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I'd say: "French side is a bunch of whiners"

The Daily Heralds editorial suggests a more relaxed attitude towards drinking and driving as a way for the French side to regain business. The French Chamber of Commerce President suggests (more) tax breaks for failing businesses. Here's why both ideas are terribly, terribly bad.

Boo hoo. I loved the editorial in today's Daily Herald. It made me laugh. In 428 words, it managed to mention every myth that exists why the French side is doing so miserably. In my opinion, the arguments brought up are so far from the truth you can get. The French have only their selves to blame for the situation.

Myth #1. French business owners are suffering because of the strong euro

Well... lets start with the French restaurant owners. In what currency do you think they buy their products? In dollars, of course. The euro/dollar rate is currently 1/1.42. In other words, buying groceries for the restaurants is getting cheaper by the day. They should be thriving. Do you think this is reflected in the restaurant's pricing? Of course not. They are happy about the currency gain they are doing and they expect 100% of it to land in their pockets. Well, I'm sorry it doesn't work that way. The restaurant owners in Grand Case can sit there with their 20 euro pastas and feel sorry for themselves until they undertand the concept of business and value for money. French stores buy their merchandise from the US or from Dutch side wholesalers. Still, they claim they cannot do 1 to 1 with the Euro. They don't have a problem buying in USD, but when they calculate their own prices it is "impossible" to adjust for the discount they are getting themselves. Again, this is just plain stupid, and if they don't understand better, they should go out of business. Misguided greed is what I would call it.

Myth #2. Fiscal and social charges kills the French entrepreneurs

The reason the prices are so high is that French restaurant and store owners are paying so much taxes. Yeah, right. The other day I ran in to a French woman who just arrived on the island and told me she found a job at a French restaurant. She said getting a job wasn't difficult, but trying to find someone who would pay her a salary "on the books" so she could declare an income was very difficult.

Similiarly, if you try to pay a French restaurant with a French cheque and write the name of the establishment on it, they will not accept it. This has happened to me on numerous occasions. They are not even trying to be discrete about it.

Remember that French St Martin is part of EU but not part of EU tax zone. In order to compete with the Dutch side the French side is also duty free and there is no VAT. Don't forget that the Dutch side has a 3% turnover tax.

French St Martiners have a lot of tax breaks compared to the mainland French, duty free cars just being one of them. Yet they have access to the same generous health care system, free education, housing allowences etc, that all French people have. In fact, the social benefits are so attractive that there are business owners on the Dutch side that set up "fake" companies on the French side only to declare incomes and pay taxes on the French side in order to enjoy French public health insurance and retirement plans.

In Italy the “finance police” will check up on business owners to make sure they give receipts to all customers. How much of the revenue in the French stores do you think is being declared?

The tourist related business sector in French SXM is an all cash economy. The benefits the business owners receive from the society is more generous than what their dutch counterparts receive, but I dare say that the taxes they pay are not going to drive them out of business.

I was in Germany this summer and was chocked by how cheap eating out was. Germany is a country with and generous social welfare, taxes, and the currency is Euros as well. Surprisingly enough, eating at a nice venue on a tourist resort in Germany is a lot cheaper than getting a plate of over cooked pasta at a diner in St Martin, French or Dutch side. Bare in mind that there is a world outside of SXM and neither Dutch or French side restaurants are generally particularly good value for money.

“The solution”

"He [Chamber of Commerce President Raymond Helligar] says the burden of fiscal and social charges is the main problem and perhaps government can do something with his suggestion to create schemes whereby certain charges are waived when a business is doing badly, as apparently is done in Guadeloupe."

Here is a novel idea that hasn’t been tried before (and failed miserably). Take these businesses who are not able to survive on their own because of bad management, bad pricing or because they are selling products the consumers are not asking for, and give them more tax breaks or even subsidies.

