St. Maarten Private Eye

I simply wanted to say that your article was well delivered. I actually picture the oposition lined up with bats in their hands, swinging away at the commissioner as she walks by each one of them.

I too am wondering what was the cause of this violent attack on her and her husband. If wrong was done then justice should prevail. However I do not feel satisfied with all of the explanations given as to their wrongdoings. All I hear is a lot of barking and snapping at the wounded prey.

Some intellectuals try to throw sand in our eyes, using "high fuluting" words, they hope we cannot understand and maybe that is the reason why I, a non intellectual cannot get a clear view of the situation. Your words I do understand.

Having heard the word "nepotism" but not fully understanding the impact it had, I resorted to study the books and look into the meaning and laws on such. If others would do so and not feel ashamed that they do not fully understand it's meaning, they would learn a lot more about "high fuluting words" used by many who try to discredit others.

Is it perhaps that toes were being stepped on. Not that I am saying that if wrong is being done that it should be covered up, but the info. that lead to all of this certainly came from within, possibly from someone with a mashed toe ???

I do feel that reprimands should have been made and the matter, even publicly, discussed and further education of members of boards of all government owned companies as to proper procedures, then I can understand that the situation be dealt with accordingly should it occur. But this viscious attack I still do not get.

Anyhow, keep up the good writing and I will surely be following your posts.

ADV ;(

Marlin - Catch of the Day?

I have witnessed much huffing and puffing on radio and in newspaper print from William Marlin about corruption. I wondered why? Then I realised that corruption is a subject about which he knows everything. I discovered that he is on the list of Hero Brinkman’s Antillean Mafia for receiving political contributions from building companies.

(http://antilliaans.caribiana.nl/politiek/car20080612_nota-brinkman)

Bingo! So what he is voicing is no less than the opinion of a connoisseur!

He is the “pot calling the kettle black” and he is worthy of the biblical imperative: “He who is without sin, cast the first stone!”

And then he has the nerve to inform the island that he is unable to go to The Netherlands for constitutional talks because of more pressing politics here. What can be more important than constitutional talks?

Aruba gained its independence through giving up the politics of bickering and finger pointing. The parties came together for sake of the union.

But Marlin is after blood. And we know it. His emotional and dramatic outpourings of hypocrisy are not worthy of the party he represents.

The job of an opposition party may well be to oppose but if party members have any brains, they will present themselves as an alternative government. Is Mister Marlin huffing and puffing (and coughing) about important issues such as dump bonfires, excessive airport fees, and illogical turnover taxes, bridge fees that are driving the mega yachts to the French side, sewers that are overflowing, gas hikes or sky rocketing food prices?

Not Mister Marlin.

To exhaust the list of quotations: “Those who live in a glass house should not throw stones.” In other words, those who are vulnerable should not attack others!

I would remind Mister Marlin that in politics, the past has a habit of catching up with those who pretend to be the moral guardians of our society. If he wants to play the role of public laundry, he does so in full view of the public eye.

His hypocrisy is blatant. And it does not behove him!

Nice truthful, maybe you should take your time to read the contents of the TELEM court case in New York and see why everyone is ducking for cover. SXM PE has already uncovered the truth. I can't wait to hear Joe Richardson explanation on this. How nice they have screwed over our Telecommunications and I would like to know why they did not reveal this info to the public and media? Looks bad for them you say? well so it is, but it is a Government owned company owned by the people.

Our Calypsonians gone Environmental. (Green)
Hearing The CNN broadcaster say: “Americans are not the sharpest tools in the Shed” I rolled over in laughter. After listening to the Island Council meeting for hours I had the same opinion about our government.
The Buncamper soap opera clearly shows our predicament. The governor interpreting rules from the ERNA. While experienced lawyers and politicains giving a complete different interpretation pertaining to procedures followed in the Island Council. If this isn’t mass confusion, then tell me what is?
What I witnessed on Television did appear as though there was a conflict of Interest with a tinge of Nepotism on the part of the Commissioner. But after listening carefully to Maria Buncamper and the leader of Governmnt Sarah Wescott I was almost convinced that nothing was really wrong with the commissioner of Telecommunications and her husband using their political foundation “The sky is the limit” to do such fabulous work with our local calypsonians. After all as a lover of Calypso, I think the King of Kings show was the best Calypso show I have witnessed in years.
But after much deeper thought, I realized that Maria Buncamper and her husband Toontje Buncamper through their influence and political foundation “The Sky is the limit” had Hijacked Calypso from right under our noses.
Let us fast forward the ingenious moves of the foundation:
The SITLF get US$25,000.00 from Telem……..just so
SITLF hit the harbor for US$16,000.00……just so
Then SITLF had Nagico take care of the prize money….just so
The Dutch Contractors give SILF big bucks too……just so
And with that money The Sky is the limit bought out calypso ….just so.
Gone are the days when the Calypso tent used to be the people’s Parliament. Can you remember when Lion-hearted Fish and his cousin Baker used to sing out fearlessly. Gone are the days when Stunky’s used to sing about truth and honesty.
The King Jaco and the Mighty DOW were the people’s Voice against corruption in society and the Emperor of Calypso Mighty Brat and King Bobo was always busy holding government responsible for neglecting the local man. In 2008 The Sky is the limit Foundation has ingeniously found a way to use OPM (Our People Money) to further their political ambitions by hijacking the people’s parliament.
Calypso was the atomic bomb for all those who want to degrade our constitution, and now Maria and Toontje silence calypso. Calypso was the insurance policy against corruption, nepotism and conflicts of interest. Calypso is the social conscience of this community and now it has been hijacked and fully controlled by The sky is the limit Foundation.

