St. Martin News Network

Tax increase in we behinds now for sure. The budget cannot balance, we have a huge deficit but more people being employed and salaries going up.

But mind you you stupid fools out there, this pertains ONLY to GOVERNMENT employees. Not you the little man who already cannot make ends meet. NO, you will be hit with extra taxes to cover these additional expenses.

God please help your children. Do not make us all suffer for the foolishness of a few ignorant ones. This is serious Lord, please help us and deliver us from this evil that has befallen us. Amen.

Wow boy is right. A salary increase for civil servants on top of a huge budget deficit, we will feel it in our pockets. Why not lobby for a increase of the minimum wage for private sector workers as well. But this is a political propaganda stunt ofcourse. 10-10-10 is going to hit us hard.

@ wow boy and ???
I can understand looking on from the outside that this is the way you would feel, especially when you don't know all the facts or don't want to accept them.
First of all you a*sUME that there will be tax increases and then proceed to state this as a fact. Calculations show that the taxes that used to go to the Central Government will be more than sufficient to cover our expenses.
The salary of most civil servants is deplorable and it had to change a long time ago. The increase has to do with the indexing over the past years that should have been paid out to them in a lump sum, but instead will be now incorporated in the salary. So, I would not really speak of an increase as such in the true sense of the word.
In terms of the budget deficit, the budget does not include our share of the debt reduction as yet. This is a preliminary budget projection. Remember, a budget is merely a projection and can be balanced or not on paper, but its true figures are known at the end of the year when all the incomes and expenses are tallied.
The minimum wage is for only certain job cla*sifications and many civil servants/cleaners/laborers in government are at minimum wage level!These things are regulated by our Labor Laws. Now that we will attain separate status, we can bring about changes to these laws in the best interest of St. Maarten's people.
The Bible says "Study to show thyself approved." What we as people need to do is learn to understand the issues at hand rather than jumping on the bandwagon of nay-sayers and doom-callers. The Lord will only help those who help themselves. Remember: "Faith without work is dead." When you call others foolish and ignorant and using political stunts when you do not know the facts, what does that say about you? Remember also: Judge not that ye be not judged."

It's so easy to criticize that.
If the party you vote for should get elected, will the work for less?

Unless you did NOT vote for country status, you asked for it.

If you ask me most civil servants do not deserve an increase. They are rude and impatient. They totally forgot what the word servant means. For those who deserve it, enjoy it and put it to good use. I with wow boy and ??? This is not a time to increase salaries within the government because we do not have the whole picture of all our expenditures yet, Blackman said it himself during the last island council meeting. Still waiting for information from the Central Government, he said. This has indeed all indication of a political stunt.

@ 2 D nay-sayers and Hpluv.

As a business owner I would indeed have to be any-sayer since I know for a fact that there are several aspects to be considered whenever you are about to make any increases in your expenditures.

Mr. Blackman, loves to make statements but there are never any documented facts (financial reporting) to back up his statements and I for one am sick and tired of this man taking all of us SXM'rs for fools with his wonderful explanations.

I want to see documentation on how he proposes to carry out his statements without raising taxes. Who is going to pay for these raises (or as you call it, back payments)?
The taxes you speak of, now going to the central govt., is what he is looking at to cover the deficit of his un-balanced budget. So please come again with that remark.

He again states that Cur. owes SXM millions. Where is his financial report and confirmation on this statement. Did Cur. confirm this in black and white? How much does SXM owe Cur.? has that been considered in all of these beautiful words of his. Just give us one proper reporting on all of this.

To the average person this would sound lovely but to those who know better, we must ask the questions and want to see it black and white, not just hear his words.

Therefore, yes I can Judge because I know the consequences of making hasty decisions without looking at all aspects. If I do that it would only affect MY business. What he is doing could affect ALL of us on SXM. That my dear is why I will continue to ask for proper financial reporting.

Why can't this Mr. Genius sit and put all his facts and figures together and then present the whole picture to us rather than every minute coming up with some fantasy statement that does not hold up?

LONG OVERDUE