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.

Sadly for SXM, it's political leaders suffer from severe short sightedness when it comes to planning for the future, the SXM we have today is the result of policies of the past. I believe for example that the crime and youth problems we have today are connected with not investing enough in our schools, in education, social services and the justice system in the past. Add the lack of any real co-ordination and planning between education and labor depts, and by the failed policies of job creation though condo and hotel developments and it seems logical to me the result would be unemployed, disaffected and disrespectful (of the law and society norms) people out there.

But that's all for other blogs and I have to resist getting sidetracked, this one is about GEBE and the future energy problems/needs they should be preparing and planning for. Are they? I don't think they are and if you out there are fed up with power outages and high prices now then you should be concerned about it, because the future appears to hold more of the same.

Two weeks after Richard Branson and the WSJ raise alarms about pending Peak Oil, GEBE restate their intentions to invest millions of dollars more into another oil generator next year.

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.

.
Bonaire-State of emergency Part 2

For some years now down in Bonaire, Sean Paton has been fighting to stop the Scientology ship Freewinds from dumping it's raw untreated sewage and waste into the bush lands and ditches of the island. We have covered it here several times and tried to bring some exposure to the issue.

The latest videos from Sean show us that the water table of Bonaire now appears to be contaminated and that several wells should, in any self respecting country, be closed to public use. It would seem though that the Government of Bonaire is not self respecting, it has seemingly done NOTHING to stop this dumping by Freewinds. It's is interesting though that now they have taken to doing the dumping at night.

Please watch the two videos above and please leave a message on You Tube in support of Sean.

If you ask me, setting up GEBE as a joint company with both Saba and Statia was a mistake, for them. Both Islands have a very good chance to become self sufficient in energy production and to become exporters to SXM, helping to keep Front Street airconditioned. With their new status they will likely end up getting a good bit of assistance and help in becoming energy dependent from Holland and the EU, in Solar, Wind, Geothermal and perhaps even Wave. If I were them I'd say to hell with SXM, we going on our own. Maybe they will yet.

Am I the only one who finds this ongoing saga of the GEBE Board vs Brooks tiresome? Clearly personal crap and vendettas are in play, perhaps there are even some legitimate complaints about Brook's management, but what a embarrassing and repulsive saga it is. I blame Roy Marlin myself, the man with the reverse 'Midas Touch', where he turns anything he touches or is involved in into crap. After all, wasn't it Roy who appointed Brooks while Chairman, and then appointed Lambert to take his place when he resigned from the board.

I'm not sure, but if I understand correctly the WODC issues updates and new reports on a fair steady basis. I was recently send this link.

WODC - De Nederlandse Cariben

Now, I'm not Dutch and I don't speak Dutch, and although there is an english version of the summary, there is only so much that can be gleaned from it. So, having a little time to spare, I messed around with copying and pasting bits of it into babelfish. I have pasted a few interesting sections below, directly as they came out on BF.

I would be very interested to hear from any Dutch speakers, who have time to read the report, a summary or comments on it. :)

MULLET BAY’S DEBRIS

It would seem as if many people and organizations are making use of the fact that the owner of Sunresorts/Mullet Bay is on the island to say the Mullet Bay buildings should be torn down and while I agree with that in principle, so far I have only seen one proposal as to what should be done with the debris once the buildings have been torn down.

While in a hurricane everything that is now there may not fly about, once demolished it will have become loose debris which will definitely blow about in a storm. So some proper manner needs to be set up for all that debris. I also think that the French side should help in this matter, since many, many people from the French side have earned a living at Mullet Bay, in other words, they hade jobs there when the French could not provide them.

Just came across this while browsing for something else and though it might be a good time to bring it back into the light.

The remarkable thing about accidents is that most of them can usually be avoided, therefore the argument, usually accompanied with a shrug of the shoulders, that 'they happen' is quite often invalid. We all know the indifferent brush off 'S**t Happens', and often it does, sometimes things happen that we have no control about and no way of foreseeing.

However, most accidents can be foreseen and avoided, either by slowing down, thinking and focusing instead of being careless, when it comes to safety on our roads it requires putting in place rules and controls.

Back in September last year I wrote a blog about safety on our roads, far too often and on a regular basis we see, in our papers and for ourselves, dangerous situations and driving. Although I did not see and can find no photos online of the incident yesterday at Cole Bay, reports are that a container truck tipped over on the new roundabout. No reports or mention of any injuries though, thankfully, perhaps next time..... and there will be a next time.

Court Rules In Favor of SMN News ---Erivan Condemned to pay Euros 1,500 and expenses.

For mor Fails, visit Failblog.com.

I am now TRULY convinced that the government of St. Maarten, no matter which party is in power, is the flag bearer as we walk our way further up Ansari's behind. The puppet show that was put on at USM's anniversary was so sickening I am actually left speechless. Our government, led by William Marlin who stood there holding ansari's hand like someone who practices the the oldest profession in the world, HONORED Ansari! Honored him mind you.

Everybody was seeking a photo op with this insulting man instead of saying LOOK! Clean this sh!t up or we will do it for you. Oh no, Marlin and the rest proceeded to kiss his behind in a disgusting display of we love his money more than we love SXM. Anybody suprised that Ansari threw out a figure of $2.4 million for public housing in that insulting offer last week? Anybody doubts that the figure came from the lips of William Marlin (the commissioner in charge of Public Housing)who school children say met with Ansari a few months ago? It's so transparent it's ridiculous.

I won't even make this entry long cause I believe as long as the people keep following Marlin et al up Ansari's behind, then we deserve to come out smelling like s*!t! These people are all cut from the same cloth. Absolutely incredible.

Juliana Jno Baptiste

Mullet Bay has been in the news recently with a petition being organized to demand Government do something about the state of the place. I want to share my thoughts on the matter.

First of all, I quite like the place as it is, reclaimed by nature and peaceful. The argument that the area is crime infested is really quite false, the muggings and robberies that occur there occur EVERYWHERE on the island, and like everywhere it could be resolved with more police patrols and security personnel.

Secondly, we need to be careful what we wish for. Rumors have been around for a while that redevelopment might well include a megayacht marina, (thus destroying the last really healthy and pristine part of the lagoon), a block style hotel right on the beach and a new road bypassing the whole area around from the Airport to Cupecoy. If we have learned anything over the years and are recently reminded by Divi Hotel, these hotels do not want locals on 'their' beaches. When development does happen at Mullet Bay, you can be sure that the public access we now enjoy will be severely curtailed.

Last of all, I don't often agree with Michael Ferrier, but on Mullet Bay the man is spot on target. The only thing I might add to his letter today to Sun Resorts would be to tell Ansary to go screw himself.

Mullet Bay Archives.