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BAR TALK
2009-12-30
A political system must be under-pinned by a valid legal system. Over the next two weeks, Nostradamus predicts that details will be revealed about two of the most prominent legal minds on the island who have used their position to massage the rule of law to falsify documents and acquire land and title.
The guy who drove his car last Saturday night in a pool bar on archroad was one of the lawyers of the law firm of Bergman and Zwaniken Snow. He was so drunk that he had to spent a night in jail to sleep it off. Talking about some real "Bar talk" there.
Probably upset because another client didn't pay their bill.
Seems to be a trend... :-)
Read Today's frontpage article about the legal battle between Henny Hager (79) and Coral Beach Club's Peyton Cromwell regarding the court's ruling condemning Duck International to demolish the third floor of the administration building that blocks Hager's view [from his 11 room villa] wherein it states and I quote: "Then a few things happened. Duck International asked the court to suspend the ruling, and Hager's attorney Mr. J. Veen withdrew his services. Hager was left on his own, unable to contract another attorney."
What's up with that?
Is that anyway to deal with a client in such an important precedent setting case?
It stinks, if you ask me. Reeks of something.
This is the reason why this site SXMPE is slowly dying a slow death. The people we would expect to defend us in important cases are deserting their clients and leaving them to fend for themselves.
Is it worth it to stick your neck out for anything on this island? Stupssss!!!
Flipper,
Just close down the site and put up this picture of Bush.
I think the story also mentions that Hager did not pay his bills?
How far can an attorney go to defend a client if the lawyer has to foot the costs of the legal procedure?
No one disputes Mr. Veen’s right to quit representing a client, but, to withhold the clients files and forbid and deny them the right to another attorney is an entirely different matter, and for me a violation of a simple human right.
The Coral Beach ruling is much bigger than Mr. Veen and Mr. Hager’s financial dispute, it is a momentous ruling for Sint Maarten itself.
The verdict sent a clear message that the decade long abuse of these developers reign is over. Illegal and uncontrolled development that literally destroyed most of the Dutch side beaches.
Wealthy and ruthless developers with deep pockets manipulate the legal system to their advantage. Drawing out these court procedures in a long and drawn out timely fashion knowing that private citizens will most likely be forced financially to quit.
After reading the Today’s interview with the former prosecutor Mr. Mooi and hearing him confirm that Coral Beach illegally built on the beach, violating the 40 meter setback, the government as a voice and a representative of the people should demand legally that the structures to be removed.
Seeing that Mr. Hager is left to personally defend himself against the appeal from Coral Beach on this historical and monumental verdict "I wish him all the luck and success".
I would say the real ruling will come from the voters, and I don't hold much hope there. The DP, ie Roy Marlin was incompetent and allowed the ROB and VROM departments to be as they are because it suited his own MO and agendas. They knew, but they liked it as it was.
As for Veen, from what I understand Hagar is quite capable of paying his bills, why should anyone work for free for someone who can afford it.
Flipper
Anyone who has dealt with a lawyer knows how easy it is for lawyers to inflate their bills. I have seen a lawyer run up a $26K bill by clocking every 15 minutes. That bill was truly a great work of fiction.
But anyways.... what is $10K of work worth in such in a historical case?
The actual legal costs are insignificant compared to the precedent setting results of this case. It would definitely help stimulate government and its permits departments and project developers to work according to procedures.
The legal costs are not the issue in this case. If it were then Mr. Hager certainly would not be able to afford to continue fighting the case on his own. The issue is the bigger picture for St. Maarten where illegal construction is like a plague.
That being said and knowing that 'lawyers are entrepreneurs' too, people should seriously consider the financial ramifications of starting a case with the assistance of a lawyer. Lawyers don't come cheap. So one mustn't fool oneself that lawyers will work for free. If you can't afford to pay a lawyer, don't hire one. Fight the case yourself. You might have a fool for a client but at least you won't unnecessarily run up hourly costs that are incurred every 15 minutes.
Lawyers on the other hand should realistically evaluate their clients' financial means of paying their bills before they start legal procedings on behalf of a client. Especially in a case of such a magnitude. Not because someone owns real estate property means they have the cash to pay their bills. The first free hour should include a reality check for both lawyer and potential client.
But still.... I would have expected a different behaviour from the honourable Mr. J. Veen. It looks bad when you have to stop representing a client at a crucial stage in the case just because of unpaid bills. It looks bad no matter what the reason is.
I anxiously await Today's report tomorrow because the problem with the legal community on St. Maarten is their mafia-like practice of blocking a client from retaining the services of other lawyers when that client has a financial dispute with another lawyer.
Just as easy as they can gang up together when it is come to boycotting a client, they should be able to also gang up together to help a client fight a just cause.
For the sake of St. Maarten's future development, I hope Mr. Hager continues his legal battle and I hope the St. Maarten lawyers do the honourable thing and allow Mr. Hager to get proper legal representation. It doesn't take a legal genius to see the merits of this case.
This comment has been deleted. The reason is because just about everything in it was badmouthing and slandering without a shred of information or proof to back any of it up. And all done with an anonymous comment. If you are going to say bad things about people then be prepared to provide some details and information to back it up or it will not be published here.
What you say may well be true, but SXM PE can't prove it and we are not interested in having people start legal action against us for anonymous comments. - Flipper
Mr. Veen, is Jadira's husband right?
