St. Maarten Private Eye - Development and Construction

Badda Bing to you too!

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:43:58 -0700

It's been no big secret that very little scrutiny is given to big money investors in SXM, so todays article in the Today about the Rainbow Spat between the Erato Family and a Mr. Iodice is no surprise either. I can't find it, but it has been mentioned on here before that there is also an apparent friendly relationship between the Erato sons and the sons of convicted Bonanno capo Louis 'Ha Ha' Attanasio.

I wonder how 'Da Bosses' feel about this publicity?

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Spatial Planning - Govt offices full.

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:14:28 -0700

The only way this study will be of any use to the island is if it is published, fully and unedited and undoctored, online, for the public to see, the students promise to so. Our govt has resisted zoning, environmental and spatial planning for decades and there are plenty of studies and reports, on development, education, crime and many other issues, that have been ignored or kept out of the public domain, we don't need another.

I look forwards to reading it and hearing more about their 'jollifications'.

Daily Herald Editorial - What’s the hold-up? - 25th July 2008

Dutch students on spatial development study - 24th July 2008

Dutch team to help with Spacial planning - 24th July 2008

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The Economy, Energy and Development

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:11:42 -0700

It was just over a year ago that I wrote a blog about the SXM condo market being past it's prime. Less than two weeks afterwards the island's Economic Affairs Dept reported a positive assessment of the real estate market with a nice big bold headline. Remarkable coincidence eh?

Just like in the US, where Dubya and McSame are trying to convince the public that everything is just fine and that really, it's mainly psychological and people whinging, if only people would think positive then things would look better, we have the same here. Only problem is, the facts keep intruding.

SXM economy to be stable next 2 years - 24th May 2008

Maria: Island's economy successful and resilient - 25th March 2008

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The New Govt Building

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:06:21 -0700

Some of you may remember that is was Louie Laveist who was the main spokesperson and Exco member in charge of the New Government Building in Philipsburg. Informed sources tell me that 'Pinnochio" Roy has now taken over.

Why? Well, I don't know all the details, but I'll tell you what I have heard below....

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The 2.9 Million Nafs Fish Market

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:22:42 -0700

It's been over 14 months since the much hyped Fish Market in Simpson Bay was officially opened by Sarah,, the Fishermen were so enthusiastic and happy about it. Total coincidence of course that this was all so close to the elections. This project was to include 17 market stalls, six restaurants, four office spaces and a bar overlooking the lagoon.

Today it stands empty, while Roy may well be right that there areno liens on the property (who can be sure with this govt?), it also appears to be correct that there are no tenants either. Yeah, sure, the fishermen use part of it to sell their catch, but the units themselves are empty and weeds are pushing up through the brick pavements and flowerbeds. Heckofajob eh!

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Inaction in Action - EWE

Mon, 26 May 2008 22:10:59 -0700

Late last week the Today had a wonderful little O & C article about EWE, bringing it back into the public eye. I've been meaning to write a post about it for a while, we are still waiting to hear just what exactly the Govt is doing to follow through on it's two resolutions to preserve the estate. I'd be willing to $100 down on 'not a damn ting'.

The article went into some detail about Henri "I want to be a Millionaire" Brookson's contract with the BV developers and ownership of the estate, something I thought Brookson had already cleared up back on January the 28th, maybe he was bullshitting.

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Cargo Harbor to move to Cay Bay

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:18:13 -0700

Government today announced that a new Cargo Harbor will be built in Cay Bay next to the GEBE power plant. Speaking at a press briefing, Commissioner Theo Heyliger announced plans for the new cargo facilty, justifying the hugely expensive decision to move all of Point Blanche's cargo traffic to this new location as plain old 'common sense'.

"For years I have worked to build up the cruise visitor traffic to our paradise in the sun and the first thing they are confronted with is boxy container ships unloading and big trucks roaring past them on the road to town. It's ugly and dangerous, not the sort of image we want to be presenting to our visitors if we want then to come back again. This is just an extension of my ongoing beautification plans for the island.

