Dear Editor,
The proposal to establish a time share authority on St. Martin is very much needed.
Tourists and especially timeshare owners are the basis of the island economy. Timeshare owners need protection from a small portion of developers and timeshare managers.
The idea of charging an extra US $200 per week to a timeshare owner is ill-founded. St. Martin is an expensive island to own property and visit already.
A better concept would be to let owners file a complaint for free. That would keep timeshare managers on their toes because that right to complain would be hanging over their head. A board could be established to hear complaints. Each complaint could be charged $200 if the complainant loses in the hearing.
The board could allow joining all complainers together and hear the complaints as one case. Or the risk if you lose a complaint could be $200 to a timeshare owner. The timeshare manager though, if 100 people for example complained, could be fined $20,000 or more.
The board could have the right to levy fines and put levies on timeshare managers with interest. If after a certain time period the timeshare manager fails to pay fines and make changes as mandated from the board they could be removed as timeshare managers. The board could put the management of the timeshare up for auction to all interested parties.
One needs to understand the timeshare owners own the resort in aggregate and those rights should be protected. The manager can and should be replaced if necessary.
This is the type of legislation that is needed on St. Martin. If enacted this legislation would cause a robust timeshare industry economy.
The rights of timeshare owners should be protected.
James F. Tate
Timeshare owner
The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort
