stupid road. I'll tell you this though, while I'll feel sad for those who suffer from that flooding, I won't have much sympathy. They had a chance to speak up and the only ones that did were the Foundations, the businesses around the pond were silent. I've come to the conclusion that they probably deserve whatever they get.

Very interesting interview covering a variety of issues and subjects about SXM and it's past. Don't forget to rate the You Tube videos 5 stars :)

Part 2 and Part 3

I imagine some civil servants and politicians likely consider the SOAB report to be a 'son of a bitch' report, and I suspect that there are plenty of back room negotiations and scheming going on about how to limit it's impact and fallout. Thankfully SMNN is not letting the matter disappear and their latest report gives some signs of hope for those of us out here who want to see the government demonstrate some real signs of accountability, integrity and a 'New Beginning' as 'Will I Am' promised.

According to SMNN, Franklin Richards has reserved the right to send the report to the prosecutors office, and has informed the Exco that if they don't deal with it, then someone else will. The Daily Herald today also has a detailed Front Page story, and an Editorial, on the issue, reporting that the prosecutor has already been given a copy.

This is a test for SXM and those who proclaim to want to 'Lead' it into Country Status, a chance for them to show some real integrity and wisdom. You don't really need the score of the National Geographic to confirm that SXM is overdeveloped and a mess, just your eyes.

For over 4 years now I and others here have been writing about building 'irregularities', about Dawn Beach, Cupecoy, Indigo Bay, Barbaron and many more, how permits were bent or ignored. That VROM and ROB are understaffed, underfunded, poorly managed and riddled with questionable and possibly corrupt and illegal activities is nothing new for us. The garbage piles on the sides of the roads wasn't the only mess Theo took over from Roy back after the last IC elections.

My opinion? Well, I believe that Roy was a major 'player' while he was in charge of VROM, I believe he actually liked it as it was and his fingerprints are on more than a few 'irregularities'. Theo is now in charge of VROM, but Theo is playing the fence sitter, threatening to form a new party (when Theo when?) while being buddy buddy with both the NA and DP. He will shack up with whomever offers him what he wants, there's a name for such people but I can't think of it right now.

The DP is largely silent on the issue, Roy is after all their Treasurer I believe, and most of the last decade was under his watch. Can Roy claim ignorance about what has been going on? What would that say about his abilities to be a Commissioner, or MP for that matter? Any digging into any wrong doings at VROM and ROB are going to come back on him, no doubt his skills to slither out of responsibility will be tested.

SMMN also reports that Will I Am has told Theo to deal with it and that he doesn't mind being in opposition, he just may well have to take that road. The heads of those departments need to be suspended immediately and the whole structure of VROM, ROB and Public Works needs to be rebuilt, from scratch. Not only that, but government policies and programs need to be rethought, it's time the so called Road Map got chucked in the bin and a fresh new look taken at where the island is headed.

This issue will demonstrate just what is important to our 'leaders', the establishment of laws, rules and regulations for the benefit of the community, people and future of SXM, or the same ol' story into the future.

LH

The island’s promotional activities have taken a turn for the worst. Frans Richardson who does not have a clue about the travel business other than how air miles work, is having a public tiff with Interreps. Media watchers will remember that this company was hired by Roy the Boy Marlin to "PR" things in The Benelux. However, the company’s feeble efforts have not impressed Richardson. Furthermore, Lydia Haveman, the company’s owner is so desperate that she is talking openly to the local press about her desire to continue writing invoices and lunching on the taxpayers behalf.

Talking openly to the press about her disappointment? Wait a moment! I thought she should be talking to the press about the island’s USP’s. Point is she knows she is on to a lost cause. If she had developed an editorial program that generated enough column inches to justify her fees, she would not be facing the wrath of Roy’s namesake who probably has another relative in mind to do exactly the same as Interreps. Nothing, that is.