Dear Editor,

  I first visited St. Maarten in 1985, solely because when my then girlfriend and I wanted to get away somewhere, that was the place that was most often listed in the local (Albany NY) paper’s travel company ads, as well as at most of the local travel agencies. For several more years that was the focus of Caribbean travel destinations, along with Aruba and Mexico.

 Today, and for the last dozen or more years, there is no mention of St. Maarten as a destination in any ad I look at. That includes the local newspaper as well as the occasional website I visit while looking for other travel destinations. If not specifically mentioned in a web search, St. Maarten just doesn't produce a hit. It also doesn't appear in the store windows of any travel agency in the area malls. I don't go in those stores anymore, but do window shop.

  It is appalling that the island doesn't attempt to attract attention to itself. If it weren't Jeff Berger's long-time SXM Newsletter publication I would never ever hear about the island. How the people running the island can go on with their proverbial heads in the sand puzzles me. Being an “educated island” was one of the selling points for serious travellers back when I bought my timeshare in St. Maarten, but that status seems to have changed as evidenced in the lack of direction by those in power down there.

  Don't they see that they have to invest in their product by promoting it and that they can't rely on continuing business from past visitors forever? Even as the existing client base fades, the island has to reach out to new targets to continually introduce themselves to those seeking a Caribbean destination. This they are not doing.

  I fear for the future of the island, as Cuba is definitely going to become the next great Caribbean spot as soon as it can manage to build agreements with the American hospitality industry and our government signs-off on letting Americans travel freely to that basically “undiscovered” island. If the people entrusted with St. Maarten’s future don't realize that then they aren't as smart as they need to be.

  They have shown some progress in alleviating the congestion on the island’s limited roads. They are beginning to combat the growing problems with crime, drugs and shootings with an expanded police force. Theo and company managed to make huge improvements to the port and the downtown area. These things will need to continue to expand, and they will also cost more and without the tourism dollar to support them, this will all fail.

  I so hope that the island politics are not going the way of the Turks & Caicos. I have followed the growth and failure of Providenciale for 20 years, and seen how the corruption of the government there has made it impossible for the native population to survive without working two to three jobs. The influx of investment in huge condo projects was sapped by the costs associated with dealing with the government. The last time I visited there five to six years ago, the number of empty units in the huge towers that now dot Grace Bay were a testament to the massive failure there due to corruption.

  If the government of St. Maarten is headed that way then I fear that what we see now will never get any better. The island needs to ensure that the revenues it collects are expended properly and in the right places, such as advertising, in order to ensure continued growth and success. If not, it likely will slowly sink back to being a second-class destination and suffer the consequences.

Jim Giner

Voorheesville, NY

Dear Editor, 

A young man approached me and asked me if he could tell me something. I answered “always” and he said: “I know that several of all you who does write in the papers does make sense , but I want to be the first to get credit for this. I have proof that birds of a feather does flock together and the UP and the NA have to watch out because the flock can get bigger if three more join the gaggle.”

  It did not register right away because I was not in a political frame of mind. I was preoccupied in restraining myself from really writing what I wanted to write in connection with the constant power outages of  G.E.B.E.  But he used the word gaggle and a light went on. A gaggle of geese, birds of passage, only three more needed to join, “what you mean the US party?” He  said: “Yes but we going to use the same letters and call them ‘United  Ship-jumpers,’ and we going make ‘Follow the leader’ the theme song.”

  I do not write people’s opinion but as a calypso writer this was authentic calypso material and coming from a young Sint Maartener, it would not sit well with me to let this go to waste. I was still contemplating whether to write or not to write  when the final push came as he called me this afternoon and told me: “What Theo doing, he’n going to get any secrets about the new hospital, she is Truthfull.”

  Not to be outdone by that young fellow, permit me to add a little flavour to it. 5000 strong can’t be wrong is left to be seen ‘cause it only takes a little injection and the orange will turn back green. By the way is it permitted for a party to register as Ship-jumpers Unanimous and say that is US?

