Only Selected few Allowed to Go on Board Oasis of the Seas---Media representatives also denied—Tourist Office not Invited on Inaugural Cruise

Philipsburg: --- What was supposed to be an exciting moment for St. Maarten and its people and an opportunity for the media representatives to show case the island when the Oasis of the Seas made its inaugural call to St. Maarten many persons including the reporter from SMN News was denied access on board the ship. According to managing director of the St. Maarten Harbour Holding Companies Keith Franka said those persons whose names were not submitted to the cruise line before it reached St. Maarten would not get on board. While at the harbour, a photographer representing the Daily Herald was also denied access on board since the Daily Herald was also not on the so-called security list.
Amazingly, commissioner of Harbour Affairs Theo Heyliger was on hand and both the photographer and SMN News approached him and asked him to see if the media representatives who were on the location could get the opportunity to snap some pictures. The commissioner said he would try, however, he ended up sending us an email to say that he was sorry because the person responsible for protocol for the Oasis of the Seas said that due to the amount of dignitaries scheduled to visit the ship and the fact that the managing director did not notify them on time they would not allow anyone to go on board.
When asked how come the entire media core on St. Maarten was not given the opportunity to either go on the cruise or even get on board here. Heyliger said the Royal Caribbean Cruise invited four members of the press from each island to be part of that cruise. Of the four persons there must be one person representing radio, one representing television, and two writers. Representing St. Maarten were four people but two of them works at the Daily Herald, one happens to be the night editor of that paper and the other a reporter conveniently both persons from that newspaper have an extra-ordinary relationship with the commissioner in charge of the harbour affairs.
Further research also showed us that the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau was not invited to be part of the cruise neither the commissioner of tourism affairs. It is also understood that no invitation was sent to the Government Information Service for the cruise. GIS was allowed to go on board when the ship called on St. Maarten. Our sources said the representatives of the tourist office and the commissioner of tourism Frans Richardson was invited to go on board as the ship as it docked in St. Maarten on Wednesday. Questions are now being raised as why the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau was not allowed to organize the events surrounding the Oasis of the Seas and why this was handled by the Harbour Holding Companies. There are questions as to who were invited from government and how the monies that are generated from the St. Maarten Harbour Holding Companies are spent. It is good to note that this is a government owned company. SMN News learnt that since the tourism and harbour affairs falls under two different commissioners discrepancies such as these would always show its ugly head.

It was even mentioned that the reporters that are covering tourism at the two main newspapers on the Dutch side of the island was also not invited to be part of the cruise. SMN News did contact the Today Newspaper to see if they were approached by the St. Maarten Harbour Holding company to be part of the nine-day cruise and we were told that never happened. As for the dignitaries that were scheduled to visit the Oasis SMN News learnt many of the persons that were invited are supporters of Heyliger's new political party.
SMN News on several occasions wrote about the lack of integrity among reporters and the types of relationship one particular reporter has with politicians but to date the reporter neither her employer have done anything to rectify the misuse of the media.

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KnowNothing December 09, 2009 76.235.49.191 Votes: +1	Dear SMN News, could you please elaborate what exactly you mean by the "extra-ordinary relationship with the commissioner"? What kind of relationships: Family? Personal? Business? Tiger Woods-like? Thanks in advance... report abuse vote down vote up


el captain December 09, 2009 204.19.203.2 Votes: +7	Perhaps the cruise ship people wisely only wanted reporters who could write in proper English with good spelling, proper sentence structure, and decent grammar skills? report abuse vote down vote up


fan December 09, 2009 190.102.3.86 Votes: +1	i like that tiger woods report abuse vote down vote up


trouble December 09, 2009 200.7.38.218 Votes: +2	i find if you all wsn't invited on board the ship for what ever rezone then don;t write about it or put it in you all newspaper. not even a picture. of it let it go as if the ship had never came to sxm. report abuse vote down vote up


agree December 09, 2009 200.7.60.180 Votes: +1	I agree with Trouble. I did not even go to see what it looks like since it does not impress me one bit. So another cruise ship is now the biggest and most glamorous. In a few years a bigger one and more glamorous one will make it's inaugural cruise to these parts once more. The Titanic was once the biggest and most glamorous, since then they just keep growing and becoming more elaborate. I understand the issue surrounding all the politics being played but don't let it be an issue. Guess they don't want the media since they don't want us, the little people, to see what we are missing. Snub them as they snub you. Never give them big shots the upper hand by showing them how their actions upset you. You should remove the picture. Who the heck do they think they are. There is a lot more important matters to cover than Oasis of the Seas. report abuse vote down vote up


