St. Maarten Private Eye

I thought we should put a reminder about two other Dawn Beach videos online on You Tube. The first was made in October last year and was the first attempt we here at SXM PE made with these photo videos.

SXM PE Blog Video - The Death of Dawn Beach

Also there is a one minute section of Dwight Barran's WIP episode on Dawn Beach, where environmentalists were confronted on the public beach and asked what their business was. I will write to Dwight and see if we can get the whole program.

Dwight Barran - WIP - Dawn Beach Westin - Environmental Criminals?

Flipper

The place looks like a prison compound.

I must congratulate the sxm-pride foundation for that exellent presentation of the destruction of the dawn beach. When you see this presentation and pressure exercise by an organization one can see and understand the value of its existence. I commend Jadira and her team for a job well done and I do hope that other organizations also bring their issues to the forefront as clear and real as is presented today by this video. We are confronted today with many issues which affect this society but few of us has the courage to be so bold and explicit as the sxm-pride foundation. Again a job well done and continue to expose the truth no matter who is involved. It is all about protecting Sint Maaerten and its people.

Hen Ling Soon

Thank you Mr. Soon.
I would like to thank the person that made the video, this person used the proper words so well to describe the destruction to the pond which had birds, crabs and fish.
All pictures were taken at the Dawn Beach before and during the destruction of the pond.
I am mentioning this so that no-one can say that pictures from elsewhere were incorporated in the video.
From this video it is also clear that a pond exisited there, a pond that had wildlife, so there should be no more arguments as to this pond was dirty water and that it was not really a pond, all arguments used by persons who were looking for an excuse to destroy for the sake of money.
That pond was a natural water catchment from the hills, it could easily have been incorporated into a island.caribbean style development.
The heavy equipment or earth movers driving on the beach very close to the waterline, along with the washing of the cement bucket in the Atlantic ocean also raises concerns in regards to the beach policy.
When one looks at the abundant greenery that Dawn Beach had on the old site and compare to what it is today, it is clear to see that the developers Columbia Sussex do not appreciate the natural Caribbean, they have no respect for our beach and the reef.
They have no respect for their neighbors as a sewage plant which produces noise is located along with a container warehouse in the view of many residents.
The residents who previously had ocean views overlooking Dawn Beach is also gone.
St.Maarten leaders have to immediately start to realise that they are killing the golden egg, the very thing that attracts visitors to St.Maarten is being destroyed .Zoning has to be implemented, hindrance laws and building permit laws have to be modernised.
Large developments such as hotels/condo high rises should all be required to submit an independant environmental impact assesment.
This EIA should have the local stakeholders (environmental and heritage) involved in the study.
The list is long in order to create a environmental friendly island, but it can be done with political will and the awareness of the people.

Jadira ,your video made me cry,it was like looking live at a killing field .Very powerfull video and the music too is compelling.

I cannot understand how this destruction can continue going on , and the proper government officers stand by idle.

How sad!! Very very sad.
It makes you wonder when and if ever the governement will stand up and say STOP! What a shame!

The slauter keeps going on undisturbed.

your friend ,Maria

Dear Jadira,
Besides a policy what we need is qualified workers. Govt should have assigned a local environmental inspector to be part of the construction team. He should have been there on a daily basis in order to ensure that the work is done within the scope of his profession. Govt should also demanded that Westin pays the salary of this inspector during the construction period. The sad thing about this is that the other day the inspector of the Public Works went to stop a man to extend his property by 2 ft. This mans house was located on some hillside where I can assure you that people would not like to go unless it is a must. Why would an inspector make such a effort to go over there while left and right people are violating all our environmental laws. This is the problem. The laws of this land are not being applied as it should. As they say here many times it is not what you know but who you knows. NeverthelessI looking forward for some better days.
Hen ling

& now? something similar happening in Red Pond! and we all let it happen!

I had a dream, a horrible dream that a hurricane...a bad bad hurricane hit the Dawn Beach westin and it was destroyed. The owners were secretly glad to see it happen. The smart owners of the Westin built it to fail and had Insurance policies to cash in on when it happened. Is this a premonition or a dream?

Some friends went snorkeling off Dawn Beach a couple of weeks ago, the reef was already in serious decline and nothing has changed. It's hard to compare without photos from before, but they report that alot of coral is dead or appears to be dying.
This was already occuring, bleaching, global warming etc, just a difference of a degree or two over several months can spell doom for a reef. Without this reef, the beach is unprotected. Dawn Beach is also on the side of the island where most hurricanes come from.

I would say your dream is likely to come true. One option Westin may have is to install biorock reefs.

It is my understanding that there is no law on SXM that makes having insurance mandatory. I wonder who has insured Westin, if at all. If the place gets trashed in the next major storm as many of us think, will we end up with ruins ala Mullet Bay?

Time will tell, eh?

Flipper

from what I hear there is no insurance for Westin.
government don't make it mandatory like it is in the French side of SXM

Insurance is mandatory there and building permits are not issued without it, specially fo public buildings.
Investors are protected in the event anything happens to the construction site or the developper runs away with the money.
The Ducth side( if wants to gain credibility) should follow his French counterpart on many issues.

I found this little video on YouTube of Dawn Beach before Westin got their grubby hands on it. It's only 30 seconds long sadly, but thought you all might like to see it.

Dawn Beach, St. Maarten video clip