Russell A. Simmons

Dear Editor,

  The current issues being experienced with GEBE’s much criticized load-shedding are because the company is now a rudderless ship. Government needs to step in and tackle these issues head on in the interest of the populace.

  Electricity consumers on Dutch St. Maarten have been blighted with power outages over the past few days, which are reportedly part of scheduled load-shedding to accommodate repair of equipment. Persons have experienced as much as three outages in a given day and the local population has been very outspoken in their criticism of GEBE as a result.

  There is still no appointed head of GEBE so it’s not surprising that no one has come forward with an explanation or a solution from that company regarding the outages that are inconveniencing the island. Government needs to stop playing politics with something so vital to the day to day business of the island and appoint a captain to steer this ship on the correct path. GEBE has been without a chief executive officer for months because none has been appointed to this date. How do you expect a ship without a captain to navigate smoothly, especially if the seas are not always calm?

  The employees of GEBE must be commended for keeping the company afloat and operational by carrying out their day to day duties despite government’s delay in appointing a CEO.

  Government must step in and solve these issues affecting GEBE because they negatively impact the productivity of businesses and people’s personal lives. They are the only body authorized to make these changes and they need to start taking this job seriously. We give credit to GEBE for their program that provides some sort of relief to our seniors, but there have been too many complaints through the years about company policies – e.g., their continued refusal to compensate persons and businesses for equipment which becomes damaged from constant power outages – and they need to be resolved.

  I call on the current administration to stop playing politics with the issue. GEBE needs a new CEO in place to deal with the issues plaguing them. That CEO must be the person who is best for the job based on their experience and merit and not someone appointed as a political reward or personal favour.

Leonard Priest,

Leader One St. Maarten People Party (OSPP)

Dear Editor,

  One St. Maarten People Party (OSPP)condemns the murder of Belgium tourist Wendy Montulet, and offer condolences to the family of the 22-year-old. In this critical time when Caribbean tourism is already under the microscope, the island cannot afford to be tarred with the same brush as countries like the Bahamas, where according to a recent report in the Nassau Guardian “an executive with Carnival Cruise Line reportedly warned a Bahamas tourism official that Carnival is so worried about crime in Nassau, it’s considering issuing crime warnings to the passengers it brings there.”

  The OSPP advocates for protection for all people and believes in equality and justice for all, but more must be done to safeguard the islands tourism product beginning with joint task forces from both sides of the island working to solve crimes against tourists, and imposing maximum penalties to offenders as a deterrent against such behaviour. We also support more social programmes and opportunities for those who feel they have been left behind. This is also important as regard to deterring criminal behaviour.

  Some Caribbean islands are already under the microscope. In a recent article in the St. Lucia Times, the president of the St. Lucia Venders Association publicly accused the Minister of Tourism of ignoring the island nation’s crime problem. The association’s president noted that crime in St. Lucia has gotten so bad, that cruise lines might consider dropping that popular Caribbean port stop from their itineraries, as Norwegian Cruise Line did in the 2010-2012 season because of reported crimes against passengers.

  St. Maarten has to assure it does not go the same route. One of the ways of doing this is by making the penalty for such crimes – which I view as directed against St. Maarten – so steep that possible offenders would not want to risk it.

  As a St. Maartener, my first priority is the safety and wellbeing of my island and the people on it. It is a public secret that tourism is the bread and butter of St. Maarten and loss of tourism revenue would affect us all. That makes it the responsibility of all of us to do what we can to protect that much needed revenue. When these types of crimes occur, the offender is not only attacking that victim, but the entire island. I encourage anyone with information about this and other crimes to do your duty by putting St. Maarten first and contacting the authorities. 

  This crime was committed by one or two persons and somebody in their inner circle must know who they are. St. Maarten is asking you to come forward and tell what you know to the authorities, Dutch or French side.

  I congratulate the Gendarmes for their diligent work on this case to date, and to the Dutch St. Maarten police for their timely cooperation with the Gendarme to solve this heinous crime.

Lenny Priest

Leader, One St. Maarten People Party (OSPP)