St. Maarten Private Eye

Mr Larry, Please visit the Lt. Govenor's website and get firsthand information on the new policy on residence permits. It's high time that the Lt. Governor make these regulatory steps to control the free for all, do what you want attitude.
Why do you need 4 directors to opperate a 10x10 store? Business people have been abusing the system for too long and we are sick of it. We salute the Lt. governor's new initiative It 'spretty simple- prove that you are leasing a house for fls 2.250 and that your salary will be fls 75.000 annualy and your business will turn over fls 500.000 annualy.
Other islands in the Caribbean such as Anquilla and the BVI require more and then you are registered as a non belonger.

I must admit that I have some reservations about the turnover requirement. It will deter foreign investors from setting up small business, such as art galleries and craft type establishments.
At the moment we have too many small stores selling cheap T-shirts, and hair products with 5 directors.

Regading the refund, I know of someone who just got back their refund this week. This person was born in Europe, and at that time persons from Europe were require dto pay $600 or so for work permits. I was very surpise how fast the refund was expedited, usually it take sa very long time like everything else

It's time for us to diversify our market in e-commerce and encourage local participation in setting up small to medium light industry and export.

WE have always welcome foreign investment, and we still do, but we will not tolerate abusive business people who try to get circumvent the law. We need added value.

I, Larry Geer was not referring to the refund, I was referring to the fact that I had a residency permit and my accountants suggested that I apply for a directors license (for what I don't know), As George Pantophlet once states there should be a hand book for so called foreigners on how to do things properly (if there is such a thing on Sint Maarten).

I had lived on Sint Maarten several years and then when my so called Directors license was due,.............. this pas year

I paid it (the Government had no problem taaking my money( $2500.00), but then I was told that the Lt. Governor had denied my residence permit. I was offended when It was suggested that for the right amount of money it could be fixed.

The bottom line is that I felt that that I was an asset to the Island, Vice Presient of Animals R Friends, a Lion, volunteered for SXM Pride, was the first to respond to the I Can Foundatiuon with a donation just minutes after the fire, taught Animal Compassion clases at M.A.C. School, Sundial and Milton Peters Academy, taught classes at the V.K.S. summer camps was on the Board of Directors of Enviro l and assisted with many other NGO's including the Enviro Week in 2007 orchestrated by the former Chief Prosecutor Paul Mooj. I cgave more of myself than most locals do and this is what I receive in return. To me this is no way of Nation building when you chase away the very people that contribute to society.

I have been in therapyfoir four months due to this matter. I just couldn't comprehend (or was in denial) that if I paid off Government I could have my residency permit taken care of, that is curupt no matter how you look at it and it seems to have larger impact on me, since I love the Island and it's people so much and cared so much.,
I could of taken the path of what "Churchill Marsdon said often and that is go to U.S. Territory (Puerto Rico) , get your passport stamped and do the same every 3 months. I refuse to live a life like that when I have so much good to share with the Island and it's people particulasrly when they recieve separate status of which I doubt they will with that type of corrupt nation building.

And by the way your comment suggests that thge Lt. Governor enacted the law for safe non corrupt reasons, ARE YOU KIDDDING ME I it was suggested to me that I PAY a Government official to have my papers fixed. The bottom line is that he is prejudiced, but for money and his Democratic Party (of which we all know he is part of, he just can't let the people know, because he was appointed by the Queen to handle the affirs of the Territory and we all know that he must be doing a shitty job, or we wouldn't have so much corruption.

Regards,

Larry C. Geer

Dear "Time to Regulate" I feel very upset about this whole issue that I feel compelled to write a reply. I completely understand that the government has to stop abuses by businesses using directors licenses to get residency for foreign employees but why smack everyone including the genuine with the same two by four?. You said you had reservations about this new regulation being a deterrent to art and craft establishments.. You're right, it is effectively eliminating all non local artists and art galleries from the Dutch side, except of course those ones like the Slone gallery which sells along with furniture, cheap, reproduction paintings made in China. (Hows that for protecting local art?). I recently had my work published in the 2008 Dutch Caribbean Art diary that had work from artists from Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba and St. Maarten. Sixty artists in all. Only 5 from St. Maarten including myself. In the back of the book was the islands Cultural Guide, a place for Art Museums, Galleries, Foundations etc. Aruba had 8, Bonaire had 3, Curacao had 23, Even Saba had 3, St, Maarten, none, not even a page, blank. One would think St. Maarten cares little for the visual arts. But hey wait, we have a growing number of visual artists here on the island, working steadily and creating international interest. Most of them reside on the Frenchside. Many of the like me teach and do workshops too. Why is that. Its not that they prefer the Frenchside its because the policies of the Dutchside government is downright hostile to foreign artists living there. Sadly I found this when I made the stupid mistake of trying to live and work on the Dutchside. English is my first language so naturally I wished to live on the Dutchside. First I found that as a foreign artist I could not apply for a one person business license, that was allowed only to locals as a "protected profession'???. I could register myself as a company. Which is strange as I was the owner, producer, worker, seller, all in one. Its not like I could hire someone to do my painting for me!. Undeterred I payed a lot of money for it. I then went for my residency papers but hit a brick wall for 4 years. Every time I had all the necessary papers another requirement was demanded. I have been back to my country 3 times trying to find archaic documents that do not exist in my country ie. "Certificate of Spinsterhood", and anther time for a new stamp required. .In the meantime I was ordered to leave St. Maarten while I am being processed, so I went to the Frenchside. I am not allowed to live or work in St.Maarten but I have received demands of thousands of dollars for license fees for a "business" that is not operational as I am not allowed to operate it in st. Maarten.. I will not get my residency papers until they are back paid. Also I now have to prove I earn in excess of 75,000 fls annually and my paintings turn over 500,000 annually. Are you kidding!. Yeah maybe one day but no one becomes a famous artist overnight. I also have to prove I rent an expensive house. As an artist I keep all my living expenses to a bare minimum in order to invest time and money making and promoting my artwork. I support myself fully. I am being treated as a business company, but clearly artists are not companies. This is why I feel non local artists are unwelcome in St. Maarten due to Government policies. Its sad that Government claiming to want to protect local culture on the island has such a big hand in stifling its growth. Still no worries, there are plenty of Caribbean-Style paintings made in China to be bought at those big warehouse galleries as companies they are welcome on the Dutchside.