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Another one bites the Dust.

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:35:02 -0700

Jadira Veen reports from the scene....

YouTube Video - Nature destruction at Over the Bank in St. Maarten

NAf. 7,000 fine suggested for destruction of old trees - 27th March 2008

According to reports I have, interest was expressed by the Emilio Wilson Park Foundation via Wilhelm Patrick to save the old house and move it to the park. I am also hearing that what is left may be mostly salvaged. Perhaps the fines can cover this?

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Marine Ordinance, Zoning and Water Testing

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 13:22:29 -0800

The SXM Nature Foundation was started 11 years ago and one of their primary missions was to establish a protected marine park. Statia Marine Park was also started in 1997 and late last year their Marine Park celebrated it's 10 year anniversary, while SXM awaits the Exco. And waits, and waits...

The marine park ordinance and many other environmental legislation has always been put to the back burner of government. There is also no zoning, back in 1976 the Fed Govt. told every island to start with zoning plans, SXM never started and we are where we are today. The only land that has zoning is Fort Amsterdam, a last minute effort to halt the owners from further developing their land which they bought from the Claude Wathey government. Which shows it can be done, regardless if the land is privately owned. (Like EWE.)

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A Certain Sense of Impending Disaster in Bel Air

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:35:24 -0800

Have you gone to the beach next to Bel Air recently, where you can clearly see the massive amount of excavation done to the hillside just north by Barbaron for its new "development"?

Barbaron has carved out a massive quantity of hillside: my guess is many thousands of metric tonnes of hillside are gone, shipped to somewhere on the French side.

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Two new Enviro Videos

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:08:39 -0800

Two new videos from SXM have been placed on YouTube recently. The first is an awareness video created by a student which I have given the title "Don't care what people say, follow your own way". The second is a SXM Pride report about mangroves being cleared in the lagoon behind Tropicana Casino.

You can read more about SXM Pride here.

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The EWE Saga - Cont.

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:26:59 -0800

So here we are again, the Emilio Wilson Estate back in the news with Henri "I want' to be a Millionaire" Brookson announcing that he is now the owner of the Estate.

So far I have been unable to confirm this, my sources tell me they have not been able to confirm an official record of this sale/tranfer or whatever it is. Considering that the company Henri is fronting for (or is this move on his own?) have lied about purchasing the estate before (1st Jan 06), it's difficult to know what the truth is.

Please join me below for a short stroll down 'memory lane' and to discuss this story.

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Road across the Lagoon - Visionary or Folly?

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:22:42 -0800

The Daily Herald and others have for a long time championed the proposal to build a bridge across the lagoon from the Airport to somewhere near Port De Plaisance and the border. The claim is that is will help alleviate the island's traffic problems, particularly in Simpson Bay and Cole Bay.

Daily Herald Editorial - Lagoon Road/Bridge - 27th December 2007

Bridge over lagoon now being studied - 27th December 2007

What do you think?

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See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil- Ignorance is Bliss?

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:54:00 -0800

Who gives a damn what we say? Are they listening to us? Do they really care?
Who will they blame next when SXM becomes a country?

It was a pitiful sight to see how our Commissioners behaved before the Dutch? Like the picture above, Roy had his hand over his mouth, Louie had the SXM flag over his eyes and Theo became deaf after he fell in a pothole. The others suffered immediate amnesia.

The headlines below confirm that we are doomed under the Democratic Party.
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Dream Dream Dream

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:28:02 -0800

The US housing market meltdown must certainly have an effect on SXM´s real estate ´boom´ but of course being SXM there are no reports or reliable figures which can be used to refer to. All we have are rumors and there are plenty of them, some from real estate agents who tell me that sales are lousy right now.

Is it just me or does the lastest mailing from Barbaron have a tinge of desperation in it? I guess there will always be people who hae more money than sense, but I think the pending US economic recession will cut the numbers a tad.