Simple Explanation December 09, 2009 200.7.57.242 Votes: +0	Eitherway, Mr Heyliger well have to turn to the media and the locals when election time comes around.....but I'm sure he'll be able to buy his way out of this mess. As for "KnowNothing"'s question. Reporters are not allowed to have more than casual friendship with elected officials. If the word exta-ordinary comes up then it is probably more than friendship. The reason for this is to avoid biased journalism. report abuse vote down vote up


Funny! December 09, 2009 132.205.224.242 Votes: +2	Is this news, who do you really think you are? Not any and any one can board cruise ships. It could lead to chaos. What if some one stays on board, etc. or someone with bad intentions gets on without being screened. Cruise ships have high security.... this is not news!!!!!! It is not personal. I have a website... does that mean I can have access to anything... report abuse vote down vote up


DIRTY GAME December 09, 2009 200.7.52.94 Votes: +1	Pity everything in St Maarten at the end of they day is politricks. Marcel Gumbs was one of the famous organizers. You should see some of the people he invited, all for votes. But don't worry all those wolves in sheep clothing day will come. Theo, Marcel and the whole bunch of them are looney tones. Marcel could no pull 100 votes and today he is deem as a wanna be important THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND. Smn news have no fear these people only deal with people who will suck up to them. Those who have no dignity and they can buy out it is always about the money. Men with no souls I pity. It is all A DIRTY GAME report abuse vote down vote up


hmmmmm December 09, 2009 200.7.61.173 Votes: +3	sounds like since i cant get the grapes they r sour. SMN new got issues. but really, i would not want smn there, all they do is look for scandal and when there is none they insinuate it. always some conspiracy theory with this tabloid site report abuse vote down vote up


Whatever December 10, 2009 200.7.54.109 Votes: +1	I understand the jealousy smn is feeling, its like favouring one child over the other. But its really no big deal. Move on to cover other stories that you can cover. Politics on St. Maarten will always go to its lowest. Who you know and who you suck up to in St. maarten determines how far you get. I have seen this disgusting pattern for years, and it will always be this way. Its POLITICS. Politicians are the biggest crook, criiminals and con artist alive. report abuse vote down vote up


alex December 10, 2009 200.7.55.22 Votes: +3	You wan to go onboard, check with Let's Travel, Travel Planners or Maduro Travel or any travel agency, BUY your ticket and enjoy your cruise. report abuse vote down vote up


ME December 10, 2009 208.78.51.252 Votes: +0	Who cares about Oasis of what the hell you call it ? What is this bringing to we???? They don't even shop no more like before! They buy one hamburger for two so who cares? Nothing goes in the small people pockets because minimum wages are still lousy and never go up !!!!! For sure Theo and all the gamblers they get a cut from it ! Merry Chritsmas ! report abuse vote down vote up


UMMMM December 10, 2009 72.252.10.172 Votes: +0	Let's say a news paper that marely depends on hear say and go by reliable sources should depend on its realiable sources to get the news from Oasis of the Seas.................Stop being who you are and people will maybe start to invite you to important functions such as this one. Want something to write about...Why don't you write about your immediate family...Is this one a secrete...I thought that much..Or should I write about it myself. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER and maybe JUST maybe you'll be invited the next time and please stop B*TCHING. report abuse vote down vote up


Sherry December 10, 2009 200.7.58.26 Votes: -1	I can clearly see that we have SMN haters here. My questions is why would you all come on this site if you all hate it or how it operates. At least we that support this site know that the owner is not in Theo pocket. We know she did wiggle her way to be there. The truth is you all haters should make sure you look to see what Theo ois doing with the harbour monies. Oasis is where he kicked off hos political campaign report abuse vote down vote up


I Love SXM-NEWS December 10, 2009 72.252.9.52 Votes: +0	SMN-News do not screen your comments like sxm-islandtime do. When you bash politicians and govt. officials for things they doing or not doing, sxmislantime screen your messages. Its a dictator site. People should be free to speak their mind once they are not being disrespectful. All of you are the same ones who will run to smn-news when justtice fail you or you have a running with govt. or law enforcement officials. Because SMN-NEWS is not afraid to tell the truth. Sxmislandtime probably getting a big cut from somewhere to keep from exposing the truth about our government. report abuse vote down vote up


our tax monies at work December 10, 2009 200.7.54.9 Votes: +0	Dear SMN news-I agree with your story-it warrants questions as to why the Harbour holding was in charge of the invitations-it warrants questions as to why GIS and the Tourism office was not invited..and from pictures I see on FaceBook-every cat and his dog was there-even Lloyd Richardson with his ugly face. What I dont read though, is why politicians who were on the island to discuss constitutional issues spent half a day on a cruise ship. I wonder if the Dutch constituents know this...they come to the islands to have serious discussions or to go on cruise ships? They should go on cruise ships on their own time and not on tax payers time. I thank you. report abuse vote down vote up


