St. Maarten Private Eye

It is without doubt that some DP members would prefer that the EWE story stayed out of the public eye, they would rather have us being grateful for a new roundabout and parking along the pondfill. Riiiiight!. I never noticed signs like that when the other roundabouts, roads and parking lots were built. Misuse of govt funds?

SXM PE managed to catch a discussion last week on EWE on the new Eldridge Van Putten radio show The Real Deal and we also obtained permission to post it online. It fully deserves to be heard by more people than those few of us up at midnight. Guests were Wilhelm Patrick and Denico Brison.

Right click and open in another window to listen and then join me below for more.

EWE discussion pt 1 - Eldrige van Putten show - 1st February 2007

EWE discussion pt 2 - Eldrige van Putten show - 1st February 2007

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For those who haven't read it, click here for Henri Brookson's contract with EWE BV, there is more than mentioned on the show, for example how Herni would become an equal partner in EWE BV and recieve $6000 monthly as an advance, on the 6% sales commission he would get for approximately 190 lots of land.

Henri arranged for the BV to provide him an interest free loan of $300,000, with which he would purchase part of the estate for himself, 5.6 hectares of it, including the Philips House, land around it and the EWE Park land. 5.6 hectares is almost 14 acres, 56.000 sq meters, this equals a price of about $5.36 per sq meter.

Millionaire indeed. One can only wonder what the other participants in 'facilitating' this project were lined up to receive. EWE Bv themselves told us themselves, Lt. Governor Franklin Richards was very enthusiastic, in particular with the idea of a new Lt. Governor House and even picked out the spot up near the top. The Exco were also greatly enthusiastic with the plan, offering full co-operation and presenting terms and conditions. (We do not have a copy of that document.)

It was public outrage and protest that stopped it, but only after Roy pleaded for us all not to get emotional and Theo tried to pin the bad guy badge on the opposition, from when the situation on the island and with the property was quite different. With no record of protecting the heritage of the island, poor Theo digs up an old proposal which was mainly driven by the need for emergency homes after Hurricane Luis in 95. Actually, the DP do have a record on Heritage and it's not a very good one, we are still waiting on legistlation to protect monuments after all. How many years is it now?

Naturally, I have to mention Fort Amsterdam to add emphasis to my point.

Mr Brison on the radio doesn't think that the court case being postponed on request of the BV this past week has anything to do with the elections. I am not so sure, how about you?

For those who haven't seen it, click here to see the Mr. Emilio Wilson Video where he states he wanted the property to become a park. Also, here is the Govt EWE permit refusal letter, it is in Dutch.

(Translation welcome, or at least a brief overview, anyone with time and ability, please post it in a comment below the document.)

Much more can be found in the Emilio Wilson Estate & Park Thread

LH

(PS - The radio recording continued into discussing Dawn Beach, this is will be posted in a new blog post later tonight.)

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