So my conclusion is straight forward. The telem donation if it is not a conflict of interest has definately damaged the integrity of the people’s parliament. For thirty pieces of silver our parliamentarians have left the scene, they all gone green.
To the Buncamper supporters in the island council please be aware "It does not take a majority to prevail...but an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men."
By the way, if we continue to support these wrong practices, that carry the semblance of conflict of interest and nepotism, Brinkman will have a field day in his next “mafia in the kingdom” report.
Don Hughes.

Let me describe a scenario for the readers here at SXMPE. In 2005 the then management of Telem and Smitcoms were desperate to find financing to refinance the group's existing loans with several local banks on St. Maarten.

Telem alone needed to consolidate and refinance $20 million dollars in outstanding loans. Telnet needed $2 million and Tellcell needed over $5 million. Smitcoms desperately needed $11 million to finance phase two of its Caribbean Fiber Cable Network.

No new money was forthcoming from the locals banks (WIB and RBTT) and Smitcoms had contractual obligations to fulfil. Hence the desperate need to find financing elsewhere and find it fast.

Management traveled on several occasions to the USA to meet several financial brokers and investors and in desperation even went to Cuba, the route often traveled by many Antillian corporate leaders in financially dire straits.

All the while the banks in St. Maarten stood by idly on the side looking on and laughing at the amateurish and infantile attempts of Telem to secure financing for the company's debt consolidation elsewhere through a host of brokers and financial institutions, some legit, some semi-legit and some down-right illegitimate.

Obviously the case of Merit vs Smitcom is a direct result of the scrambling and desperation of Telem Group of Companies to enter into agreement with every and any financial services broker to find financing to cover the gapping holes in the companies' finances as a direct result of all the waste, squandering, corruption, embezzlements and defrauding these companies had to withstand because the powers that be at the time drained the group's resources for their own private gains and personal enrichment.

(Sidebar: In this light. it is easy to give loads of donations when the money is not yours nor can be accounted for. For years, outside accountants refused to sign off on Telem's Group of Companies financial reports and statements.)

Apparently, from the Merit complaint (point 9), the financing need had risen to $78 million dollars.

Ofcourse, when the local banks found the timing right, they stepped in and refinanced the outstanding loans and offered new financing for the Telem Group of Companies pending projects. Certainly huge concessions on the part of the Island Government were made.

I heard the bankmanagers laughed all the way back to their banks with the huge profits they made off the deals. RBTT being the biggest winner of all. WIB a lesser winner because it has always been the holding company, MCB's, objective not to let WIB make too much money else it will cost them more to eventually buy out the Wathey's share in the bank.)

So no need to proceed with the deal brokered by Merit with Citibank Group's affiliate who would underwrite Telem's debts.

I am sure Merit will be found meritorious in their claims and the St. Maarten taxpapers will again end up footing the bill. But what I find meritless in this whole affair is the fact that these financial brokers - given the track record of Telem and other government owned companies and even the government of The Netherlands Antilles & Aruba - willingly and knowingly entered into contractual agreement with these banana republic officials we have here in St. Maarten (an almost backward and third world island looking for country status), whereby it was already common knowledge in the financial community and among other financial brokers that eventually this government owned company would default on their obligation by not going ahead with the deal. It is the modus operandi of government owned companies.

Yet they willingly entered into the agreement, given me cause to suspect that it was all about the claim they would eventually file suit for and obviously will be awarded. it is nice to get $2.34 million dollar (3% of $78M) because your contractual party defaulted on the agreement. Who wouldn't want easy money?

George, can you repost your comment here. This really wasntthe best place for it and it will be impossible to find or follow this story in the future if its spread all over the place.

Flipper

Flipper, no problem. I reposted my post where it should have been posted in the first place indeed. I was replying to another comment and didn't realize it was in the wrong blog post. I didn't have time afterwards to repost it in the proper thread because I was rushing to shut down my computer before GEBE's current go off again and I loose all my work. ;-)

Keep up the good with this forum. People need to know what is going on here in St. Maarten, not only in government but in all areas of our community. In regards to government, usually what we see and hear during island council meetings is only the tip of the iceberg and simply a show for entertainment and consumption.

Just like in business - as the saying goes - all deals made on the golf course, so in government all deals are made in backrooms and what is presented in Executive Council and Island Council meetings are just the formalities. We the people have no say in what goes on. But if more people start shining light on the truth, we will one day truly a have real government that is of the people and for the people.

