Dear Editor,
I love the beaches on this island but Mullet Bay is my favorite where I go very often.
Mullet Bay Beach is almost one of our last beaches on St. Maarten that the public has total free access to at this point and time.
According to a couple of comments I heard recently on PJD2’s talk shows it seems that Mullet Bay is claiming that they own the Mullet Bay Beach, which of course has me a bit surprised since all the beaches on the Island should be public.
I am wondering why should Mullet Bay get the opportunity to develop BBQ bars and beach chairs on this beach since they have not done one thing to Mullet Bay since Hurricane Luis in 1995, 22 years ago. At that time they sent home all the workers.
In my opinion BBQ bars and the rental of beach chairs at this time should go to the locals.
The other point is that I am also wondering why should Mullet Bay be operating on the Beach now when after the hurricane Mullet Bay send an excavator down on the beach and uprooted what was left of 2 local venders that were there offering their services for 21 years, buried their stuff in the sand and then threatened them that they, Mullet Bay, will make sure they, the vendors, don’t rebuild on the beach. In fact Mullet Bay also sent the police to remove them from the beach after they, the vendors, were still trying to see how best they can set up and try to get ready for the arrival of the first ships that were expected. That of course seriously interrupted the vendors and their staff from making their living after 21 years.
I believe it would be a better idea to talk to licensed vendors that are there on the beach already and give them the opportunity and all the help they need to prepare to accommodate the beachgoers. And I am also sure that the vendors will be willing and able to go to a bank to acquire that 1,000 chairs if that is what is needed.
These days many officials and persons with the exception of Mullet Bay are talking about and encouraging entrepreneurship. By the way, after not doing one thing for St. Maarten for over 22 years, does Mullet Bay still have a license to operate?
Name withheld at author's request.
