St. Maarten Private Eye

Monday 9th October 2006

Front Page - Two people arrested locally in an International drug bust, Health Minister decides to give SMMC a bigger budget, and Genevieve de Weever School wins youth constitutional competition.
Editorial - Bar serves trust.
Page 3 - Photos of youth competition and American boat owners fined.
Page 4 - ‘Double for your trouble’ prayer meeting and Sundial School uses a donation to buy hospitality text books.
Page 5 - Fogging starts, the USM wants to attract more regional students and a gospel show.
Page 6 - 35 people enrole for an education conference at USM and SXM featured in BET reality show.
Other Pages - A commission is on the island to evaluate sports, on the French side, KLM improves it's website and the results of the Coastal Cleanup. Also half a page about the Governor's Sundial Culinary Ambasador appointment and another half page about the opening of RBTT's Little League.
Letters - Gerard Bijnsdorp -Roundabout Roy and the 'Sucker' Gardener. Also one from a teacher and a Statia politician.
Notes:
Nothing special, except the story about Sundail school getting a donation to use to buy text books on Hospiatlity. I mean seriously people, this is an island where our economy rests on tourism, you'd think our schools whould have the text books to study in the field. The failures in connecting education and labor to provide a future for the island's children are starkly laid out.

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Tuesday 10th October 2006

Front Page - SVB sees an increase ahead,, smaller islands and Dutch start mini summit, a private security guard foils a jailbreak and a collapsing road in Dutch Quarter will be fixed.
Editorial - Wake up call
Page 3 - Dutch Minister Nicolaï updates Parliament on direct relations process, Frans Richardson plans meeting to address youth violence and a French side union rep is fined for biting a Gendarme.
Page 4 - The struggling Landsloterij offers a 500,000 prize and a big Pre SXM Day show is planned.
Page 5 - Bus drivers give their proposal to Laveist, a boutique hotel and villas are planned for Cay Bay and it is also Mental Health Day.
Page 6 - AA plans to step up it's service in December and FAJ officials focusing on
stronger ties between islands.
Other pages - Inmates no are longer striking, , Reed is back as ‘Chief Chef’, Westin damages TelEm cable, Atlantis Casino generator catches fire and the French side has lots of garbage.
Letters - .Someone is concerned about new developments at Oyster Pond, someone else asks why are men abusive and Gracita's mini novel as printed in the Today on Monday.
Notes
Straight from the developers mouth we get an article about Cay Bay, it may have just been copied straight from Century 21's website. Great reporting folks!

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Wednesday - 11th October 2006

Front Page - Robbers beat up and throw gasoline on man, number plate prices likely to go down, a dangerous dog was shot by the police and a convicted criminal in Curacao dissapears after being freed on suspension from jail.
Editorial - Kudos and a challenge.
Page 3 - Airlines, handling agents revive a local association and an article about a meeting in St. Lucia on the new US passport requirements.
Page 4 - Mini summit ends today and a 'lurker' is caught.
Page 5 - Haviser starts archeologocal work at Fort Amsterdam, Scotia Bank supports the fight against AIDS and a local dance group appear on BET.
Page 6 - French Mayor tells people not to expect a bed of roses with new status.
Other pages - Union and hospital to meet over cost of living payout, a customer was attacked after leaving the bank, youth organisations meet the new FAJ President, local dancers visit NY dance school and an article about crimes in cyberspace.
Letters - Gerard Bijnsdorp rightly tells Gracita that her letters are too long, an interesting letter about immigration vs the people, a Christian man seeks same for fight against devil, Beacon Hill owners thank Roy for upgrading their road (And the Quality Teachers letter that appeared in the Today on Monday and Tuesday)
Notes:
Nothing special worth mentioning.

