St. Maarten Private Eye

I don't want to say too much right now, last time I did things didn't go as I hoped. But there are plans in action to rebuild this site very soon and it will have a gift store, with t-shirts and polo shirts, hats, bumper stickers etc.

Stay tuned.

Flipper

Hey Flipper, whatever happened to the donations options, I have searched but am not seeing any form or means, what's up with it ?

It's a long story and really one I don't want to go into too much, basically we had problems with the person who set up the Pay Pal account in the US and we decided to terminate the arrangement. The problem I'm working on now is how to set up this site with bank accounts and Pay Pal without revealing who I am. While I may not be the biggest critic and writer here, I have said plenty that has probably made me some enemies and just owning the site increases that likelyhood, because I'll be blamed for what others write too. I think I've found a solution and I hope by the end of the year I can put it in place.

The work to rebuild the site has started and someone is working on my ideas and designs on a mirror site. There are some delays, figuring out what to do with everything already here is one, how to transfer it or if to leave it all as a frozen record and start fresh. For me one of the big draws and service to the SXM community is having a comprehensive news library, the DH shows no sign of moving into the 21st century with their site, and SXM Pages has redesigned and the links to old Today articles that they published no longer work.

Designing a content management system to file and store news stories, blogs, photos and articles into an easy to search through database is a big job. It also needs to be easy and simple to do, be it a website link, photo or newspaper image, I want to make it possible for users to do this. I would like the new SXM PE to be up to date and this means I need to basically hire people to do the daily chores and scanning stories. A system when users can earn points for posting news is one idea, points that can be exchanged in the SXM Store or for purchases online with SXM PE Pay Pal. I hope to find some students to do this, perhaps SXM PE can give them Community Service points, lol. We will see.

Just wanted to reassure you, the new SXM PE is coming and the T-Shirts too.

If anyone does want to make a donation it would be welcome and helpful, but it would have to be cash, discrete and I'd need to know where it was coming from before I arranged someone to go get it. I'd rather wait until I have the finance management and accounts and new site up. We would like in the future to run SXM PE ad campaigns in the local press, not just for the site, but on specific issues too. Excess income of the site will shared, donating to local NGO's and their projects, books to the library and other similar things for the community. An investor would be ideal really, it would certainly make things move along quicker, but it would not include influence over the management of the site, just a repayment of the loan or percentage of income.

And there again, we have the matter of my security and others who play a part, I know there are powerful people out there who don't like SXM PE, I know there are also loyal 'supporters or associates' of those people who might not be savory and 'nice'. All it takes is one politician, like say Sarah Palin, to stir up the mob and the shouts of "kill him" or "traitor" start. Big money, power and egos are threatened by SXM PE, politicians, developers, real estate agents and more, it's risky business, at least in places like SXM.

But you know what, it doesn't have to be like that and I think SXM PE is helping change it. Our community need a forum where we can have intelligent and thoughtful debate, share ideas and information and to do so with out fear. The news library is our history and it also enables us to hold our government, whichever party it may be, now or in the future, accountable. At least that's what I think. If no one ever took risks in life for the things they care about then we would be in a totally different world.

Flipper

oke, I now have read the post tiltled "donations" and understand the situation. Anyhow, you guys are doing a great job that is very much appreciated. I saw the article and browsed and did want to make a donation, but I will be patient until you give the green light.

Good luck.

Flipper -- let us know when we can make more contributions as I for one, check out the site daily and find it's crucial for a place like SXM where speaking your mind can land you in rough spots.

Please keep up the good work! Many out there do appreciate your and the rest of the blogger's efforts!

that is why I asked ref the pay pal thing. I am not seeing any buttons to the top right of any page. Maybey I am one who does not read properly but guide me flipper, where is the darn button ? LOL.