Dear Editor,

I would like to make public, that when I got involved in the discussions about finding a suitable location on Dutch St. Maarten for a Water Treatment Facility, the country was already facing the end of an extended period and deadline placed by the EU Funding agency. I was informed that St. Maarten had requested and received an extension and that extension was nearing its end.

In July of last year I was requested to sit in on a meeting with then Prime Minister and Minister of VROMI a.t. Marcel Gumbs, along with various department heads of VROMI and its Acting SG to discuss the possibility of acquiring land to make this fading opportunity for a multi-million dollar facility a reality for the island and its people.

At that meeting we all agreed on a possible way forward and presented that to the representative of Princess Port de Plaisance Mr. Hakan, who also took part in the discussions.

What was also negotiated was an extra 1,000 square metres of land in Cole Bay to develop a community centre for the people of Cole Bay. As the representative and not the ultimate decision maker of the Princess Group, Mr. Hakan promised that he would get back to government on its requests and offers. A few weeks later the principles of PDP responded favourably to governments request and the process to finalize the agreement continued under my leadership as Minister of VROMI.

Before leaving office I set in motion the processes to finalize this agreement and as soon as the NA led government took office they immediately began the process of reversing this and other decisions such as the agreements made with APS to develop homes for the civil service, the plans for PDP to develop its Kim-Sha property where they had agreed to construct public parking in Kim-Sha, which was a prerequisite of government, all of these efforts were made to have direct positive impact and effects on the economy and for the people of St. Maarten.

Now I read in the local media that Prime Minister William Marlin has decided to construct an island in the lagoon to build the water treatment facility on. Here the island will have to invest millions unnecessarily, not mentioning yet another delay in the EU funded project, in addition to further destruction of the ecosystem of the lagoon. For these haphazard, not well planned out reasons the international community doesn't take us seriously as a country.

For those who have been critical of the decision to grant Princess Port de Plaisance the property on Kim-Sha beach must be informed that the company already own property on Kim-Sha since the late 1980's and have been requesting government for years for additional property to aid with the ingress and egress of their planned resort development. What they have also agreed to as a condition is that public parking would be part of the development on Kim-Sha. This would then allow for the public to have security surveillance public parking in this heavily commercialised area as any parking facility in that area would require.

It is shameful and embarrassing when for personal and political reasons government would ignore positive developments for short-sighted and ignorant ambitions.

Claret M. Connor

Dear Editor,

If this wasn’t so serious it would be funny. The Board of the National Alliance must admit that in most cases, we are somewhat biased towards the party we represent as a board. However, in the case of the Press release of the UPP leader and the rest of the opposition regarding current events, even the most unbiased person must admit that there is something wrong with the UPP leader’s account of the meeting.
First, the leader of the UPP was not invited to any meeting with the Honourable Prime Minister. He was invited by his opposition colleague. His attempt to make it look as if the PM contacted him, is another attempt at clouding the issue at best or flat out lying at worst.
When one listens to his three options, which we won’t repeat in detail here, one can only conclude that self-interest is his main objective. Imagine wanting control of all government-owned companies. Need we remind the public that it was an ‘error’ on the UPP leader’s part that cost the Harbour 10 Million United States Dollars, in order to settle a case. Is this what the UPP leader has in store for the other Government-owned companies?
While this government is negotiating a Waste to Energy plant, with no investment from Government or Government-owned companies, the UPP leader was negotiating an alleged 700 Million Guilder bond from GEBE to complete various projects including the WTE. The UP leader wants control, to tie GEBE to a large loan, while it was not necessary, to realize the project.
Minister Emil Lee is working in a transparent manner to build a modern hospital, while the UPP Leader goes on the air and claims none of his family members are involved while we all know that a close family member has been involved in medical tourism. Funny how the project supported by the UPP leader included a 30 Million US dollar medical tourism wing, with no aspects of how this would be paid back.
We as a Board have full confidence in the version of the meeting of the Prime Minister. Why would the Prime Minister lie about the UPP leader opting to leave out All independents including MP -Marlin- Romeo and MP De Weever? It seems just like the UPP leader to try to sweeten the deal by placing 4 persons in opposition instead of 1. The hastily called press briefing on Sunday by the UPP, only goes to confirm that this was indeed an option. When was the last time the UPP leader had a press briefing? The UPP leader hardly even participates in talk shows on the Southern side, running over to the Northern side on almost every occasion.
The Press release yesterday of the UPP Board was laughable if it wasn’t so sad. To claim that any one of the options presented by the UPP leader was in the interest of the country is an insult to the intelligence of the people of St. Maarten. The only thing that the three options show is the utter desperation of the UPP leader to be in control of Government.
Additionally, for the UPP to actually try to make the claim that somehow this NA led government is ‘holding the nation hostage’ makes us laugh out loud. Again with the lies and exaggerations to the people of St. Maarten. There is no government crisis, the Council of Ministers will continue to work in the interest of all the people of St. Maarten. If there is anyone that is holding the nation hostage, it’s the UPP members who are neglecting their duties and not signing in for meetings.
After sitting an entire year in office with nothing to show for it, we should not be surprised that the UPP is afraid that with a balanced budget (something that has been unachievable under UPP leadership), the first since 2014, people of St. Maarten are witnessing how a Government is supposed to work.
It is truly sad how the UPP and its leadership have again insulted the people of St. Maarten with untrue statements designed to de-stabilize this Government; going as far as throwing the independent members supporting the UPP under the bus. By putting St. Maarten first, those members should vote for this budget thereby doing what especially MP Marlin-Romeo says on the floor of Parliament on a daily basis, “Work in the interest of all the people of St. Maarten.”Team National Alliance

