St. Maarten Private Eye

As a St Maartener I am proud of all the outcries of the public to save this beautifull land. As Emilio mentiones in his interview too much foreigners have been on the island for far too long now. So long its seemingly impossible to even do without now. However we have to deal with the present and make the best of things.

Concerning the interview however I have to put things in perspective for I too have visited Mr Wilson on many occasions (including at times when Mr. Brookson was present). My belief is that Mr. Wilson indeed would have preffered the situation that the whole land would be kept up by some government body, prefferably by the queen herself. However Mr Wilson would make very clear that he would have to be compensated hansomly because he felt he had to leave the upbringings for his "hundreds of godchildren". Mr. Wilson is also a very excentric character as shines through in this interview. Emilio would love it when I or others visited him and would openly complain about other so called 'friends & family" that would not visit often enough. He knew his land put him in a special position and would use it to people's face to mess with them. I always found this to be very entertaining knowing he is a good man and would also be joking around about it after they left. Emilio's land had grown over time as a strong part of his being and identity. In this interview which has been aired on Dutch Television Emilio had a chance to out his ' beautiful personality' and well intentions. In his will however I know compensations for his family comes first.

Contrary to what the Toady keeps printing, I don't think any organisations have actually claimed that Emilio wanted to DONATE the land to the people of the island. He wanted the money, because he wanted to take care of many people in his will.

But, as he say's in the video, he wanted the Federal Govt, or the Queen to buy it, "'so's they could take good care of it".

He wanted to sell it complete and I think there are far more people who knew him who would say he didn't want it developed than Brookson can drag to the newspapers to say otherwise.

With referrence to the video, Mr Brookson indicated that he was "the one" who was responsible for the Dutch Journalist and video crew coming to SXM after one of the many Hurricanes in the late 1990's. He found it very important at the time to have Mr Wilson featured as a prominent SXM person who had a very strong and unwavering opinion. So you know, he has seen the video. Maybe not the editied version, but he full well knows about the piece, School children say so ( local phrase)
Mr. Brookson's quest to acquire part of the property is also motivated by his belief that the country owes him. All the tireless work he has done to secure second hand furniture for his school after the hurricanes. His unselfish contributions and dedication to help rebuild SXM after the storms gives him the right to a aquire a new home on the prairi with lots of graves, fruit trees and the occational displaced cow. Give this guy a pils and a study in our dissapearing culture and History.

EWE Foundation reply to Henri Brookson's letter - 2nd August 2006

Also in the news

Henri Brookson - Emilio offer to sell estate - 1st August 2006

Emilio's 'Butler' - 1st August 2006

It has also been reported that the earth over Emilio Wilsons grave has been disturbed, this is believed to be due to his spinning in it.

An excellent response to that greedy Brookson and all the rest that are in cahoots with him.

Jadira and the EWE foundation are my heroes. Keep up the good work.

I have been trying to read and understand what is going on with the Emilio Wilson Estate. Many of the articles I have read speak about a will. I think so far I have read it has been willed to his brother then he left it to a sister-in-law, a God child, I think a man named Henri brookson (put in a claim, because he was called primo), and as I continue to read on there will be others I'm sure.

Now where is the will? I mean has anyone really ever seen one? Most people would file their will through a lawyer to be read upon death. I have read Mr. Wilson's will was noterized, but by who and did they make a copy? I have many more questions but first lets see if any of these can be answered.

Well maybe one more question. If indeed it was left to his brother, then upon his brothers death wouldn't his brother's will over ride Emilio's since the property was now his?

.

Gracie,

There is a will left by Emilio naming about 16 persons to receive money if the Estate is ever sold. He did not will the estate however. Upon his death, the Estate was transferred to Granville his brother as he was the closest kin.
Brookson is not named in the will.

Brookson is not a cousin, Emilio had cousins, and he had god children.
Brookson was also not a god child. Vance James wife is one of the god children.(you don't hear her nor Vance speaking nonsense). Brookson is desperately hoping he is a cousin for people to take him seriously.

However, many people took care of Emilio, Emilio had many persons passing by to say hello, Brookson was just one of the many.