For several years now I've been walking around with the idea to found the very first nonprofit nongovernmental I-don't-care foundation... got some potential right?
Care to join the board?
Looking forward to receiving a positive reply :)
-Cassie
95% of this site is conspiracy theories based. There have been some times when you've been fed info that turned out to be correct in some way or the other, but the majority are just guesses and rants of pessimists. I've predicted in the past on here that eventually you will touch everybody with unfounded rumors and inuendo and it will lead to the death of the site. (see Herald messageboad). Also, the site came to pass during a DP reign. Most of the writers etc have no clue how it was before DP's 12 year run because many have not lived here long enough. The only thing they knew was DP. So the complaints came hot and heavy, change, change, change! LOL. Ok so change came, sneaky change, but change nonetheless. So what happened next? The people who was expecting euphoria now that DP is out of power, got a wake up call and realise that THEY ARE ALL THE SAME! And the people who can influence change eventually gets caught up in the games as well. It took awhile for you people to wake up and realise that the people of SXM are not interested in holding their elected reps accountable unless that rep enters their backyard and shits in their yards.
JB
Winter's break?
Writer's block?
Which is it?
RG, Sr?
RG, Jr?
Which is it?
Or both?
Add time and money and depression on the state of things to the list and you have the reasons I think George. I'm tired of asking people to write here, for 5 years I've kept this site running at cost to me, not just financially. It has a library of 30,000 or so news stories and is a great (I think) forum and information resource for the island, but when so few people care to put any effort into supporting it then it just becomes draining. See my other comments for more.
I'll keep updating the news stories and I'll try to write a blog now and then, but I don't have the time to do more. I think Hady is just fed up and tired of how things are and LH is off island, not sure if he/she will come back. I made this site easy and open to anyone to come and write, but they all seem to prefer FB. Whateva...
Flipper
No use making an effort to write an interesting blog; this website seems pretty much dead.
Whatever happened since the good ol' times?
Flipper, LH, Hady, everyone, where art thou?
Not jumping ship are you?
From snowy Eutopia,
-Cassie
PS. I heard the new megaship STINKS! Is it really true? rotfl
I'm too busy trying to find work and pay my bills to spend much time on here nowadays, this site costs me to keep it running, donations don't cover even a small part of it. Family and bills are more important for me right now, I spend a couple hours daily as it is just keeping the news stories up to date (mind you, I'm a little behind on that right now).
I've appealed and blogged many times that we need people out there to write, its why I spend several hundred dollars of my own money on having the site rebuilt to make it very very easy for people to do. I can't do much more.
LH is off island, Hady has the same problems I have right now and can't even afford to have internet at home, as for the others I really don't know.
I said before that unless the site gets more support and input from readers it will die. I've put in about 5000 hours over the past 5 years unpaid, I can't continue to do that or I'll be sleeping on the beach.
Flipper
Very sorry to read this, Flipper.
It's always like that, you sacrifice so much and the payback just isn't coming. I'm surprised you even find the time to check the website now and then.
Heard the electricity bills are a huge problem, hope the new plant is going to change that. But on the other hand, why not look at it from a different (and positive) point of view. For these high bills are definitely a good incentive for people to start looking for other ways of getting their voltage, such as windturbines and solarpanels. Which is excellent, just not so great for the ones having a real hard time trying to make ends meet.
Anyways, I don't think I can be of any help, since I don't follow the news that well. But you know, whenever I'm on island, I'll find time and post something, alright?
How's dear ol' TO's political party getting on? Has he still got the energy? And can he find the right people? Such a small pool to fish from...
Throwing you a virtual snowball,
Cassie
TO telling his family and friends to vote for Erno Labega (DP #2) in the upcoming parlementary elections.
Nice vote of confidence for his present coalition partner, hmm eh?
Haha perfect example of political inconsistency.
So, he has completely abandoned those ideas he had earlier about founding his own political party?
Interesting, maybe he is not so comfortable anymore in gov't with the Dutchies breathing down his neck? Well, he's right, I've always thought he lacked that public spirit. But then again which islandpolitician is blessed with it?
I'm not even sure about Gracita...
Idea for a new poll: What do the parlementary elections mean to you?
a. everything
b. neutral, will vote but I attach no real importance to the PE
c. what parlementary election?
d. not sure
Best,
Cassie
If you have something to say, say it. It's somewhat of a waste if we all going to write here what we will be writing about in 2 weeks, one week, tomorrow and later today. Interesting stuff though and I look forward to it.
It seems empty and death SXM Private Eye people. What happened? I have been hangin around on this new critical blog bout sxm @ SXM Today a lot the last days, and they look like alife instead of death....
What's up? Are times changing?
SXM Today looks nice, but for me it's just a bit too much tabloidy if you know what I mean. Sure, I could make this an entertainment site but I'd rather just shut it down if that's the only way to keep people coming here.
See my other comments. Blogging here is open and free to anyone who wants to, but seems few want to, blog, or make any effort to. For almost 5 years this site has been running with the goal of encouraging interesting and intelligent discussion and debates and to write about and expose the BS that goes on that our media doesn't touch.
See my Blog from a couple months back.
Flipper
I think that SXM Today is for the younger generation, it somehow reminded me of the dutch weblog geenstijl.nl in a way... Anyways i still read here a lot, and have been doing that for years, the problem is the amount of people that like to blog, i mean this SXM Today looks busy right now but what in a couple of months from now?