"It’s a public secret that one of the factors that make people go to the French side less is the alcohol controls on motorists by Gendarmes.  (...) but considering that there are no real highways on the island, perhaps the way the controls are held and violators are dealt with can make a difference."

Oh, I loved this one. Do we need to remind the French Chamber of Commerce/editors of the Daily Herald (I wasn't really clear who's opinion this was) that the reason drinking and driving is illegal in most countries is that it is dangerous and it actually kills people? Let me suggest something even simpler for the business owners trying to attract business to Grand Case. How about lobbying for a reliable bus line so people can leave their cars at home? The parking situation in Grand Case is already ridiculous. And how about metered cabs, so people feel comfortable about using them and a centralised dispatcher so you know how to call one?

Here are few bonus suggestions…

1. How about keeping the stores open when people can shop?

If the French wants to get serious about the tourist market they need to cut down on their lunch breaks.

Have you actually tried to purchase something on the French side? Some stores and offices close at noon, some at one and some don't reopen until three o'clock in the afternoon. Some stores close already at 5pm. This doesn't give you much of a window to do your shopping. And it is not like in Greece and Spain where they have these annoying siestas but where they, in return, stay open until 10 pm. We always say jokingly that it seems like even the French lunch restaurants are closed for lunch.

American tourists arrive on Saturday. On Sunday Marigot is a closed and depressing ghost town. How about realising that we live in an economy fuelled by tourist and try accommodate the opening hours for the people who spend their euros/dollars?

PS. The photo on this blog entry was actually the main photo on the front page of the Daily Herald on the same day the "drink and drive" remedy was offered. See it for yourself by clicking here.

Tourism | daphne's blog | add new comment

Submitted by daphne on Mon, 2007-10-22 21:09.

Daphne makes the news
Caribdude | Tue, 2007-10-30 12:06

Blogging war - 29th October 2007

Constant Flemming responds....

Constant Flemming on economy - 30th October 2007

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We Gamble We Did Not Vote On July 1st & July 8th, 2007
Anonymous (not verified) | Sat, 2007-10-27 11:32

We gamble rather than vote on french elections and I was told that if french side think the suffering have already started that is just the beginning...It was a moreover crucial elections than the dutchside. It was a serious one and the people gamble. When we look at who is responsible for the Economy and Tourism on french sxm and then looks at the many things that person holds, its a fact that the person cannot handle it...Imagine, Union for Progress vs Rassamblement, Respsonsibilitie, Reussir...Look at the top 5 candidates...and tell me if Marthe could of link up to Aline Hanson, could a Daniel Gibbs like up to Guilliame Arnell, could a Claire Javious link up to Noreen Brooks, could Pierre Aliotti link up to Louis Mussington now I know I forget the Leaders of the both slates...but based on past debates or meetings do you think Mr. Fleming could link up to Mr. Richardson.......But I guess money bought the french side and the suffering have only just begin

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French SXM Economy can be a reality
opinionated cath | Fri, 2007-10-26 16:55

Hi Everyone.
That was some quite interesting reading for me. Overall you are basically all right about nearly everything.

Culturally the French is never satisfied even when you lick their butts. That’s beside the point. The French Republic imposes the same kind of management as they do in France. Symptomatically just like in France, the system doesn’t work.

For the Record I’m from French SXM

1) MANAGEMENT PROBLEM:
You are right to point out that the French buys their food etc… on the Dutch Side and yet can’t make it appear on their Menus. I’m sticking to Restaurant because it’s one of the main apparent sufferers. But I could mention, French supermarkets, Stores etc… You don’t need a PHD to see it’s a total vicious circle. The French government asks a certain amount of taxes, as indicated above. But it’s normally always the result of a percentage of your turnover. The problem is they send them all at once with approximately the same deadline to pay. So it bowls down to say that Entrepreneurs have to learn how to manage their shit properly. Then again when they do, they are confronted to extra payments to “expert comptable” etc… In the fear of fines and so forth the restaurants and others complain instead of finding a method that works for their activity and turnover regularities. If those restaurants were to convert their USD at the right rate and then declare the turnover to the government I doubt they would pay a price that is not proportional. So basically it’s called for BETTER MANAGEMENT.

