St. Martin News Network

This is why Westin allow Govt. officials to stay at this hotel and keep a lot of meetings and parties there. Westin trying to buy them out. Which mafia is the owner of Westin? Even the new Justice Minister stay at this hotel. I wonder how Westin get that do. Westin even make Joan on the beach shut her mouth by paying her out. And now Westin owns the entire beach. These people got power. Check it out.

This "letter of comfort" was again a "self-assertion ruling" from our former DP commissioner who also from the throne hailed "permits are frivolous". The letter of comfort can be found on Private Eye under Westin, in the letter are both Westin Resort and Coral Beach Club. Oyster Bay Resort has their own letter of comfort. The tax office is doing a great job exposing these discriminatory agreements.Hooray also to the present Executive Council for standing up for the people, this letter of intent is against our present legislation and discriminatory to our own people and tax abiding citizens.

I don't understand how Westin can charge taxes on the rooms and then keep the money for themselves, isn't that stealing?

ONLY IN SXM THESE KIND OF CORRUPTION GOES ON
NO WHERE ELSE , ITS A SHAME HOW ITIALINS ARABS IS LIKE EVERYBODY JUST BUYING OUT THIS PLACE

LOOK SEE WHAT SXM IS REALLY COMING 2
THE END OF TIME.

TELL ME MORE ??????????????

Just fyi... i don't think that you guys read the article... It clearly states that westin received a letter or is in agreement with the former executive council to keep the room taxes in exchange that they better the community.

I would assume that by bettering the community they would hold workshops and other stuff. If they haven't held up their end of the bargain, then I would say ok... the gov. has the right to put lien on their assets, Other to that... they are fully wrong for doing so.


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The source said the island government would make sure they inform Westin that they would have to make their payments since the current executive council would not honor the letter given to them by the former executive council
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That's BS!! So you are telling me that if i sign an agreement with this government, when the next set of corrupted people come into to play... just because they didn't get a cut of money under the table ... they going revoke an agreement. ..

My opinion..
Tell westin... you owe $XXX.00 amount in room taxes... The agreement was to spend that amount in the community.. if you can't prove where you have spent the money... then we take ya shit... then tell em they have x amount of time to prove such...

That's just my opinion

Why is Westin owing Room Tax since 2004? wer they operting sine then? Can someone say which year they start opeating. To my knowledge and I can be wrong they start operating since 2006/2007

I always hear that this News line reports false information...
read this article about Westin.... they Open Fall 2006.

How are they Owing Room tax Since 2004..



Full Article
Starwood Hotels & Resorts' Worldwide, Inc. announced Dec. 1 that it has continued its expansion in the Caribbean with the recent groundbreaking of The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa and the adjacent Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Residences on the island of St. Maarten. Slated to open Fall 2006, The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa will offer 310 guest rooms, suites, oceanfront dining, a full-service spa, casino, a wide array of amenities and expansive meeting and event venues. The 99-unit Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Residences will be located on the resort grounds offering owners full access to the resort's services and amenities. The property is owned and managed by Columbia Sussex, owner, developer and operator of more than 85 hotels around the world.

I still cant believe what I am reading. Sarah and Marlin should be thrown in jail for these type ofdecisions. Westin and Sonesta getting away with murder while every other hotel is harassed to pay the room taxes. Marlin and Sarah wants to get backin power so bad that they are willing to sell out the country. We will not allow them to ge back in there to continue plundering this country. NOw the truth is coming to light. Thanks Beebee, you are doing a great job. Keep them out of government and lock them up in jail for selling us out. Power corrupts absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The Westin Charges room tax, service charge and other fees when you check in. If an agreement was indeed made to improve the community then the Westin or its parent company, becuase the Westin is just a franchise name. This has to be clarified who is responsible to the taxes. And yes they should be flabagasted if an arrangment was made,but their lawyer should alsp have researched if this was possible at the time the arrangement was made. A letter of comfort is nice. It is a short term confidence, which should be followed up with a real change in the ordinace. Other investors will be watching what happens very carefuly not to get trapped in a similar way.
The former executive council had enough time from 2006 to June this year to fix the problem, not they passing the buck.

