St. Maarten Private Eye

Our commissioner says that the people should not let emotions get the better of them, however PRIDE foundation has seen time and time again that like the Dawn Beach case we are not even sure if our government will take our objections into consideration.
We have sent in many letters against the way the Dawn Beach case is progressing, we sent in objection letters in the correct and proper manner to the VROM department.
Letters of objection were also sent in by the residents of the Dawn beach area objecting to the planning permit.
And what happened? to this day, the developers Columbia Sussex are still continuing destroying Dawn Beach without a planning permit in place and our inspection department does absolutely nothing.
The same goes for the Dolphinarium, I believe a total of 15 letters were sent to all important authorities objecting to the dolphinarium, several letters were sent in objecting to the building permit just a few days before the building permit was issued, remember that the building permit for the dolphinarium was never advertised.
Now our commissioner is saying we should go through the proper channels in our objections, this is what we have been doing all along and our objections are NOT taken into consideration.

This is why everything comes back to a real lack of open and transparant government.
The same government(EXCO) granted a permit for a sea wall to be built on a beach in Cupecoy, after public outrage the same government put a temporary stop to the sea wall, VROM did not have any plans for a seawall.
So our government sits and grants permits without our relevant environmental departments giving advice on wheather the plan is a good one or not.
So basically, I am asking , why do we need a VROM department for then? if our government sits like a "CHAVEZ" style one rule governmnt and makes decisions on their own without consulting and utilising our VROM and ROB and Inspection then we are heading at a dictator style government.
Now we have the issue with RED POND, we will be getting more information out soon on this one, however from what I have heard, developers are planning to destruct the RED POND to build a hotel, condos, etc,
The plans are supposedly also on review at tihs time.
Again, another pond is being destroyed in the name of economic progress,
For me it is like Deja Vue , I see it over and over again, I am hoping that eventually the people of SXM will start to play a role in safeguarding our island from destruction.
Is anyone listening out there?
People in involved in Conservation efforts in the Netherlands, are you listening to us?
United States Millioners/Billionairs philantropists, are you paying attention to the caribbean?
We are losing our heritage/our sensitive ecological and environmental area to the mighty US tourists who come for a fast rush of pina coladas, high rises, private condos, cheap talk by real estate agencies.
And of course our government officials turning a blind eye for their own economic benefit, not the overall economic benefit for the island as they claim.
When will this stop?

St.Maarten PRIDE foundation
Jadira Veen