Funny, isn’t it, how those meetings always take place behind the safety of closed doors (the backroom itself)...quite interesting little detail I would say. The Dutch debate publically for one...however I suppose The Friendly Island is just too small for transparency when it comes to the government.
But hey, some people just don’t get the whole idea behind a government…it ought to represent the people (who in the first place should not sell their votes!!!) … mind you, not the maffia. Anyway, what can you expect? MaHo -> Maffia Hotels… our overrated politicians should consider being a little less business-minded. And why people pay tax ought to be explained to them as well!

While your reading of the Merrit account is quite accurate, your remark that it is modus operandi for St Maarten government owned companies to default, is off. Gebe, Juliana and the Wathey Seaport have an excellent track record in terms of honoring their commitments towards financial institutions. That was one of the reasons for Merrit (and CITI) to even consider the Telem loan. It has never been Merrits intention to not make this work but cash in on a court case instead. It is bad for their own track record.

I would say it is both the inexperience of the board and the incompetence of the CEO that has led to this situation. Why this man has been in the driver' seat (even ad interim) of this company is the real 78 million dollar question.
The guy has absolutely no clue what he is doing and should be kept far from any company. Go tell that to your politicians.

For your information the Merit group was kicked out of the Wathey harbor financing deal when they didn't live up to their expectation as a money (loan) finder at an intrest rate of I understood 5.9%. They got I understood about US$ 20.000,- for out of pocket expensis and were told to get lost. No courtcase because this was properly anchored down in their contract
I know Leo Chance and Claudius Buncamper were on the harbor board that time. (I understood they us to have heated debates because they always said to Claudius that the commissioner wanted it so and he very often disagreed) So if now suddenly this case becomes a problem is it because Buncamper busted the pot open or did he tell the board and ceo they have no clue what they're doing and get rid of those people. Merit prepared a loan for a very high interest rate which anyone could have done. I believe that Merit will not get a penny out of this deal seeing their case has NO MERIT. I know american courts love to give money but this one will be settled. Hope to have enlighted you'll a bit with soem more truthful information.

Thanks for sharing the info on Merit with us. But you must agree it is irrelevant for the matter at hand. Merit has a signed engagement with Telem and they performed under the terms of the engagement. The contract is available on line if you know where to look. Your prediction about the case is just that. I don't think it qualifies as an expert opinion. If you happen to be in the area. A hearing is scheduled on the 26th of June at 3 o' clock in the Federal District Court of N.Y. (south). Judge John Sprizzo will hear arguments if the matter should be remanded to the State Supreme court or remain in Federal court. Hearing is open for the public. Feel free to attend and learn something.

What do you mean you don't know why this man has been in the drivers seat even as ad interim? This man is Joe Richardson.
A washed up old style politician with no real job, so his only bet is for his DP friends to appoint him to government owned companies.
This is the Sint Maarten style of running business, our politicos don't look for competence, nope, friends will do just fine even if they don't have a cock ass clue what the subject matter is about.
Even though he resigned from TELEM board, he just took up a position on the harbour board and life in paradise continues.

I have heard and read up the documents as posted. Let's be real honest and ask ourselves if when Maria said "TRUST ME" she wasn't sincere to her stopping the corruption going on in this company. One would need a trustworthy person on the inside to get everthing open before moving in otherwise things would dissapair which usually happends in these type of companies. I can think of no better person to fit that bill than her husband. Wasn't it William Marlin that said in the council meeting yesterday that her husband is not a DETECTIVE but and engineer. SOOOOOOOOOOOO we are now starting to see how things really go and we must learn to read between the lines of what certain people say if we want to truly undersdtand what happening.
Such one problem (Merrit Court Case) has now come up which according to the documentation has been floating for years (since 2005). Maria isn't even in office for 1 year. Or should we blame her for this one too. Yes people are starting to resign because the water is getting hotter and hotter. Let me show you the scenario's of the frog and the pot of boiling water" 1. You know that when you put a pot of water to boil and put a frog in it he will boil to death.
2.If you throw a frog into boiling water he will jump out.
I don't know which one applies to Joe Richardson but seeing his long tenure on the board (8 years I believe) and his stint as CEO (1.5 years) I must conclude the 1st scenario. Resigning know under the cover of prevention of "Conflight of Interest"will not save him but only enforce what Maria and to and extend her husband said in his press release that things are dead wrong in that company. As the old people like to say" soooo the cookie crumbles"
I truly wonder why they really moved Claudius Buncamper of the board and after that his wife Maria as Commissioner. The water must be getting real hot and so are certain people!

Blame her? Maybe, it all depends on how involved she was. Hold her politically responsible? Yes, we should. Joe gave the Merrit group a finger somewhere in December 2007. The lawsuit was filed in March, 2008. All under Maria's tenure as the commissioner in charge of Telem and hubby on the board as her eyes and ears. She must know.