the Golden Book of Sint Maarten 6th edition

The Golden Book of

Sint Maarten 6th edition 2012

I N V E S T M E N T • T R A D E • T O U R I S M S i n t Maar ten ~ Saint Mar tin ~ Saba ~ Sint Eustatius ~ St. Bar thelemy

w w w. g o l d e n b o o k s x m . c o m

HISTORY OF WINAIR

A Look Back

George Gréaux Sr., originally from St. Barth’s, realized the opportunity the Caribbean islands offered for air transportation and started flying between them in the Cessna aircraft his father bought him. Another St. Barths resident, Hippolyte “Faustin” Ledée was also doing the same thing. His father had bought him an aircraft too. Both pilots flew flights to St. Eustatius and Gréaux even managed to secure the airmail contract for Statia. Unfortunately, Hurricane Donna brought destruction in 1960 and both Gréaux and Ledée lost their planes in the hurricane. Rather than resume their competition, they were advised to start again as a team. They did so and established Gréaux and Ledée Air Services (GLAS) within a few weeks. This company would not even last one year. Not because it failed. Rather, the opposite. Its success opened the eyes of the Windward Islands government to the necessity of organized air transport between St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba.They started talks with Gréaux and Ledée.

Norman “Chester” Wathey, agent for KLM on St. Maarten, soon joined in the discussions and after a meeting in the Lido Bar in Philipsburg, the three entrepreneurs came to an agreement. On August 24th, 1961, Windward Island Airways (WIA), now better known as WINAIR, was born. That was 51 years ago.

The objective of the founders was to create regular flights between St. Maarten – St. Eustatius and St. Maarten – Saba.

Therefore in 1962, the 4-seater Piper Apache flew to St. Eustatius. The first destination serviced by WINAIR was on July 24, 1963 (unofficial) that WINAIR flew its first flight to Saba.

Officially, regular service started on September 18, 1963 with 2 flights a week. The same year, WINAIR equipped with a second Piper Apache and a Beech Bonanza, which allowed The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

them to expand their network. In October 1963, WINAIR hired the person who would become a well-known pilot in the company, Captain Jose Dormoy, better known as “Pipe”, because of his trademark pipe he would smoke while flying.

In 1965, WINAIR commenced service to St. Kitts, Anguilla, St. Barths and Guadeloupe. Between 1967 and 1970, WINAIR replaced the two Piper Apache airplanes with two 19-seater De Havilland Twin Otter airplanes. These types of airplanes are ideal for the short take-off and landing requirements at the relative small airports in the Antilles / Caribbean.

In 1971, WINAIR changed its official name to: “Windward Islands Airways International”. The international status allowed WINAIR’s aircraft to land in airports such as San Juan, Puerto Rico. To operate this route, WINAIR rented 2 Fokker Friendship aircraft from an American based aviation company.

In 1974, WINAIR decided to discontinue the San Juan route due to disappointing revenue figures and subsequently the Fokker aircraft were returned to their owner.

At the end of 1974, the government of the Netherlands Antilles along with ALM acquired shares in WINAIR. At the time, this would turn out to be a positive move because it enabled WINAIR to improve its route structure.

WINAIR Today

Today, WINAIR has frequent daily scheduled service to 5 destinations in the Caribbean being: St. Maarten, Nevis, Saba, St. Barths, St. Eustatius, and soon Anguilla.

Over the past 51 years, WINAIR has been providing the traveling public with safe, efficient and dependable service and will combine all its efforts to continue to do so in the future!

The Golden Book of

Sint Maarten 6th edition - 2012 www.goldenbooksxm.com

I N V ESTMENT - TRADE - TOURIS M THE INVESTMENT GUIDE

A COMPREHENSIVE REFERENCE MANUAL FOR BUSINESSMEN, INVESTORS & TOURISTS

Sint Maarten ~ Saint Martin ~ Saba ~ Sint Eustatius ~ St. Barthelemy The Golden Book of Sint Maarten, 6th edition, is published by:

MEDIA PUBLISHING INTERNATIONAL N.V. #57 Welfare Road, DHL Building, 2nd Floor, Cole Bay, Sint Maarten Tel: 1 (721) 527-5111 • Fax: 1 (721) 544-3462

Readers of the Golden Book of Sint Maarten are referred to the Government of Sint Maarten website: www.sintmaartengov.org