Jinglebell December 10, 2009 87.211.196.92 Votes: +1	I was not on the ship, but i see pictures and you all wont believe who was on it. -Theo & secretary could not miss out -Marcel & wife & lesbian daughter was there -Elektra, that lady from laser 101 -Dp crew, but i aint see that saba goat Stewy -Marlin &friends -Abdul Meyers & his mother, yesss i saw them on the pictur a whole gang of them eating icecream and drinking champange with a strawberry in it..... the onliest person me aint see was laviest....he musta aint get no invitation them alll big friends, Saraha and her partner in crime Theo report abuse vote down vote up


Jinglebell December 10, 2009 87.211.196.92 Votes: -1	our tax monies at work, doing over time all the pictures of them is on facebook, drinking en eating chocolate icecream why not invite a normal hard working person to go aboard and experience a lilttle find wine and luxury next thing they aint went aboard from in sxm, them went aboard in Florida and cruise down here to sxm!!! sleep in an ocean view suite and all and sxm hard working people was sleeping in the heat , mosqitoes bzzzz around in we ears because dam GEBE went off again.... man i hope not one of them pull votes this election when you all your voting card home, retour them by the postkantoor..... dont vote for them , them all thieves, liers, hoggs < me me dont smile and laugh up with them, i work hard to buy my cornbeef to eat... mmmmm lekker report abuse vote down vote up


today December 10, 2009 72.252.9.55 Votes: +0	Uhh, Today did not get an invitation, that's true. But we would have turned it down, because we are not interested in allocating so much resources to ...what? We did get an invitation to board the vessel once it was here though. So what the prob? report abuse vote down vote up


the refree December 10, 2009 72.252.9.58 Votes: +0	these is the same group of jockers that will be asking you to vote for them so they can continue to live the life of the rich and famous and you the voter must stay at the back and suck salt...let them come to meet and greet me i am waiting for these good for nothing tricksters!!! report abuse vote down vote up


merry go round December 10, 2009 200.7.61.103 Votes: +0	Theo and his entourage is just a circus. Did he get a name for his party. Oasis of the thieves party will be a good name. You mite be a vote getter Theo, but trust me, you cyan pull 2 more to get at least a hundred votes, Thats the reason you have not launched your party or was your party lunched on the ship? You better take leos advise. green is greed report abuse vote down vote up


Bill the Taliban December 11, 2009 190.102.6.169 Votes: +1	Why worry about Theo this much. Theo is innovative,creative and at times destructive. To lure the OASIS of the seas he had the vision to ensure that St. Maarten does not get left out of the loop. St. Maarten now has a mega pier built by the owners of the biggest ship. I consider him creative. Destructive: He has encouraged his mom and his FCCA daddy to bring the BIGGEST SHIP in the world to our frinedly shores. All with good intentions, however at the end of the day, this ship, this huge ship, this monster will cause serious problems to our tourism product. the the ring road project: Very creative idea, however with the Great Salt Pond over flowing with every drizzle, our prognosis is as follows. The next big rain we get onthis island, the entire town will be under water for several weeks. We continue to do these things without checking the consequences of their actions. This will be another destructive blow to St. Maarten, while Theo enriches the Wathey Dynasty. As a politician, he is innovative. After Sarah screwed up as a good leader, he joined N.A. Now he is planning on starting his own party. the big question is when. Theo can not lead a political party. So this was a destructive move on his part. He has no interest in that level of politics. Theo is a hands on man, with great political skills, it appears he learned form the best. But Theo knows better. He is skill ful enough to win an election but not run a country. So he is on the fence, waiting to see what will happen during the upcoming election for parliament. after that he will make up his mind what to do. Sarah loses, he can offer her a way out by letting him run his grandfathers party, Marlin wins, he can easily beat Marlin if he is leader of DP with all the kick backs from his croonies. He is fishing in both ponds now....waiting for the sharks to bite. Theo is the best politician on this island. Timing is everything. report abuse vote down vote up

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Only Selected few Allowed to Go on Board Oasis of the Seas---Media representatives also denied—Tourist Office not Invited on Inaugural Cruise—Reliable Sources.