St. Maarten Private Eye - Corruption

SXM Island Govt Falls

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:10:18 -0800

The blog post about Laveist going independent his filled up a bit and I have the feeling this is going to be a hot story this coming week. Monday's always a good day to start off fresh :)

Laveist seems to think he is in a powerful position. I really can't imagine the NA working with him, it would be really really dumb. I suspect a deal will be made between the two parties, or with another DP member leaving as suggested in a news report on SXM Island Time.

Oh, and big Welcome to Parliament too, glad you could join us. :)

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Will Laveist resign?

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:58:31 -0800

Unfortunately I haven't been able to scan the news item in the Saturday Herald as of yet, I'll try to get it up in the next day or two. It reported that Laveist wasn't too happy about his portfolios being reassigned and gave no indications that he will be resigning. I guess that may mean the IC meeting scheduled for Monday could be interesting.

The previous post about Laveist's arrest can be found here, along with older news reports so far.

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Louie Laveist Arrested

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:15:55 -0800

Commissioner Louie Laveist was arrested this morning around 9am, Wednesday 22nd October 2008, it is unclear from news reports if he was arrested at home, or as he arrived for work. Lou Lou is apparently being investigated in a forgery investigation concerning a Venezuelan woman, could it possibly be this one from back in 2005? If so, then I imagine it's possible Lt. Governor Richards is being investigated too? Certainly it would make things interesting wouldn't it?

The smoke from Lou Lou been going on a long time and you know what they say about where there is smoke there is a fire. Indian Merchants tell me today that they estimate donations to Louie's New Hope Foundation to be close $250,000 over the past few years. Can anyone tell me what exactly this foundation has been doing, apparently they help drug addicts but I never hear of their work. That's where the conflict with Boasman comes in, either Boasman wanted a piece of the action or he decided to start playing it straight like any sensible person would in these times. And lets not forget about the bus licenses, meant for the local small businessman, but now something that brings in a monthly rent for whoever owns it. Sheds some light on the crappy public transport system we have doesn't it.

I've collected together the most recent news and most of the blog posts that have been written about Lou Lou over the past few years below, for your refreshment :) - Dr. Voodoo

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Chief Inspector Alfred 'Churchill' Marsden RIP

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:30:41 -0800

It's been reported that Chief Inspector Alfred 'Churchill' Marsden was killed in a helicopter accident Tuesday night. Our condolences to his family and that of the other victim, Mike, or Micheal.

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TI's List

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:40:07 -0700

Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It hurts everyone whose life, livelihood or happiness depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority.

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Three Wise Men??

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:05:37 -0700

Can someone tell me who these supposed Three Wise Men are? Seems debatable to me.

Will Leroy take up a place on the Exco and would that set the stage for a possible repeat conflict drama with his sister as acting Lt Governor?

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Jet Set Roy

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:08:45 -0700

Poor Roy again displays his ignorance when it comes to the definition of proper governance, accountability and public service. It matters not a bit if Roy has been traveling on private jet on govt business or not, certainly if on govt business then it's a disgrace, but hardly surprising from 'The Man' if true. More importantly though, if he has been taking private jet trips then there needs to be some accountability and public information about who paid for such trips, or who the jets belong to.

Roy is quite wrong, as an elected public servant his private life is not private, having come into office with very little, Roy is now suspected of involvement in numerous business interests and property ownerships. Healthy democracy requires safeguards against big money being able to influence and buy political favor, for example, giving a company permits and exemptions in exchange for work on your house. Roy needs to account for his 'private life', it's part of being a public servant.

Frans: Roy flying private jet while island in dire straits - 29th July 2008

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Good governance and transparency = New Status

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:50:11 -0700

PPA Leader talks about conflict of interest
Written by Gracita R. Arrindell
Wednesday, 11 June 2008 19:16

We read with great interest the news reports and the editorials concerning the public spectacle at the Island Council meeting Monday considering the clearly impermissible and improper conduct by Commissioner Maria Buncamper-Molanus and her spouse.

However, the most disappointing part of the meeting was the continuing role of the Lt. Governor who uses every opportunity to prevent and delay any effort to call the DP to order.

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Loor is a free man again

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:49:01 -0700

The Daily Herald reports that former police commissioner Marcel Loor is a free man again.

The Joint Court of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba ordered Loor's immediate release from prison after it established in a closed-door session on Wednesday afternoon that he was eligible for early release for good behaviour.
(...)
Loor (39) was sentenced in the Court of First Instance in November 2007 to four years in prison for forgery, bribery, tax evasion and money laundring.

Quit Imagining; Maria is no Hillary !!!!

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:39:39 -0700

“True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders” -Robert Townsend, taken from Maria campaign material

In my short life I have seen some strange political suicides. But nothing can be compared with the bombshell that Commissioner Maria Buncamper Molanus finally dropped in her own lap. In addressing the matter of her glaring conflict of interest, she claimed she was going to deal with fraud and embezzlement from top to bottom at TELEM.

Has Commissioner Buncamper now sunk to blackmail? Bottom line: too many listeners agree that her revelations convinced the public that she had prior knowledge of wrong doing at TELEM, but she is now using it as a lifeline.

Question: If indeed such information exists, then should they be in the possession of the Commissioner? Shouldn’t they be in the hands of the public prosecutor or, better yet, Ministry of Justice or the police?
Question: Why has the leader of government chosen to say nothing about the Commissioner’s accusations? Why has she not denied those allegations?

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Laveist's Foundations under investigation

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 06:11:51 -0700

Remember Grand Getaway Vacations and their $50,000 donation to Laveist's New Hope Foundation? It would seem those rumors we heard about a top politician questioned by police had more truth to them than we we were told.

Grand Getaway was apparently sold last year and was in the news this past March with rumors of a reopening. I think it might be a bit more difficult to bring in their own workers this time with all the scrutiny.

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Mr Good Governance? Sky is the Limit and Telem Donation

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:33:31 -0700

Time and time again, sketchy deals and outright disrespect from the EXCO towards the opposition and the public when it comes it what should be public information is condoned by Mr. Richards. I've tried to convince myself that he is impartial and has integrity, but this latest issue has wiped any hopes I had left away.

Repeatedly writers on here have questioned whether he is capable of walking the walk, and it seems clear, at least to me, exactly on which side of the fence he stands, because he certainly isn;t sitting on the fence in the middle. I mean, really, the best this man could come up with to stop people using phone cameras to sell their votes was to have them switch them off before going in the voting booth.

Anyway, all the news clippings from the past week covering the Sky is the Limit donation issue are below. Feel free to share your thoughts and vote in my poll.

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