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

TABLE OF CONTENTS The Present Government of Sint Maarten Message from the Honourable Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Sarah Wescot Williams ................................................................... 5 The Council of Ministers.......................................................................................... 6 The Parliament of Sint Maarten.............................................................................. 7 Country Sint Maarten Government Structure & Ministries............................8

Map of the Island.................................4

Investment Guide............... 30

The Government of St. Maarten......9

Investment Opportunities.............. 32 Economy............................................. 34

General Information.......... 12

Financial Services............................. 38

General Information........................ 14

Incentives........................................... 44

Contacts............................................. 16

St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA)......................... 46

The St. Maarten Museum............... 19 History............................................... 20 University of St. Martin................... 21 Philipsburg Broadcasting................. 23 Sint Maarten Carnival...................... 26

Establishing a Business in Sint Maarten...................................... 48 Registration of a New Business.... 52 Taxation.............................................. 53 Princess Juliana International Airport............................................... 54 Harbour.............................................. 58 GEBE................................................... 63 Telecommunications in St. Maarten......................................... 66

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The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

TABLE OF CONTENTS Tourism............................................................. 68 Philipsburg: Shopping Mecca of the Northeastern Caribbean............................................................................... 70 Map of Philipsburg................................................................ 79 Tourism Activities................................................................. 80 Simpson Bay: The New Strip of Entertainment............. 82 Map of Simpson Bay, Cole Bay, Maho, Mullet Bay.......... 86 Cupecoy: The New Shopping Attraction & Entertainment Center......................................................... 89 St. Maarten Tourist Bureau................................................. 91 The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta................................100

The Neighbouring Islands..........................102 French Saint Martin...........................................................102 Saba.......................................................................................105 St. Eustatius..........................................................................109 Saint Barthelemy................................................................114 ADVERTISERS INDEX......................................................116

This book has been published by Media Publishing International N.V. on behalf of the Government of Country Sint Maarten.

Media Publishing International N.V. #57 Welfare Rd., DHL Building - 2nd floor, Cole Bay, St. Maarten Tel: 1 (721) 527-5111 Fax: 1 (721) 544-3462 www.goldenbooksxm.com General Manager & Publisher: Emile Cukier E-mail: emilecukier@gmail.com Layout: Estrelinda Rollan-Mc Quilkin - lindarollan@gmail.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.The publisher is not responsible for any error or omission, which may be only the result of an accident.

The publisher would like to extend thanks and appreciation to all those who contributed editorial material, information and photos for this edition.

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Map of the Island

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

Message from Honourable Prime Minister

Sarah Wescot-Williams

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The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

Council of Ministers

Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams Prime Minister Hon. Theo Heyliger Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure Hon. Hiro Shigemoto Minister of Finance Hon. Franklin Meyers Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs,Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Rhoda Arrindell Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports Hon. Roland Duncan Minister of Justice Hon. Cornelius De Weever Minister of Public Health, Social Development & Labour 6

The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

The Parliament of Sint Maarten There are five factions represented in the 15 member chamber of parliament. The five factions are the United Peoples party (UP) which has six members, the National Alliance (NA) which also has five members, the Democratic Party (DP) with two members, and independent Members of Parliament Patrick Illidge and Frans Richardson.

Hon. Gracita Arrindell (UP) President of Parliament Hon. Leroy De Weever (DP) Vice President of Parliament

Frans Richardson (Independent) Member of Parliament

Romain Laville (UP), Faction Leader Member of Parliament

Roy Marlin (DP), Faction Leader Member of Parliament

Jules James (UP) Member of Parliament

William Marlin (NA), Faction Leader Member of Parliament

Sylvia Meyers (UP) Member of Parliament

Lloyd Richardson (NA) Member of Parliament

Ruth Douglass (UP) Member of Parliament

George Pantophlet (NA) Member of Parliament

Johan Leonard (UP) Member of Parliament

Hyacinth Richardson (NA) Member of Parliament

Patrick Illidge (Independent) Member of Parliament

Louie Laveist (NA) Member of Parliament

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The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

Country Sint Maarten Government Structure & Ministries Governor Parliament Council of Ministers

Ministry of General Affairs Ministry of Finance Ministry of Justice Ministry of Education, Culture,Youth & Sports Ministry of Health, Social Development & Labor Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs,Transport & Telecommunications Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure

Seat of Government: P.O. Box 943 Government Administration Building Clem Labega Square Philipsburg Sint Maarten Tel. 1 (721) 542-2233 / 542-2534 / 542-2535 8

The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

THE GOVERNMENT OF SINT MAARTEN

Welcome to Sint Maarten Welcome to Sint Maarten

Introduction

The Parliament

As of October 10, 2010, Sint Maarten became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On October 9, 2010, the Netherlands Antilles in which Sint Maarten was one of five Island Territories ceased to exist as a country within the Dutch Kingdom. The Kingdom of the Netherlands now comprises of the following countries, The Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten. The three other islands, Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire are now public entities of the Netherlands and have a similar status as Dutch municipalities.