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Thursday 12th October 2006

Front Page - The smaller islands make their escape from sinking SS Netherlands Antilles, the PM say's the agreement should be hailed as an inspiration and Curacao is here to talk about monetary matters.
Editorial - Congratulations!
Page 3 - Education conference can position St. Maarten on map, a group of women are honored for their role in the fight for womens rights and issues and the SXM Housing Development Foundations starts evictions.
Page 4 - The police and RST solve the Tejada murder case, dance group Adrenaling win 2nd place on BET and the collapsing road is getting repaired.
Page 5 - The small islands speak of a 'good compromise'
Page 6 - Health Minister optimistic about health issues with Dutch, French Side officials to vote on abatoir and other things and the FS will also be enforcing the new smoking ban.
Other pages - The Police Report, Panneflek goes on patrol, another local group in a competition, Jaycees return from a conference, a fundraiser for the Sea Rescue, Pantophlet questions use of Dutch technical assistance and 275 participate in EWE hike.
Letters - .Gracita sends kisses back to Bijnsdorp, a student has some questions for the Head of Immigration, someone asks what happened to Safe Haven, Mike Ferrier has tried to counter Gracita over Caravanserai, prison workers are wished a Happy Prison Workers Day and there is some advice for the SVB.
Notes:
Lucky Bastards! - I think many people here are wishing they could get the same deal with Holland too, the future of SXM is in the hands of people who care about power and selfish agenda's, they use nationalism and pride as a stick to keep others in line.

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Friday 13th October 2006

Front Page - Dutch Minister makes clear the agreement with the small islands can’t be fiddled with, Curaçao PCCA decides on monetary union proposals, an SXM Lottery player wins big and another old house is gone.
Editorial - Homestretch unity
Page 3 - Roy Marlin announces plans for an infrastructure fund, Voodoo items are found on Belair Beach, the PCCA will get an update on monetary talks today and the French Senate will examine the new Organic Law.
Page 4 - Safe Haven gets a donation and the Prosecutors Office may be probed.
Page 5 - Ocean Care get their Biorock project underway, 300 turn up for French side job dating and there will be a reduction of tax surcharge next year.
Page 6 - The Marine Park law proposal is ready and Sarah tells us the society should not accept bad behavior.
Other pages - French Water agrees to 25 percent discount, the prosecutors office and ROB are to step up inspection of premises and there are plans for a big brother/sister programme to tackle youth violence. The government is playing a Hurricane program tonight, an award winning comedian is booked for Laugh till Belly Burst and you can vote for a Curacao entry to a pagent online. The Methodist Church celebrates an anniversary, WIB launches a new card again, Laviest say's no agreement on Buses proposal and the SHTA plans to tackle the environment at next talks. The Explorer of the Seas gives old beds to the SXM Red Cross, Air Caribes moves into the old French side Museum building, Prosecutor De Vrieze tells us the Police and RST have a healthy working relationship and there is no money for a DARE programme in St. Maarten.
Letters - .Gracita gives reply to Ferrier - 12th October 2006
Notes:
Front page for a lottery winner, an article which was basically written by the company, they are a big advertizer you know. It has a bizzare quote, go check it out.
As for the article about Roy's plans for an infrastructure foundation, he mentions a company called DHV which will be looking at the island's traffic planning, perhaps they should be asked about Laveist's plans to make a deal with buses and taxis, this is related no?

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Saturday 14th October 2006

Front Page - Anoother boat sinks in Great Bay, spilling 300 litres of diesel, the price of which will come down on Monday, unions get together to fight for the children of the abused woman who stabbed the father to death and the islands play 'Cat and Mouse' over monetary union.
Editorial - A cry for help
Page 3 - Saba police start night patrols and a car is reported stolen with a baby inside it.
Page 4 - (Continuation os monetary union story.)
Page 5 - SVB implements new
registration procedures and the Junior Tourism Minister competition is on Sunday.
Page 6 - The French side Municipal Council approves the abatoir and a recycling waste point and the participants at the recent education conference say it was highly successful.
Other pages - First Caribbean Bank continues to give back to the community, the Rotaract Club gives a presentation, Insel Air borrows borrows a plane - 14th October 2006 and the Womens Awareness Movement holds a Retreat. The St Lucia Associations on each side of the island thinks it might be a good idea to merge, Laveist wants a big contingent at next Carifesta, former PM Ys says there is Room for negotiation with the Dutch and the judge gives owners time to fix sewerage problems.
Letters - .We are told by a Dr. Dottin that without the 'Lifegiver' our lives have no value, Chamba Chada hits the nail on the spot when he asks people what is best for St. Maarten, Status Apart or Commune of Holland. Loepold James has a word for Neville York about the new culture policy, Dave Levenstone in Saba sets the facts straight and someone is tired of the Sun Color building runaround.
Notes:
Nothing much of interest, except the unions/children story which I have commented on in the Today page. Personnally I'd rather gas prices stay where they are and any extra income used to prepare the island for renewable energy, but thats just me. It's so much harder to raise prices than lower them and does a few cents a litre really make much of a difference to individual drivers. OK, bus drivers and Taxi's yes, but they should have meters and fares that can be adjusted as and when required.