Barbara

I live on St. Maarten and have been here for many years. I am truly amazed by all the comments on these bulletin boards. it really seems to me that some people are organizing a smear campaign and trying to scare people away. I do not understand why. <BR>If you don't like the island, that is fine. It is not for everyone. then move on to other places and try to have a good time there. why waste your time and energy submitting post after post telling the world how much you hate the place <BR>give us a break.we live here and work here. we are the first to recognize and acknowledge the problems. we also acknowledge the really special things about this island that brings 90% of our visitors back again and again. <BR>we must have something to offer. those return visitors are not all fools, are they? <BR>a word about crime. yes, we have it. is it out of control? no! I live here and I feel safe going everywhere. most of the crime reported on these bulletin boards involves people who live here; not people who visit here. We have mostly petty crimes and very few violent crimes. but when ONE violent crime happens, it is blown up out of proportion and used to make people afraid to come here. People may choose not to come to St. Maarten for many reasons, but crime should not be one of them. <BR> <BR>If any of you who read this post are thinking of visitng St. Maarten and are unsure because of what you have read, please feel free to email me with any questions. I will be glad to answer them as objectively as I can. <BR>

John

Objectively? So I guess your job/income/livelihood has nothing to do with the tourism industry? The last thing we tourists should expect from an island resident is objectivity. <BR> <BR>If you live in SXM, then maybe you have access to some missing facts. Help end these claims of a cover-up. <BR> <BR>How many murders were there in 1999 (a news article lists 9 in the first half of the year)? <BR> <BR>How many murders to date in 2000? <BR> <BR>Maybe the facts will shut up the naysayers. <BR> <BR>

Chas

That's right John, more coverups. I have never run across such a childish group of individual. <BR> <BR>Notice I didn't say individuals (OK maybe there are 2 or 3 of them). To others, read all of their posts carefully under the different names. What are the odds that all of these people write in the same style and have the same things to say, over and over again. <BR> <BR>Barbara, I have already been in touch with you by email. When we are visiting again in November, we would like to meet with you at some point, maybe share a lunch. Would that be OK? Email me. <BR> <BR>Chas

Tom

I assure you that there is only one person. The writing is all the same. He usually uses the same e-mail address. Why should we care? I love St. Martin. If others don't go it'll be less crowded.

Jace

Barbara, thank you for a dose of sanity amid all the hysteria.

Barbara

JOhn <BR>I am not sure if I should bother answering you since you cannot expect objectivity from an island resident. <BR>sure, I have an investment in a prosperous tourist industry although my livilihood does not depend directly on it. <BR>I am, however, not afraid to face the truth about SXM. There are a lot of problems here and a lot of things to criticize. We need to do better <BR>But I cannot sit by and watch people resort to scare tactics. we are no better nor no worse than any other place in the world. we have over 70 nationalities residing here which contributes to he special featurers of SXM and, unfortunatley, also contributes to other problems like crime. <BR>I just know it is more than safe to visit SXM and have a good time without fear for your safety. Just use caution as you would anywhere else in the world. and if you want a nirvana where there are no problems, then tell me when you find it. <BR> <BR> <BR>

John

Barbara -- <BR> <BR>Thanks for a rational, although I think occasionally inaccurate response. The fact is that many Caribbean destinations are much safer than SXM, and people deserve to know this. <BR> <BR>Have you had any luck finding the information? If the crime numbers are good, that may help. <BR>

Dimitri

I live here on the island. Let me tell you something. Each time I go to Italy (Big country, not as small as St. Maarten) I have always had a broken windshield on my rental car when I came back from the beach. Now, how's that? Professional gangs are working there to check where you're at before they do something. And what about the U.S. where you have professional pick-pockets, and gang members, where you would be afraid to walk along in the street. Shall i maybe start looking at the news sites from the U.S. get all the crime stories out and post them here as a comparison? That is a bit what all you nay-sayers are doing. St. Maarten is a nice island, and excellent for a laid-back vacation with a cigar and a cognac under the palm tree. Just know what you do and where you are going. Just like everywhere else in the world.

Alby

Barbara, thanks for your views. Somehow St. Maarten has gotten to be a lightning rod for the whack-o's on these boards. I've listened in long enough to screen them out as well as their various "causes" and conclude that St. Maarten would be a pretty nice place to visit. I'm most familiar with the BVI and USVI. If you're familiar with those, could you please compare St. Maarten to those so I could get an idea what a vacation there would be like? Thanks for you maturity and, contrary to a few opinions, clearly balanced view.

Alby

One further comment. The statement was made that we shouldn't expect objectivity from an island resident. Can we say therefore that we can't expect objectivity on NY from a New Yorker? I test competitor products. I'm VERY biased toward my company's products, but I am completely objective in my testing. Barbara can be too, if she chooses. And only she knows.

jenny

i went to Aruba and heted everything about the place,even tried to get an early flight out.but i didnt come back and thrash the place on the net.there does seem to be a small group that has it out for st.martin.if you dont like it dont go.cover your head ,hide in closet and get a life

Anna

Re crime, I live in a very nice medium sized Southern city, and we average about 1 murder per day. ????? Crime is everywhere.

Barbara

I am familiar with both USVI and BVI <BR>I think that St. Maarten is most often compared to St. Thomas in terms of size, population, and development. St. Thomas gets more cruise ships than we do, and has more crime than we do. The other islands in the VI are less developed and quieter. <BR>St. Maarten, of course, is unique in that it has 2 cultures...Dutch and French and I think the population is more diverse than the population of St. Thomas. <BR>some people love St. Thomas and some people hate it and I guess the same is true for St. maarten. If you want a sleepy laid back quiet vacation,then probably St. maarten is not the place.