Now, upon Granville's death, he left a will, leaving the Estate to Edna Diggs.
Edna Diggs is very old and not a St.Maartener. (An American)
She in turn appointed 3 executors (more likely the executors pushed themselves on Edna Diggs when they heard the size of the Estate)
And from what the EWEF is seeing among many other people who are investigating is that the executors of Diggs are the ones scheming with Brookson and the Dutch b.v. to sell the land.

This is a very nasty greedy case, as the executors even tried to put a name on the estate last year along with Edna Diggs, the name is Marnie Weinstock.
Weinstock is a 30 year old notary clerk working in the nursing home where Granville was housed. Weinstock is not in any will, however she had heard about the estate when persons from St.Maarten went to visit Granville.

So you see, this entire saga is run by a bunch of greedy executors by the name Robert Groman, Tisman, locally Richard Gibson, Marnie Weinstock. Then the broker real estate agent Henri Brookson and his partner company with the money The Emilio Wilson Estate b.v. The b.v. wants to develop, Brookson and the executors want to cash in with the sale.

Brookson mentioning the will is only to scare the persons in the will that they will not get anything if the estate is not sold. Reason why Mr. Gumbs (TOBY) came forward with the most ludricous statements this week in the TODAY newspaper. Mr. Gumbs is man left behind in the times (read ignorant), he most probably was taken to the newspaper offices by Brookson himself.

The fact that TOBY made statements saying that the park is not used for any cultural events is a sign of his stupidness. He is not a bad person, however he is a person that can be manipulated because of his ignorance.

Gracie,

That is a good question.
I think that answer has to come from a lawyer.
Emilio's will has 14 persons named to receive money. The SXM Medical Center and the SXM home is also mentioned. Granville's will has Edna Diggs as inheriting the estate. However, it is Granville that appointed Marnie Weinstock and Edna Diggs as co-executors of his last will. Edna Diggs also has a son, Jay Diggs.
It could be that once Edna Diggs dies her son Jay will take over.

So there is a copy of Granville's will with the name of Marnie Weinstock in it? Who is this person and what relationship does this person have to Granville and Edna?

Isn't an executor a person who just over sees that the contents of the will are carried out? This person if not mentioned in the will as receiving anything really doesn't have a claim. How hard can it be to see that Edna gets the estate? I know sometimes there can be a small fee for being the excutor, but this person is a co-executor (maybe).

Jay may take over if that is Edna's wishes, however, Edna is located in the US, so that may put a new twist once she passes away.

Ahhhh, now it is all becoming quite clear.
So, Edna is really the person who needs to be bombarded with information on why the park should be preserved for our children.
Does anyone know if the Emilio Wilson Estate Foundation has contacted Edna?
I would assume that anyone holding the ownership of this property would reconsider selling if they saw the great video of Mr. Wilson's interview.
Or am I being naive?

I saw the video of Mr. Wilson. I aint quite sure when this video was made, but I want to understand it was made somewhere in 1996?

On September 5th, 1995, we had a bad hurricane on Sint Maarten called Luis. Many people lost their houses, including Mr. Wilson, who used to be living in the estate house up until then, but after the destruction of that particular house moved to what he called the "sugar factory".

After that hurricane a tent city was erected with permission of Wilson on part of his property. They never paid him any money for the use nor could they make the effort to remove the gravel they had dumped over there so people did not have to wade through the mud.

While the tent-city was there Wilson was approached by the Island Government of Sint Maarten, more specifically Dennis Richardson, then LG of this island, and Mr. William Marlin to sell the estate to the island. Mr. Wilson agreed. A handwritten contract was made. The price was 15 million guilders. How payment was to take place was not clear, but a downpayment of 100 thousand guilders was offered. Negotiations about payment after had no result and the whole sale was abandonned, mainly due to disinterest on the side of the Island Territory cause it became clear to them that Wilson was not going to take a lil something per year.

In light of the previous paragraph it is clear why Wilson wanted to sell to the Kingdom Government. He had lost all faith in whoever was in charge over here on Sint Maarten at that time. As a matter of fact he would have sold to anyone at that particular moment in time, even when that video was shot. Only one thing, wait with use until after he had departed from earthly life, because he did not want any neighbors while alive.