2) VAT/TVA:
For SXM we have no VAT (Taxe sur la Valeur Ajoutée), that’s a fact. But yet, when the products get down here they are so expensive comparing to France for instance. All the imported products especially from Europe have a 40 to 100 % increase comparing to the original price. You may think this is a joke but no, in Match for instance, a box of 6 ACTIMEL (Milk drink of less than 0.50 ml) cost 8.90 Euros but in France the same thing cost 2.70 EUROS The worst part of the story is that the TVA still doesn’t apply to the products that come here, because it’s a tax free zone unlike France. That principle is applied for nearly everything. When I was young I use to say the French Nationality is an expensive brand for the St Martin peeps. And I’m only 28! So GET THIS the peep who have been in the game for far too long are now getting the DRILL/ Come on now!!!!!!!!!!!

3) WORK ISSUE:
Those same restaurants that are complaining have their part of so much injustice going on here. Little story: Every day Air France, Corsair, Air Caraibes etc… bring down the typical visitor that never came here before but yet, coming to meet Harry/Peter or Paul in order to get the Waiter, Sommelier, hotel manager etc position. Yet we have on both sides of the island students from the catering field that come out and remain out off work. They treat us unfairly and we just sit and take it (Whoever said that slavery was over). Because I guess we all have a certain comfort zone. So restaurants if u reduce your prices realistically, according to the market I don’t think the French Government will over charge you, because your taxes will reflect your CA (Turnover). But admit that greed is also a big problem. No matter how they try to justify their PRICES the point is the DOLLAR is so imposing on the Island and those restaurateurs are too busy looking out for their own best interest.

4) COST OF LIVING:
The big hypocrisy on this island consists of saying it’s okay to have the Dutch people exploited by their system which impose salaries in NAF. Having your own money is noble but it’s unfair to know that an employee will get 1200 NAF instead of 1200 $ (worth of the actual job they are doing). Keeping the NAF entails that USD will always rule the Island. Upgrading to Euros like in Holland will mean the peep will identify the actual salary injustice. NOW THAT’S SCARY! Black peep gone MAD on SM will be the CNN TITTLE.

5) THE “35H LE MODELE FRANCAIS” :
35H where do I begin? Well first we have to give it to the FRENCH, the 35h is quite a revolution. Basically the French basic working hours is 35H per week. It means that people work 7h per day. The businesses in SXM have to close in order to avoid recruitment and of course the government knows it very well. In the respect of always making more money without spending or giving back to the community, the poor people go to work twice a day 9:00AM-12:00PM and 3:00PM-7:00 PM. The 35H were initially created by the JOSPIN Government to create jobs and help people get more time to spend with their families. AND what are we experiencing? The French is attached to their 35h as long as they can work CONTINUOUSLY. But the French employers in SXM only make it work for their own benefits. As a result, we have less job opportunities, a lot of unemployment etc… AGAIN the ones suffering is definitely not the Grand Case restaurant owners. LOL

I will end this by saying. We reap what we sow. So my dear Frenchies… peace out and remember. “On ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l’argent du beurre” (you can’t have your cake and eat it at the same time).

COMPLAINING IS GREAT PROPOSITIONS ARE EVEN BETTER.
1) MANAGEMENT PROBLEM: Get the right training or make it work
2) TVA: if importing foods and goods is too expensive, then let’s get into making our own (pick the things we can make ourselves)
3) WORK ISSUE: Use labor in SXM unless it for an intellectual purpose that our people can’t handle
4) COST OF LIVING: Increase Salaries to adapt to the sxm lifestyle because overall, giving us the worth of our labor won’t really reduce the business turnovers
5) 35H: USE IT FOR ITS INITIAL PURPOSE … Help create jobs, reduce unemployment, making work a positive experience bla bla bla

Highly Opinionated Cathy

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Why aren't island catering students hired?
daphne | Fri, 2007-10-26 23:29

Cathy,

thanks for your input. You wrote:

Yet we have on both sides of the island students from the catering field that come out and remain out off work. They treat us unfairly and we just sit and take it (Whoever said that slavery was over).