The parliament is the highest legislative body of country Sint Maarten and represents the entire population of the Dutch side of the island. The parliament consists of 15 members who are elected for a four-year period.

As a country, Sint Maarten enjoys its own autonomy. In this respect, it is free to enact its own laws providing that these laws do not conflict with the laws of a higher nature (Kingdom) or with international treaties of which the Netherlands are cosignatory.

The parliament elects a President and Deputy President from its own numbers. The President of Parliament shall open and close the session year of the Parliament.

The Government

The Council of Ministers comprises of seven ministers.

The ministers are answerable to the Parliament. The Prime Minister chairs the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers shall debate and determine government policy in order to promote the cohesion of that policy. If the Governor attends a meeting of the Council of Ministers, he/she shall do so in an advisory capacity.

As an island territory, Sint Maarten was governed by the Island Regulation of the Netherlands Antilles, and in accordance herewith the administration units of the Island Territory were: the Island Council, Executive Council and Lt. Governor.

As of October 10, 2010, Sint Maarten is now governed by its own Constitution and the following institutions of government: Governor as Head of State, the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister, and the Parliament..

The session year of parliament commences on the second Tuesday of September. During this session, the Governor provides an explanation of the policy to be pursued by the government.

The Council of Ministers

The Prime Minister and other ministers shall be appointed and dismissed by national ordinance. If a minister no longer enjoys the confidence of the Parliament, he/she shall surrender his/

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The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

THE GOVERNMENT OF SINT MAARTEN The Judiciary The courts forming part of the judiciary are: the Court at First Instance; the Common Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten and Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands in relation to legal cases in Sint Maarten shall be regulated by Kingdom Law. The responsibilities of the judiciary are: the adjudication of disputes on civil matters; the trial of criminal offences; and the adjudication of disputes on administrative law matters.

Constitutional Court The duty of the court is to assess the compatibility of any applicable statutory regulations. The constitutional court consists of three members, including a president and a vice president, and three substitute members.

her office.

The Minister Plenipotentiary must have the Dutch nationality.

This person represents the island in the Kingdom Council of Ministers meetings in The Hague, The Netherlands. The minister also has his/her office in the Netherlands under the banner of the “Sint Maarten House.�

Each minister heads one of seven ministries which are established by national ordinance.

System of Government Sint Maarten is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with full autonomy in internal affairs. The Kingdom Government is responsible for defense and foreign affairs. The Queen of the Netherlands is Head of State and is represented by the Governor.

Other institutions of government are the Council of Advice, the General Audit Chamber and Ombudsman.

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The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

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The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten 12

GENERAL INFORMATION

GENERAL INFORMATION...................................................................................................... 14 CONTACTS.................................................................................................................................. 16 THE ST. MAARTEN MUSEUM.................................................................................................. 19 HISTORY........................................................................................................................................ 20 THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARTIN........................................................................................ 21 PHILIPSBURG BROADCASTING........................................................................................... 23 SINT MAARTEN CARNIVAL................................................................................................... 26

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten 14

GENERAL INFORMATION

Climate

The island enjoys sunshine all year round. Average wind speed of 4.1 m/s; average temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) in the winter and 86 degrees (30 degrees) in the summer.

The sun shines for approximately eight hours a day and the average rainfall annually is approximately 40 inches.The water temperature is approximately 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.6 degrees Celsius). Gentle trade winds keep the humidity low.

Population

The population of Sint Maarten is approximately 50,000 comprising of more than 150 nationalities. Apart from persons born on Curacao, Aruba, Saba, St. Eustatius, Bonaire, Sint Maarten and Dutch nationals, the 10 countries with the highest populations on the Dutch side of the island are: Dominican Republic, Haiti, Dominica, Jamaica, Guyana, India, Great Britain, France, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Lucia. The next national census to be carried out by the Department of Statistics is schedule for 2011. The last census was carried out in 2001. The average population growth rate in 1999 was 2.3 per cent.

