David and I will be in the Beacon Hill area for most of our upcoming trip and planned on stopping by most evenings. We were also planning to celebrate part of Halloween, if not all of it there as Kissing Fish is now gone. And we wanted to eat at Shrimpy's again - Oh my -- so much for planning!

To reiterate Denis sentiments although not nearly as eloquently, we have had some great times there, especially the Halloween parties. Hey Denis, David never got to take advantage of his 24 hours of free drinks and food for winning the contest one year!

Aside from watching the planes land and take off for which we never tire of, we will miss the random conversations it was so easy to strike up with people there. There are many wonderful establishments on the island but we did meet a lot of wonderful people at SSBB who have become friends of ours. We are very sad to see it go and would hope that it will return in some reincarnation.

Barbara, How about the others who didn't pay tax's at home and ran to SXM to start a business.Over the yrs I've met & read about people who the IRS has come after in SXM and brought them back.

oh yea, we got lot of those.. and lots of those who don't pay taxes here and run back home when the goin' gets rough.

[barcann.livejournal.com]

Sunset Beach Bar to Appeal Eviction

[www.zebrabot.com]

This is just saddening news. The SSBB has always been my home away from home when i visited the island capturing aviation photos.

Maho Beach will not be the same without it.

Actually Barbara, you are right... SXM is (and always) was an heaven for people running away with money hidden to the IRS... Some of them built some very beautiful and exclusive villas in the Low Lands (ie. Morne rouge ...).
Well I can say to Mr SXM that even he is calling himself that way he doesn't know much what he is talking about...
I am a foreigner and (unfortunatly...) alway will be and , even though it is not to the level of John rehak I considerate myself succesfull in St Maarten/St Martin, and no local person ever tried to take my business away... Sure I was surprised and resentfull of what had been wrote about the "wellknow local businesman" in the article and I did worried that, stated that way, it wouldn't be very atractive to the view of foreign investors, and I did also wonder who he would be...
However I can confirm that it is not general practice on the island! I can assume that, like in the state you always have some very unscupuleous people waiting like vaulture to take advantage of an opportunity even if this is not very "moral" (but talking about greed, I think we can look somewhere else than only in sxm... don't ya think?).
Also, Mr SXM.... The example you are giving are (excuse my french) just the bad one you could find (and I am very polite about that...)... the people who purchased the license of the golden eyes never ever followed St Maarten law, and specially in the matter of immigration... If they arrested his wife, it just because she didn't had any legal right to be here (even though she invested $800.000 in the purchase of the business...) she never applied for residency or work permit...nada! and if she did, she wasn't supposed to be on island while being processed. That plus some attitude "I've got money and I invested here so you need me and I am untouchable" didn't helped her case. Didn't she also tried to resit arrest and bit up a cop? >>>>>>>>>....... Hola ! deportation!... NEXT!...
I am sorry but could you give a better example? because if you want I've got a list (long list... with very well known foreign businessmen!!!...) of people who came down here, invest few bucks, didn't abide to the laws of the country, screwed the system (and the people) didn't paid their taxes and went back to their country (or moved to Anguilla...) Want some names???
Yeah sorry Barbara I am p#ss*d off too, I know I shouldn't.. and I know that my comment is not that friendly but somehow (and at least...) it is constructive... (sorry Gert!)... I will have to post a nice picture tomorow to win forgiveness LOL ><
MY name is Philippe Milovidoff and I approve this message!

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Philippe.
You must have been lucky. The only way to reduce problems and insure longevity in a business on the Dutch side is to partner up with a local ( Dutch) businesman. Everybody else is an outsider.
As for the French side what I have seen it is easy to start a busniness there but then the businesses then wait for the paper work to be done on the Dutch side. You don't have to leave the island while waiting just go to another country ( French side).

SXM??? WEndell

thanks for the pics, Gert. Gee, am I the only one that actually likes the simplistic look it has now?

I'm sorry but they had a wedding tent type thing over the deck in March with flat screen t.v's etc . I couldn't figure out the purpose of that for the life of me.

Wow, looks like they took away almost everything - every ledge, bench, table, awning, umbrella, etc - that they added to that place (allbeit w/o taking the lower deck and that silly indoor sports bar)

It almost looks like it did "back in the day".

As I said before. Let's hope they don't "pave paradise and put up a parking lot". Seriously. Seriously.

peace

Denis -

Those are some great memories. I know what that place meant to you.

But, hey, the beach will still be there. The planes will still be there. Some of the same people will still be there as well. I hope you will be too.

If I see you on my walks I'll be sure to bring you a cold drink!

peace

Hey Andrea!

Thanks for the thought. I agree a lot will still be there and we plan to hang as usual for the pics.

What I will miss most is the atmosphere created to appeal to every customer. There was a lot for many tastes and the wild and crazy nights will never be duplicated.

People with big time talent like Norbert spinning the best mixes. Percy and raunchy Reggae. The food was excellent for a beach grill and drinks were always strong and many. The bikini contests, Holiday events, the free wi-fi and plane radio.

I doubt a website from SXM will ever be as good...no one has the stamina or patience to keep one up with webcams and good info at all times.

I know many folks are missing the SSBB features already from the PM's I have been receiving. The staff were always the best and some of the other workers like Lowrina, Deo,Big John and Arnold about the best you could get; dedicated and loyal.

It was a good idea...it worked..it's gone. Island progress.


Denis

Philippe,
Your last paragraph made me laugh. We all need a good chuckle now and then.

Pauline

SXMWendell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Philippe.
> You must have been lucky. The only way to reduce
> problems and insure longevity in a business on the
> Dutch side is to partner up with a local ( Dutch)
> businesman. Everybody else is an outsider.
> As for the French side what I have seen it is easy
> to start a busniness there but then the businesses
> then wait for the paper work to be done on the
> Dutch side. You don't have to leave the island
> while waiting just go to another country ( French
> side).
>
> SXM??? WEndell


Wendell,
with all my respect and knowing the fact you are an "oldtimer" of our island, I trully beleive you are totally missinformed about the way of doing business down here...
you don't need to partner up with a local on the Dutch side to operate a succesfull business. I know most of the business people on this island and I know they own their business in a whole. Do you think that "La Vista" is partially owned by local businessmen? Saphire Club? Rainbow beachclub? Atrium? Sarratoga? the "late" Bec Fin? Antoine? Mr Busby? Captain Oliver's? 12 Meter's Yacht club? oh... Cherie's Cafe? Atlantis Casino? Port de Plaisance? Ace (and it's new mega center? Grand Marche? Boolchand? Diamond International?....Caranvanserail??? turtle pier? Mary's boon? etc...etc....
more example?....
And sorry but the fact of going to the French side while waiting for imigration processing is not valid! as they will take in consideration the dtae of entry on the island no matter which side you entered.
You are right on one fact... : if you are not a local, then you are an outsider.

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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hey wendell
I have to agree with Philippe.
most businesses here owned by foreigners are owned outright.
Those who partner with a local do so, I think,because they think it will help them get through the bureaucratic process more quickly, or maybe even to grease some palms.

[barcann.livejournal.com]

The company i work for is fully Canadian, and we now own Cost U Less

Philippe,

You crack me up!


And does anyone know where Percy Rankin is playing or will play?
He is one of our Island "fixes" while we are there and now we're going to be lost if we don't see him. (Ok, maybe not lost, but it'll be sad if we don't get to see him play)

Melissa