I am sorry to hear this.Could you elaborate further? Why aren't island catering students being hired, in your opinion?

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Modern Slavery
opinionated cath | Mon, 2007-10-29 10:33

Hey Daphné,

Whoever said that Slavery was over!

Our students are not being hired because Restaurant owners are too busy looking for people coming from CANNES, NICE, BORDEAUX etc… that goes along with their Wine list. I guess they like the American client to always be in tune with the FRENCHNESS.

Go to grand Case and you will see yearly how many students are on training courses in those same restaurants. When STAGE is over, the kids go back to those same restaurants and still don’t get hired. Now Locals get hired but proportionally to the amount of students getting out of school it’s not enough, yet Restaurants are in every corner. I’m mainly talking about the French Side.

The whole myth about our people not wanting to get out of bed etc, have to stop. People are interested in living their passions or dreams but the real problem is: what do they have to show for it? How can you expect to pay someone at the minimum wage when your pasta cost 20 Euros a plate? Especially in that domain, where the hours are long, I don’t want anyone to insult me by offering the SMIC. Do you know how much it cost to go away for school? School may be free but getting an apartment, paying the bus/train, buying the books and food, is where the Shit hit the Fan! And trust me the SMIC can’t do all of that!

I’m sorry but for me it’s Modern Slavery. Organized exploitation. De l’exploitation Organisée.

The concept of the American dream is so unattainable to us in the majority of cases.

Highly Opinionated Cathy

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Le SMIC - do you really think it is an insult?
daphne | Mon, 2007-10-29 14:16

Hi Cathy,

I know that some people find it difficult to live on Le SMIC * (plus tip if you work in the resto business) but you can rest assured that it is exactly the same pay working in the hotel & tourist industry whether you are from the island or you come from mainland France.

In fact people in France doing the same jobs do not get paid a centime more than minimum wage for waitressing, cleaning hotel rooms, working in a hotel reception, hostess etc etc). This has absolutely nothing to do with the islands or slavery.

In many cases, in France, you are lucky to even get minimum wage since there are enough people willing to do many of the more popular jobs as more or less symbolically paid "stagières"!

The minimum wage on the Dutch side is approx 600 USD a month. Le SMIC (the French minimum salary is currently 1254 euros per month). I am not certain, but I think that if you "only" make minimum wage you don't pay any income taxes, so the amount should be net.

With the weak dollar rate this is currently 1780 USD. Not bad for a minimum (net?) wage if you ask me...

Moreover, if you are, for example, a single mother making SMIC you are eligible for rent controlled housing, housing allowances, extra support for your children. All in all, it is not a bad life, for someone living on "minimum wage".

Comparison of minimum wages in EU countries

PS. Have a look at Bulgaria. Minumum wage is 92 euros which is an equivalent of only 216 euros in purchasing power! Yikes! Talk about slavery...

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Hey Daphné,I think you are
opinionated cath | Tue, 2007-10-30 11:01

Hey Daphné,

I think you are missing my point. Therefore allow me to clarify a little more.

What I’m saying is, you have billion dollar projects on this island on both sides. Yet the same people are always making more money of the simple exploitation hence “SMICARD” of course people are going to do it because they need to survive (if you are working to survive there is a problem). Like I said the idea of the American dream is unattainable. Because at the SMIC Daphné, you don’t need me to tell you that you can’t get a loan for anything or move on with your life.

