St. Maarten Private Eye

Maybe what we can do in the next one is give you the option to vote for 1st, 2nd and 3rd?

I hear rumors today thet Mr. Buncamper, previously of the DP party has submitted a 'Wish List" of what the DP can do to make up for not giving him the ROB job. I understand one of those wishes is a restaurant on Mullet Bay Beach and that Theo is involved too.

St Maarten people really need to wake up, a grass roots movement is needed.

Welcome Observer, hope you share your thoughts with us now and then.

Flipper

Thank you for welcoming my views. I shared my views with the DH and Today, and what do you know Today ran the letter on Friday in its entirety.

Flipper, I also sent it to you, so maybe it can be posted somewhere under transport matters.

I'm all for anything that improves this island, and the bus drivers are definitely out of control and ruling our roads.

It's a hard call whether Laveist should meet with a loose group of illegal gyspy drivers. But once again the bus drivers are picking the eyes out of the work and ignoring unprofitable routes like Suckergarden Rd. The gypsies would not be there if we had some bus regulation.

I don't want to be too hard on all the bus drivers. It's an economic problem that should be addressed at government level. The SHTA's suggestion (among others) of bigger buses is ludicrous. Bigger buses will just mean more work for a few and the smaller buses will keep following them into town empty.

What do you think?

PS: If you want I can post the letter to the editor that was published by Today.

Thanks for the space and forum to air our views. I check it every day now and enjoy reading the intelligent and constructive commentary.

Rumours are nearly always true! I hope the people of Sxm wake up and SEE that it's just a selective group of people is getting ahead, that's DP members, friends and family. IIt's time too Vote these corrupted politians out of office, because there all for themselves and not for the people of Sxm. So I do hope the PEOPLE vote them out of Government on May 27 2007.

THe Island of Sxm need a change for the better and not for the worse!

My suggestion is dont only write about it but go ahead and educate the people and motivate them to go out next year and vote people in who they consider capable and knowledagble and not because it is their friends or family. Hope to see you around when you are trying to educate the people. Maybe we might meet each other

Some will say that Gracita is one of the few who shows real signs the integrity and education that is desperately needed. But who else is there? The NA? William is really not much different than Sarah IMHO, they don't really have much interest in reforming the government system and putting in checks and balances because they feel it's going to be their turn next to drive the Gravy Train.

It needs grass roots as flipper said above, change will only come if people demand it and SXM is in desperate need of heros who put the islands future ahead of their own. There must be some out there who have the balls and brains to see that they are needed and to answer the call.

And the PPA and Gracita really need to buck themselves up and start working for the votes they need now, not next year 3 months before the election. The environment and zoning, wages and health care, poilce and crime, education and a reformed tax system should all be issues that people use to decide their votes and by talking about and educating them about it, as this site clearly tries to do is the first step. The cycle of voting for whomever will give the most for the vote has to be broken, selling your vote for a chicken leg and tshirt, or a permit or licence has got to be broken.

Mojo

Mojo, I agree 100% with your statement. But how do you get the people to come out. The society is so small and many of them are afraid to come out. You hear them all during the radio call in's but who rerally wants to come out and take a stand. The activists needs to come together and try to educate the community if tomorrow we wants to see a change in government. I just had an encounter with some one who recently got his dutch passport and he said he vote for Pantoplet becuase through his help he got his papers. So the reason for voting for the man is to return a favor and not because he is capable to do the job. If we have voters with this type of mentality where do we go from here. You tell me

I agree with you, but in order too reach the people you have to have a GOOD strategy in place so that you can convince these type of people. Because there deadheart DP members / voters out there that wants too jump the ship, but it will take alot of time and energy. As I said before with a GOOD strategy it will work. In Gracita's case she can use her professional skills and honesty and she will get the votes she needs. I am not there on the Island but I will be supporting her from the Nl. I personally feel she can make a change for this Island. Because the PPA which she is the leader, is the only party that has a programme in place for the future of Sxm. While the DP party programme is lying, corruption and stealing from the people of Sxm. Its time too take these CROOKS out of Government and replace them with qualified people who can take sxm to another level in live! My advice to the people of sxm is vote for CHANGE, and that is change for the better and not for the worse.
For years the people of sxm are putting DP in government when they are just helping there self, but only when there is elections they are ready to fool and mislead the people. Otherwise they're just looking out for a selective group! The people have to change their mentality and stop voting for politicians that help them with papers or whatever, and vote for people that can represent the Island, and that is qualified people. We are not living in the times when Claude Wathey was in Government. This is a NEW generation and The Island NEEDS new people with new and BETTER ideas.

Bless

Give us the name of the award and the nominees and we will put it up.

Mailing them out soon, copies will be posted here.

To those who voted, thank you. We will be setting up a page for users to make submissions on the 2006 Award catagories and nominees soon

Local Hero