Dear Editor,

I am a long time vacationer to St. Martin. My wife and I are on our 27th visit to the Island spanning 39 years. We are currently being held against our will at Orient Beach by a lawless mob due to the blockade of the road heading in both directions. Neighbors missed their planes, friends could not get back to the Dutch side for medicine, and tourists were unable to travel to activities and reservations. Local shops were closed as their employees could not get to work.

Protestors, regardless of the merit of their cause, have decided that they can shut down ingress and egress to the Orient Beach community and effectively hold thousands of people hostage. And the worst part is that the government on the French side has had the gendarmes stand down, and let the mobs rule. I have always had great respect for the gendarmes, but now I know they are responsive to politics and do not protect visitors entrusted to their protection.

When a government loses the ability to protect visitors who are the major contributors to the economy and are visiting legally; it is time to question whether French St. Martin has a modern government or is a third world country with protesters who are immune from the law. Evidently, the protesters have the right to close roads and insult tourists who want to pass. This is not exactly the "Friendly Island."

While this is happening on the French side, it impacts the Dutch side as well. We and many of our friends stay on both sides of the island. We have previously enjoyed two countries and cultures, with open boarders and free access to beaches, restaurants and tourist attractions.

St. Martin has developed the reputation as being increasingly unconcerned about the lifeblood of their economy, the tourism industry. While I have watched real estate litigation and the loss of investment in vacation property; experienced the routine loss of electricity and water, I have now experienced the loss of my freedom. It has really made me think whether or not this Island has really become a modern country.

Media reports indicate that the blockades will be reinstituted today. Maybe the United States State Department needs to put out a travelers advisory for St. Martin, "Visitors to the Island should be prepared to lose their freedom and be held captive by protestors, the government will do nothing to protect them. Visitors should proceed at their own risk."

Paul Burgdorf

New York

Dear Editor,

The Democratic Party (DP) stands solidly with the coalition in leaving no stone unturned to get the budget of the country passed in Parliament. Because, if we think the current situation is murky, imagine the following which is a very real possibility. The big difference being, that the wellbeing and livelihood of practically the entire community can be at stake in the following scenario.

The budget remains in limbo, because a 7-7 tie vote goes nowhere!

This means this budget goes nowhere and eventually the CFT will report to the Kingdom Government that St. Maarten has no approved budget.

No budget is reason for an instruction from the Kingdom government.

Other than was the case with the instructions to the Governor, H.E. Mr. E. Holiday, a financial instruction is very much in accordance with the Kingdom law on the CFT. We have no need or desire to paint all kinds of doom scenarios, but the contents and scope of such an instruction can be anything from a slap on the wrist to a stop on (certain) expenditures. So it is not only about getting loans to finance capital projects.

We need at least 8 votes in parliament to pass the budget legislation. Yes, the budget too is legislation.

As Democratic Party and coalition partner, we have taken note of the Opposition’s demands in order to support the budget.

How convenient! Elections, at the whims of the Opposition can be held immediately or put off until 2018. Forget about “what is good for the goose, is good for the gander.”

However, if the Opposition of Seven is sincere about their so called options or alternatives, we would like to know and we would like the people to know, what does the Opposition have in mind?

They should know that already, we hope. What is this so called vision which they want to see reflected in the budget? Where were these “bright” ideas during the first round of deliberations on the budget?

Because remember, the budget in its simplest form is if you add to the expenses, you have to add to the income, and if you decrease income, you have to decrease expenses, at least if you want to comply with the balanced budget norm.

So again, what are these proposals by the opposition? And please don’t give us: “You tell me first that you will hold immediate elections thereafter, and then I will tell you what I want out of the budget or what I want amended. Don’t the people deserve to know?

Any change to the budget at this stage is a delay! Pure and simple. Is this the Opposition’s objective?

Of course they know, that changes will take time. The more drastic, the longer it takes.

Let’s see what their choice is going to be. But regardless, let the people know what the collective Opposition thinks is the way out.

S.A. Wescot-Williams, DP