Now you are talking about the fact that our social service provide for those people. Do I have to remind you that you always have to front your money then get refunded? So you do know that a play school cost between 300 & 450 Euros per month, unlike Dutch Side where they start from 170 to 250 USD (Rough Estimate).
Oh and Daphné, your 1254 Euros is a gross amount so your net is 985 Euros (environ). So let’s see 985 – 300 = 685 than you pay your rent all in euros let’s say your rent is 300 (realistically that rent does not even exist for a studio, but we’ll use the figure considering that APL covers the rest according to you) 685-300 = 385. Oh you still have your phone/light/ water/ gas/ mutual/ etc oops oh what the hell FOOD and PS don’t get sick and don’t go out ever. So you mean to tell me that you missed the latest big debate of our great republic.

Le Seuil de pauvreté n’a jamais été aussi bas en France! Les Francais n’ont jamais été aussi pauvre COME ON DAPHNE Be realistic. Why would SXM be an exception?

When we point out modern slavery in France because the Chinese are keeping their friend in a little apartment making “Bouchée aux Crevettes” for the reward of a meal HELLO !!!!. How is that different? We go to work and spend our time spending our marvelous 985 Euros and can’t even save 200 Euros per month because we are too busy surviving (getting food on the table for our family).
Sorry to burst your bubble dear but that’s a form of slavery. We may have stopped getting our ass cut but we are financially not independent. And that REAL LIFE!
“ Moreover, if you are, for example, a single mother making SMIC you are eligible for rent controlled housing, housing allowances, extra support for your children. All in all, it is not a bad life, for someone living on "minimum wage".

It’s not a bad life …. HUH!!!!!!!! Why should we settle for I don’t have a bad life? Aren’t we also allowed to dream and believe that achievements are possible? Are you saying that you are wrong for wanting to be ambitious and set long time goals?

Now it’s funny how you went in Bulgaria to compare! If our “Pouvoir d’Achat” does not help us through this life, then what’s the point of living it DAPHNE. You tell me!

Il faut arrêter quand même. The Average working class has to be able to work, not be worried about how to pay their unexpected expenses. WE SXM People don’t have that luxury yet. HENCE Slavery!

For the record:
Larousse de poche 1994 says and I quote:
1) Esclave adj. et nom. Qui est sous la dépendance totale d’un maitre. Qui vit dans la dépendance d’un autre, qui n’a pas un instant de liberté. Qui subit la domination d’un sentiment, d’un principe : être esclave de l’argent, de ses passions.
2) Esclavagisme Nom Masculin, Système social fondé sur l’esclavagisme
3)
Webster’s New New World Thesaurus 1990
1) Slavery n., Subjugation, restrain, involuntary servitude, Menial labor see work
Of course when u go to work you find slavery again along with exertion, struggle, stress, strive, and more of course.

Now I know you feel like the Word is a bit extreme but hey that’s life. AS you can see according to the context it can be called for. CLEARLY HERE!

Highly Opinionated Cathy

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Could generate more crimes
opinionated cath | Tue, 2007-10-30 11:05

I forgot to point out:

Thank God the Dutch exploits the people with the NAF. Basically they have 1254 NAF and we Have 1254 EUROS... GET THE difference.

Trust me, it's only because we can freely go across the border to shop that we are surviving. Without that border there would be more crime, more steeling, more Extorsion de fonds etc…

Highly Opinionated Cathy

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Hiring locals including catering staff
Anonymous (not verified) | Sat, 2007-10-27 19:09

Funny how people on islands feel so persecuted.

Of course locals are hired. In fact they are often given huge advantages in so far as there is not permitting required.

IF they are not hired , well obvious to most people why. In a competitive market place employees have to work hard be respectful to their employers. Turn up to work on time, not miss days as they see fit. I assure you if a local employee meets these minimum standards they will be hired in a heart beat over any foreign employee

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Great story
O Psilos | Tue, 2007-10-23 11:30

That's a great story., I loved it.
Daphne will you please contact me, either via email (todayreporter at hotmail dot com) or via my cell? (586 91 15).