@Garlic - first off lets get the facts right. Westin didnt had anything to do with Joan ordeal drama. That was coral beach club deal with her. Go read up the SOAB report and add one one, if u can do the math.
Let me secondly say this - 2weeks ago we where there and was sadden to see what tha beach has come too. No more Ms. B's ribs and the sea weed is all over the beach. To the westin, coral beach club, island govt. you all should get tha beach clean up fast. it is dirty and flity, otherwise we will move back to our vacation spot in Aruba.

well well. Always ready to help the out side man and leave the locals undone. The prosecuter needs to look into these kinda wrong doings. A promise or a agreement of letter of comfort is not the law.

THEIR IS NO FAIR PLAY IN POLITICS SO DON'T BE FOOL SO EASY IS'T A MONEY MAKING GAME. WHY YOU THINK THAT SO MUCH MONEY DOES BE SPEND DURING ELECTION TIME.DOES YOU ALL REALLY THINK THAT THESE PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT ST MAARTEN AND IT'S PEOPLE.ALL OF THEM IS ONE.OVER PRICE PROJECT. BAD DEAL ON ROADS.PEOPLE DON'T BE FOOL BY PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE MORE SMARTER THAN THEM JUST STOP AND THINK FOR A WHILE.RIGHT NOW POLITICS MAKE DRUG BUSINESS LOOK LIKE A JOKE AND HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD UP SIDE DOWN.FAST WAY TO GET RICH FAST .KEEP YOU ALL HEAD ON .

This is so unfair. Imagine everyone struggling to pay the 5% government room tax, while WESTIN collects this tax from the guests and are not paying into the coffers of government. If this is in any true we need to really expose these wrongdoings, since WESTIN and SONESTA clearly have a letter of comfort indicating governments plans to exempt them from paying these taxes. Are these practices fair? Now I am sure that we need a change in government. Please goto: www.ppa2010.com and get to know the underdog. We urge you to vote for a government you can trust.

I happen to know from a very good source who has document to show that taxes were calculated and passed on every month as it relates to room and taxes, that taxes were paid, it seem the third party to whom the cheques were handed over to seemingly did not pay these taxes....my question is, WHO GOT THE MONEY?, WHERE ARE THOSE CHEQUES THAT WERE PAID?...the corruption continues; the sad thing is the Westin former and present employees of this resort have to go on with this dark cloud over them.

I will seek to enlighten the person who posted the Westin comment, Westin may have opened in 2006 but operations were under way, prior to its opening, get your facts straight...do not get involved ina discussion without facts - do your research

VOP send those documents to SMN News. Gosh you keeping the good stuff for you only.

LOL,

Nothing will happen and they will not pay !

Election is coming.....duuhhh......

Room Tax is 5% of your overnight stay. Did Westin had accommodation for Guest Prior to December 2006...? if you are right I will not fight... I have nothing to do with Westin... never worked there and have no intention on working there, I have a secure Job for over 20 years.. I have some idea about Room Tax..... and how its generated.. VOP you said ",Westin may have opened in 2006 but operations were under way, prior to its opening" please explain so we all can learn more about Room Tax, I am never too old to learn and I guess the other bloggers would like to learn more too..

St.Maarten people heads up their a**es. The politicians right to ride them and ride them good. after they get their laptop and the lightbill paid, they dont give a sh*t about who sell who and their lives are better with the few cents or block they getfromtheir favorite politician. So they friend who only appears during election time can sell Western to the highest bidder. No problem. And after election the show goeson and the politician keepon doing their thing. Making a couple dollars here there and every wher. We like it so and we are oing to keep it so. Namebrand Hotels are paying 3% turnover tax

How can you say they were operating prior to 2006? Were they receiving guests? Really?? Where??? How can you charge for something you are not receiving? The first guests that stayed there and were charged room tax were staying there from DEC 2006. Or maybe they were renting tents on the beach before the hotel opened??