St. Maarten Private Eye

It amazes me how people right here on this blog are just like the politicians serving our island. Everyone has ideas on what they believe should be done, but no one takes the time to asses the validity of these ideas from an unbiased view, comparing advantages against disadvantages. Everything said should be law... good thing this does not actually happen or else St. Maarten would be even worse than it is today...
I hope the person above is not an engineer, because a well educated engineer would know that solar panels also require the use of batteries, lots of batteries. Energy produced from solar panels are DC currents which need to be stored in batteries before they can be used. This current would need to be converted to AC current for powergrid use. Connecting these batteries to the electrical grids in sxm would lead to a great financial loss. The power gained through these solar panels would be lost through the electrical conversion and resistance which may lead to an overall net loss of electrical current. Not to mention sxm would be covered with tons of batteries, that would last at max 5 years in sxm's hot climate. What would we do with these batteries when they are useless? What sxm does best, send then to the landfill or dump them into the oceans. Solar panels would benefit us with the gain of hardly any electrical current along with the loss of major ecosystems around our island.
Would you invite tourist to our battery acid filled beaches? our bare dead landscapes? or invite them to charge their cellphones with our gained solar electricity? Have you ever wondered why no one else uses your solar power plan?
These new oil generators are "currently" the most efficient way, although not the best way of producing electricity for this small island. Without these generators, sxm would have a better environment, and everyone without a generator would be in the dark.

I must say however, the public transit policy and the cooking oil biofuel plan are wonderful directions that the government of sxm should look into.
Public transit should be "public", meaning owned and operated by the government. Specific bus routes should be laid out with buses leaving from designated bus terminals at specific times. This makes public transit easier as people will know where the bus is going and when it will arrive. Bus drivers should be civil servants and not be working for commission, buses should be government owned so that the cost of repairs and fuel does not fall into the hands of bus drivers. All profits made on the bus should go to government with bus driver getting a fixed government salary that includes all the benefits civil servants receive. This ensures that everyone, especially seniors get an equal opportunity on the bus.
This is a proven plan that works well in developed countries, why haven't we adopted this?

Cooking oil biodiesel is a great idea of being able to reuse. With the available facilities this would actually be efficient. Anyone looking for a great investment idea to become rich? *hint hint* Opening up a treatment plant with your own biodiesel fuel station and selling this diesel at a much lower price would definitely have long lines at this pump. The one disadvantage that could occur with a system like this is that once restaurant owners see the value of their used cooking oil, they are definitely not going to give it up for a cheap price. Many people in sxm are very greedy and look to only benefit themselves, even if it means putting other people down for their success. Sxm people don't like to see other people's success. Instead of happiness in moving forward, it becomes jealousy and they see themselves as taking a step back. This very mentality is what traps St. Maarten as a 3rd world developing country with little hope for advancement.

The people of St. Maarten are afraid of change as changes are risks with the potential to decrease profits. The change I'm talking about is not a political change, but rather a change among ourselves as people of St. Maarten. The friendly island is not really a friendly island anymore, which is clearly reflected just by driving on the road. Everyone is very aggressive with no respect for road rules. At the intersection by the former bosch brakes on the bottom of colebay hill is probably the best example where getting through there is an "every man for themselves" situation. Road rules are not respected, but then again, where are the police officers to enforce those rules? If government doesn't care, why should the people care?

In order for St. Maarten to move forward, we the people of St. Maarten need to get our acts together and move forward as one nation, one country. Individuals have no voice, but together, major changes can happen. This is probably the hardest for anyone, any country to do, but I believe it is possible if we try!

Hahaha ... 'with regards to taxi taxes, there is zero inspection'
What about, with regards to every business on the island there is zero inspection, taxes and other financial matters...
But seriously, yes you are right and also, our blogs raise one and the same question, being: why does the government invest hugely in harbors, aiports, government buildings, beautification projects, et alter and not in for example renewable energy sources?
Are they blinded by their own light (give light....- such a fascinating little phrase that is)?
Is tourism really more important than a proper sewage management? The increase of food and the oil prices is something we'll all just have to accept I guess, it's global and we're all affected by it. Except, of course for countries like Oman.
Incredible really how a wannabe country like SXM blessed with sunshine 365 days a year is still thinking generators; is Mr Marlin from a different century?

Anyway I so hope that our politicians read SXM PE now and then, it would help them to better adjust they policies to the wishes of the community.
If they would just do that, they'd know that the public would really like to see more sustainable energy.