Tx.
O Psilos

(I changed your email address with words because there are spam search bots that scan sites for email addresses. - Flipper)

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You really didn't get it, did you?
beachgoer | Tue, 2007-10-23 10:45

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.

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Re: You really didn't get it, did you?
daphne | Tue, 2007-10-23 11:46

Just for the record. I am a French resident and a French self employed (small) business owner. 50% of my clients are USD based and, yes, this hurts a little bit with the dollar/euro rate. I haven't had a "secure steady salary" in well over 10 years... :)

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So if you are managing and
beachgoer | Tue, 2007-10-23 13:03

So if you are managing and running your business "en regle", I am sure you know how much it cost you for your social security with the RSI (regime social des independants) assuming you are "gerant majoritaire", how much you are paying for your impot sur les societes, sur les profits, and your impot sur les revenus, your certified accountant for your bilan, etc... Also do you have some employees "declares a plein temps"?... This maybe another factor why you do not get it IMO... You are still lucky to have only 50% of your clientelle being US Dollars based. Most of the business even on the French side have 75% to 85% of USD based clients...
BTW... I like when you say : "yes, this hurt a "little bit" with the dollar/euro rate"...

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Re: So if you are managing and
daphne | Tue, 2007-10-23 14:07

I don't find the RSI very expensive -- considering what you get in return. Look at what people have to deal with on the Dutch side (school system, bankrupt SVB, under funded hospital, bad roads, high rents etc). One way or another you pay, you can be sure of that. Americans are often "shocked" by our European taxes but when you start adding up medical insurance, college education for the kids, this is not exactly free either...

All these comments makes me think I am on the right track. All I hear is complaints about electrical bills and taxes.

No one, so far, has even mentioned what they could do to provide a product and service that is attractive for the consumer? The real problem, in my opinion, is the lack of innovative climate among the French restaurants.

The truth is that Grand Case is boring. It is not an experience to have a meal at the tourist traps there.

Look at the restaurant Tropicana in Marina Royale. While business is going down everywhere around them they are always packed with people. Lots of Americans too. Could it perhaps have anything to do with the fact that they provide great value for money and great service?

During the season you have a hard time keeping your table at La Belle Epoque for more than 1.5 hour without being thrown out...

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Daphne's blog
sxmmartini | Tue, 2007-10-23 18:09

I agree with some things but not all...
American tourists are bargain hunters.
I blame it all on the discount stores (Cost U less etc.)
It is hard to explain, but it is a very important outlook to the future.
Not to get to off topic, dollar stores are everywhere in the USA. It drives me crazy. "I bought this for a dollar". Point is it is a mental not an economic crisis.
To be smart in business you have to do what businesses in NY do and let the consumer believe they are getting a bargain. Just my outlook. Wendy

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Daphne balancing on the cost curve.
Anonymous (not verified) | Tue, 2007-10-23 01:49

You may criticize the economic skills of the French side restaurateurs, but you ain't much of a Greenspan either. Euro one to one on the dollar you said? Daphne, Daphne! As if the cost of food is the only factor that determines the price of a dish. How about rent, wages, bank-loans, electricity bills, gas bills, taxes and social securete to name a few. Guess in what currency they need to be paid in Grand Case? Right. In Euros. So a 20 euro pasta is indeed not too attractive but to sell it at 14 euro to match the dollar (rate 1.42) is kind of suicidal. It's a 30% loss of revenue against a marginal drop in expenses. A price reduction of 30% is only feasible if the overall expense to put that pasta on the table dropped 30% as well. We all know that didn't happen and it won't ever. Alfredo or Bolognese?

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Re: Daphne balancing on the cost curve.
daphne | Tue, 2007-10-23 11:56

This is exactly my point. You can go on and on and on about about the electrical and gas bills in euros and your "losses" but it will not help you. The tourists are not going to come to your restaurant so you can pay your euro bills. They want value for money.

