St. Maarten Private Eye

Well, this how it is,

I got this from Wikipedia-->
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"Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. While corruption may facilitate criminal enterprise such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and trafficking, it is not restricted to these organized crime activities. In some nations corruption is so common that it is expected when ordinary businesses or citizens interact with government officials. The end-point of political corruption is a kleptocracy, literally "rule by thieves"

let me repeat the last part again "RULE BY THIEVES"

AND

"Bribery around the world is estimated at about $1 trillion (£494bn) and the burden of corruption falls disproportionately on the bottom billion people living in extreme poverty"
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The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a party to the UN Convention against Corruption

-->http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/index.html

it states that corruption undermines the institutions and democracy, ethical values and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development and the rule of law.
I put this here just for the record, and so Maria can read it as well (I know you be looking Maria to see what people be doing :) )

I know not all of you started like this, being so corrupted, but you made the decision to do it as well, you hated to live in a 'simple' house, and was jealous on those foreigners and your corrupt colleagues havins so much money, Envy can be very powerful,
in time the corruption grows on you, you learn how to reailly do it well, how to set up your off-shore activities and maximize revenue out of your corruption scheme. On Sundays when you go to church, you quietly whisper to yourself, that God approves it, because you be taking care of your family, that is what your're doing, well, Maria, I don't know if he be approving all those HD TV's

You still can redeem yourself, sell everything, give it to charity, and leave for one of the continents and look for a real job. Where you really have to work for your money.

I made the choice, to get out,
and I feel better then ever.

The BUNCAMPER writer who took the meaning of corruption of Wikipedia -seems more fitting for Roy Marlin.
Buncamper does have business on the side, The SBS selling sand gravel kouri blocks etc. This company seems to do very well with all the over development of concrete going on. So in reality she does work for her money and I must add she is always at her office in the Government building. Something that cannot be said of certain Commissioners.
I was also dismayed by Maria's remarks in the IC regarding the WODC report, it is as if she is blaming the Dutch government in order not to deal with the SXM problems.
The reality is that in Holland the crooks are locked up, the press writes about it and there is open transparancy. Here the politicians do not feel accountable, get away with everything and the press looks the other way.
In Holland Ministers also resign if their party feels that their candidate have done a lousy job or if things do not progress according to party lines. Also, Ministers and politicians are held very much accountable by the media, by citizens, by their own party, they are brought to justice if illigalities have occured etc.
Here on SXM, the last time we had politicians brought to justice was when former Lt. Governor Ralph Richardson and Claude Wathey were brought down for corruption in the Airport scandal. And this was only done because the Dutch investigated, if we waited for the locals to investigate, nothing would happen.
As for Maria, for me she went the wrong way, instead of being reasonable and saying they will look into it, she went on and on that the Holland has corruption too. While we all know that corruption exist in every society, in ours it is blatant, it has become part of every day life. And the business community plays along to get along, paying off politicians for work and residence permits.
But when I compare Maria to ROY, Maria has an education, she is smart, she works hard, she helps many small foundations with her charitable foundation. But ROY? no education, went in broke as a civil servant, and now compare what he has today to when he went into government. Corruption, true, blatant, in your face.....

Dude you have no idea what you are talking about. Holland hasnt locked up any politicians eventough reports from their investigative units have brought enough problems to light. See for further info, the IRT Affair, that brought down the current Justice Minister more than 10 years ago!

About Holland locking our politicians up, again you are wrong, we locked our own politicians up, for instance Claude and Godett, our own island councils passed motions requesting investigations, not Holland.

And about the airport, there was no theft, if you actually read the documents, which most havent, you will clearly see that it was a presumed fraud and not an actual committed crime. No money was stolen, the Italians misused that and claimed loss if income and accrued interest for over 36 million. You can go on and on.

What is clear, Holland lost billions due to fraud and NOT ONE politician or business man was sentenced or went to jail for more than 3 days, these politicians were on the board of directors of some of these companies and nothing happened, and they want to talk!

Anyway, my position is this, if there is a crime, then someone must do the time, period! But to hold us hostage as a people because of these types of allegations etc. is plain and simple BULLSHIT!

Granted we have problems, we do, but we must move forward and to those public officials who are engaged in crimes, you will sleep in the bed that you have made for yourself.

The Patriot

Patriot,
Your position is: "If there is a crime, then someone must do the time, period!"
The "dude" before you said: Marlin is the most blatant form of corruption vested in a human being or something alike. Why don't you response to that? That is the friggin problem here. Everytime somebody calls a spade a spade we get evasive action, flares, and look the other way tactics. And then you continue:
"Granted we have problems, we do, but we must blah blah blah blah". How neat and correct. You must be Dutch. You know what we really must? Rid our society of these asses. Rather sooner than later.

Well, I obviously hit a nerve there. You really hate Commissioner Marlin dont you?

Well why become frustrated, just go at him if you have a problem with him. Bring your files and all your rumors to the prosecutor and see if you can make it stick.

About ridding society of these asses....

The Patriot

Comment edited. Please do not make personal attacks or use abusive and insulting language against other users. It lowers the tone somewhat. - Hady)

Ive posted a short blog about Maria's outburst and nonsense and included the news clippings.

WODC, Corruption and Governance

Hady

Ok I guess I've been labeled here on PE as being pro-DP. No problem, I can take that. But I still think when objectivity goes, I am more objective than most people here. Case in point: Maria's comments. What was so wrong with what the woman said? I think it was about high time that someone said what she said. St. Maarten has been playing too nice with the Dutch for too long and they have been taking advantage of this. Maria correctly realised that our people needed to see the Dutch for their hypocrisy.

NOW....she DID NOT ignore the fact that SXM has its share of issues. She questioned local and federal law enforcement on their activities and the way they carry out their functions to stamp ot corruption. She stated clearly how corruption affects the community etc etc. THEN Commissioner Wescott, for more than an hour, outlined what St. Maarten has been doing, is doing and plan to do about corruption. A detailed report on the floor of the Island Council. Our media don't print what they have to. Y'all know this is one of their major weaknesses.

Our people, like y'all, don't listen to IC meetings and if you do, you have selective hearing. In her article that you do have, she states how she feels about corruption and that it must be dealt with. How did you miss that? I totally agree that we should be focussed on solutions. But the Dutch had to be put in their place. Since PE is investigative, go out and get Sarah's presentation and post it here. In the name of fairness.

Don't let your feelings towards the sitting government blind you into ignorance.

J. Baptiste.

Maria is so arrogant and unprofessional, she needs to go back to the benches ( re-educated)! Old school don't work in 2008.

i wonder what would have happened if they'd dialed O for operator like we would have done in the old days here in the states. hm, i wonder what would happen now if *i* tried to call the operator here...