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Westin Dawn Beach
Marlin: Government already cleaning up the mess
PHILIPSBURG - A Democratic Party Motion to grant concessions to two major Hotel properties has been rejected by a majority in the Island Council. Ten votes were cast on the motion tabled by former Tourism Commissioner Roy Marlin, six against and for in favor.[More....]
Concessions called for by Roy Marlin
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - DP Island Councilman Roy Marlin has submitted a motion calling on government to grant concessions to two major properties. This is being done to solve outstanding issues with both, but "is not a show of favoritism."
Presented Thursday during the Island Council the motion has three resolutions that pertain to granting incentives to the Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa and the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort.
DP: NA/Heyliger govt governing via the press
The Daily Herald - PHILIPSBURG--The National Alliance (NA)/Heyliger coalition has taken to the media in running Government. A perfect case is the debacle over the payment of room tax by The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa and Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, said Democratic Party leader Sarah Wescot-Williams.
Deputy leader of Government Commissioner Theo Heyliger had stated to the press Wednesday that he wanted the "comfort letters" exempting the two resorts from paying room tax to be honoured.
Heyliger says he wants Westin, Maho comfort letters honoured
PHILIPSBURG--Commissioner and United People's (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger wants the Island Government to honour agreements made with The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa and Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino, regarding the properties receiving exemption from paying room tax. Both resorts have "letters of comfort" from Government, outlining Government's intention to amend the Room Tax Island Ordinance in such a manner that a waiver of room taxes can be granted for brand name resort developments for a period of time. (See also DH Editorial - Keeping one’s word.) [More....]
Sonesta Maho says Govt reneged on its commitment, failed resort
The Daily Herald - MAHO--Sonesta Maho Resort, in a corporate statement on Wednesday, said government had failed the resort in its assurances to make changes to the Room Tax Ordinance over the past six years.
It said it was troubling when investors in the island, whether Sonesta Resort or Westin, could not depend on or trust commitments made by the Executive Council and promulgated by the Lt. Governor and the Island Secretary.
Roy says e-mail to put ordinance on hold ‘totally misinterpreted’
PHILIPSBURG--The Daily Herald received an e-mail Wednesday containing a memo (dated May 20) which apparently indicated that former Commissioner Roy Marlin had instructed the Legal Affairs Department (via e-mail) to put the revision of the island ordinance regulating room tax on hold because of the negative economic situation of the island and citing government’s “need” for the tax revenues. Marlin apparently sent this instruction via e-mail to the Legal Affairs department sometime in early 2009. P> When contacted, Marlin immediately provided clarification, stating that the e-mail in question had been totally misinterpreted and that it was quite obvious that certain persons were trying to paint a picture with no facts or with elaboration or claims that couldn’t be substantiated. [More....]
Frans says Roy is continuing to embarrass himself, St. Maarten
The Daily Herald - ~ Says Maho has same issue as Westin ~
PHILIPSBURG--Commissioner of Tourism Frans Richardson has chided DP Councilman Roy Marlin for “embarrassing himself and St. Maarten” in his continuous sad display of lack of responsibility in The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa saga.
While accepting the fact that government will now have to “clean up the mess” left behind by the DP government, Richardson said it was unconscionable that Marlin “had the audacity to throw civil servants under the bus” and blame them for his lack of follow-up.
"We are Not Scapegoats" ---Civil Servants ----Island Councilman Should Dance to the music.
SMNN -
Philipsburg: --- Several civil servants working for the island government of St. Maarten are angry at a newspaper article that appeared in the Daily Herald on Tuesday accusing them of not amending the room tax ordinance. The civil servants who spoke to SMN News on the condition of anonymity said that they are not scapegoats and politicians should not use them for their own political mileage or to their benefit. The civil servants contested the contents of the article by providing SMN News with the decision taken by the Democratic Party executive council on January 22 2009 to deny Westin and Sonesta Maho of the room tax waiver they promised them some four years ago. They also provided SMN News with copies of the letters sent to the resort on June 30th 2009 saying that Marlin should dance to the music and not blame them since they did not run for office. "On several occasions the elected would ask civil servants to do the impossible even though they know we can go to prison for not following the law." [More....]
DP Executive Council took decision on Westin room tax in January 09
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - On the 22nd of January 2009 during a meeting of the Executive Council, a decision was taken to decline the request by Westin for exemption from room tax based on the existing room tax ordinance.
During that same meeting the decision was also taken to also decline the request of Resort of the World's for room tax exemption also based on the Room Tax Ordinance.
Westin's Comfort Revisited
For regular readers or SXM PE it is no secret that I have a very poor opinion of Roy Marlin, between 'Respect' and 'Contempt' I most certainly lean towards the latter, with some scorn and disgust thrown in for good measure. To my mind, the only people that would vote for him are either paid off or just plain ignorant and stupid, yes that's right, if you are considering voting for this man then you are a (expletive) idiot.
So much of what is wrong with, and in, St. Maarten can be placed firmly and confidently at his doorstep, from our lack of a sewage infrastructure, the power outages, garbage treatment to the mess at VROM and ROB. It was Roy who as head of these departments who said during the Dawn Beach story that Permits are 'frivolous details', sending a message to all developers and setting the stage for the incompetence, mismanagement and possible fraud and corruption detailed in the SOAB report.
Let's have a look at the Comfort Letter to Westin from March 2005.