As for the Emilio Wilson Cultural and Historical Park Foundation and its board members putting pressure on Wilson to obtain the use of the Doctor's yard is a total mis-construction of the truth. Mr. Andre Patrick and some others wanted a small parcel of land over there to reconstitute a wattle house. the thing grew bigger..... Who was involved with what happened at that particular moment in time knows. A lot of work was put in the creation of the park and I would give jack his jacket..... it looks nice. Never mind that Wilson himself liked the place to a Disney Park, especially with all the activities going on with drinks and food being sold, noise being made and so on. He could sit out by the factory and watch whatever happened over there.

Mr. Wilson passed away and some people thought they could start grandstanding over a dead man!! Claiming they were like a "son" or a "cousin" or "whatever". That they were in charge of things. This particular writer however knows, that Wilson used to say at many occasions: "People on this island love confusion, I am going to leave them with confusion." And that is what happened.

I saw a certain Gracie asking about the will, Granville and a certain Marty Weinstock. Was it not azaming that Granville was the only black man in a home that was and is entirely dedicated to the care of senior Jewish citizens in that part of New Tork called Rockaway. The man was desperate for good treatment. The had put him out before, but he had pushed his way back in. An amazing feat for a man that old. After the home found out what was in story for Granville they cushioned him and pampered him, and Granville did not care one bit about whatever was in Sint Maarten. He was never going to sell it or do whatever with it and enjoy the fruits. But it worked well for him to be more comfortable until his death. May the man rest in peace. There is no blame to him.

Anyway, from a legal point of view whoever is now heir to the property has to obide by the original will and pay out the money to whomever was left money in that will, because after all all they are successors to Emilio Wilson and that was his WILL.

This particular writer used to know Mr. Wilson pretty well, had his confidence and knew exactly what was going on. Even this writer was named in that will and he was approached by people to transfer his claim on the estate to A foundation so that they could use force against Brookson, the island goverment and the company that wants to develop. This writer declined to be involved with that, because he feels that whatever needs to happen will happen. If the bequest that was made to him would be paid out some time in the future..fine, of not, it is ok as well. Never asked the man to give me anything!!!

What gets me sick however is all the grandstanding that is going on. The games that are being played, while the solution is so simple. The Island Territory has all the power and should therefore buy it. Funding can not be that difficult to get once a price is agreed. The property is excellent for expansion of the park, the erection of sports-facilities, a real center for cultural events, like the cultural center we have on Backstreet, a public swimming pool, while at the same time creating a park environment. All people of this island would be able to enjoy the estate, and I am sure that would have been what Wilson meant in the video by stating that the Kingdom Government would take good care of the place, it not being used by some nuts for personal gain or glory.

I rest my case

For your informative comment, this site is about communication, information, discussion and debate and your post fits in very well.

It is my understanding that the video was shot around 1992, as the old house was severely damaged in Luis in 95. For those who haven't seen it, this is what it looks like now.

I now understand this video is from 1992. This puts it in an even different perspective, because in 1992 no hurricane had passed. Still however at the end of 1995 Wilson signed a contract with the island for the sale of his property. Now what remains of the claim that he wanted it left for the people of this island? He obviously stated in that interview that he wanted the Kingdom Government to take care of it, more likely than not because he had no faith in his fellow Sint Maarteners who used to visit him by droves to see what they could get.....

People keep discovering heaps of stones on private properties that are to be developed and then claim they are overawing historical relics that should be saved for eternity. Hmmmm..... it is more like we have a historical maffia at work here trying to block people from doing what they want with their land. At least I would call it a little hypocritical, because no one ever thought it fit to do something about it before.

One thing is overridingly clear. If you want to preserve certain parts and tracts of land and water for prosperity do not swindle the owners out of their property or possibilities to develop it, but BUY it so that you yourself can determine that it is for preservation.

After all: that is only fair!

I have posted a reply on Page 2

LINK FIXED!

I don't know Emilio Wilson and i have never met him.

From what read and the information that i've seen and heard, i can only draw one conclusion - Emilio WIlson told people what they wanted to hear. Now he's got what he wants:

EVERYBODY's CONFUSED.

He gave an interview to a DUTCH journalist how he wants the Queen to buy the land. C'mon guys??? He's an old man chatting and having fun, can't you see that?

As for the EWF, keep up the good job. Brookson gives us one side and EWF gives us the other.

I would be happy with a middle solution.

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LH