You think a bowl of pasta for 14 euros is "suicidal"? This attitude illustrates the problem so well. St Martin/St Maarten has completely lost touch with reality.

How come you can go to a nice, newly decorated, nicely designed, restaurant in a major city in Germany or even a tourist resort and pay 6 euros for a plate of pasta, but in SXM 14 euros is "suicidal"? Germany has Euros and taxes too.

People seem to forget that SXM travellers travel other places too and SXM is not considered good value for money.

PS.

I do not of course mean to compare Germany and the Caribbean as a tourist venue. In Germany it is of course the people who live there who goes out to eat. But I have a feeling the tourists are fed up with the tourist trap prices on restaurants.

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Czech Republic
Anonymous (not verified) | Thu, 2007-10-25 21:02

Let's all go to the Czech Repblic. A nice meal at a local restaurant costs less than $3.00 U.S. This is not a joke,I just came back from there.

Also,I spent 2 weeks 2 years ago in St.Martin (the french side). I found eating out and even buying food at the local market extremely expensive. Actually,everything was ridiculously expensive:-(((

In addition to that,someone broke into our fridge at the Flamboyant Hotel and stole all of our food!!!

Janelle

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Pasta..
Anonymous (not verified) | Tue, 2007-10-23 09:42

In reply to the above poster, a box 500 grams of Barilla Pasta on the shelf at Match will cost you less than 2 Euro and it feeds 4 people...that's .50 euro cents a serving for the pasta..to pay 20 Euro for a dish of pasta is very dishonest on the restaruants part whether in euro or dollars...

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Ha! no this is rediculous
GigiSxm | Tue, 2007-10-23 12:21

comparing the cost of a packet of pasta at the store to pasta meal at a nice restaurant. Common here let's be realistic, i have no interests in any restaurant business on this island, but i know that you have to pay a chef (a chef not a cook) to make that pasta meal, pay the rent for that nice ocean view that goes so well with that barilla pasta meal, pay the waiter that brings the wine, the eletricity bill that provide light and a little A/C, the gas bill, the loan that was taken out to provide the nice atmosphere and the kitchen equipment used to cook the barilla.

Don't be so simplistic, it's never that simple.

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is it illegal to fix the euro to dollar 1 to 1
Anonymous (not verified) | Tue, 2007-10-23 08:07

What i would like to know is: is it illegal for stores and restaurants to convert the euro to the dollar at 1 to 1? I am asking because I have heard that there are officials that come from Guadeloupe and check price markings in the stores, if they find items marked in dollars or signs displayed in English saying "SALE $10.- " they get a fine.
I have heard that it is illegal for stores to convert the euro to dollars at their own discretion, is this true?
The way how I see it, the euro is scaring people away from the French side, along with the druggies at night and trash along the roadsides.
The Dutch side looks like one big shanty town because of over building taking place, but at least most of the roadsides are clean.
However, I do know of some restaurants taking the euro one to one, so is it illegal or not?
May I suggest then to all French side restaurants and shops? to create one day and night a week the 1 to 1 special, one day of the week so that locals and tourists can enjoy shopping and eating over there for a fair deal.
As for Ramon Helligar, he complains, but he did not provide any solutions, nor did he point out excatly what is the cause of the problem. So he wants the government to fix something he could not give exact reasons why the French side is suffering.
The French side is also suffering from a lack of parking spaces, the same as what is happening in Philipsburg.

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I'm not sure
GigiSxm | Tue, 2007-10-23 12:27

Taking advantage of customers would be illegal, but taking a loss on the business? i don't know.

While we are on the subject, there are still places on the dutch side that take the euro 1 to 1, taking advantage of the caribbean tourists.....

Back to your original question, fines are given when prices are not displayed in the legal tender of the country, the euro. Those would be where stores (mom and pops and chinesse) would have pricing displayed only in dollars on the french side.

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Rating Richards _Should he stay or should he go?
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It's a tough job for anyone.
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He's doing OK.
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