Time Zone

Euro. No official rate exists. The Euro value depends on the international exchange rate and is between 1.25 and 1.40 US$ The US Dollar is widely accepted on both sides of the island.

Electricity

110 volts A.C. (50 cycles) on the Dutch side or 208/220 volts (60 cycles) on the French side.

Telecommunications

Telephone service is all over as well as cellular phone, BlackBerry services and internet.The island is well connected with the international community.

Public Holidays

All government offices and businesses are officially closed on the following annual public holidays: • Good Friday • Easter Sunday and Monday • April 30 - Queen’s Birthday • May 1 - Labor day

St. Maarten is on Atlantic Standard Time, which is Greenwich Meant Time (GMT) minus four (4) hours.

• May 2 - Second Day of Carnival

Languages

• Ascension Day

Dutch is the official language of the Dutch side of the island and French on the French side, also commonly referred to as the North side of the island. English is widely spoken on both sides of the island. Other languages commonly heard are Papiamento and Spanish.

Currency

The official currency of Sint Maarten at this time remains the Netherlands Antillean Florin (Guilder; Naf./Fls.) and is fixed to the U.S. Dollar at an exchange rate of 1.79 and 1.82.

The official currency of the North side of the island is the GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

• November 11 - Sint Maarten/St. Martin Day • December 15 - Kingdom Day • December 25 - Christmas Day • December 26 - Boxing Day • January 1 - New Years Day

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CONTACTS Telephone Code for Sint Maarten: 1-721 Usefull addresses & Contacts Government Administration Building Clem Labega Square, Philipsburg, PO Box 943, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-2233 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-4884 Cabinet of the Governor General Falcon Drive 3, Harbor View, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-1160 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-1185 Bureau of Foreign Relations & Protocol Imperial Building,WJA Nisbeth Road , Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ......................................................................... 542-0640 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-0649 Management Resources Administration Building, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-8360 Fax: .......................................................................... 543-7935 Department of Communication Long Wall Road, Sint Maarten Tel.: ...................................................542-4119 / 543-1162 Fax: .......................................................................... 543-1169 Legal Affairs WJA Nisbeth Road, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-4701 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-9514 Parliament of St. Maarten Parliament Building, Front Street, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-2606 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-2611 Labour & Social Affairs Zout Steeg 3, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-3561 Fax: .......................................................................... 543-7511 GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

Economy & Tourism Walter Nisbeth Road 57, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel: ........................................................................... 543-7821 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-3111 Department of Tourism Vineyard Building,W.G. Buncamper Road 33, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-2337 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-2734 Dept. of Economic Policy & Research Vineyard Building,W.G. Buncamper Road 33, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-2337 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-3111 Dept. of Business License & Permits Bico Building, Zout Steeg 3, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-2986 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-7822 Department of Finance E.C. Richardson Street 23, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: .......................................................................... 542-2458 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-3319 The Chamber of Commerce Cannegieter Street 11, P.O.Box 454, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ...................................................542-3590 / 542-3595 Fax: .......................................................................... 542-3512

Any additional information that you may require can be obtained by calling the following numbers: Tel: 542-2233 • Fax: 542-4884 at the Government Administration Building Reception Desk.

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CONTACTS

Banking

Sint Maarten offers highly international banking, communication and professional services that are geared at promoting the island as an international center.

Below you will find a listing of some of our banks that could inform you on different encumbrances such as the exchange rate, interest rates for loans etc.

Central Bank Of Curacao and Sint Maarten P.O. Box 193, Nisbeth Road, Pondfill, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel:............................................... 542-3520 Fax:.............................................. 542-4307 Central Mortgage Bank WJA Nisbeth Road 97 A, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 542-0442 Fax: ............................................. 542-0443 Bank of Nova Scotia Back Street 54, Philipsburg Sint Maarten Tel.: ...............................542-2262 / 3317 Fax: ............................................. 542-2435 Simpson Bay Yacht Club, Simpson Bay Tel.: ...............................544-3390 / 3392 Fax: ............................................. 544-3396 www.scotiabank.com First Caribbean Int’l Bank Back Street 38, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ................542-3511 / 2491 / 2567 Fax: ............................................. 542-4531 www.firstcaribbeanbank.com Windward Islands Bank Ltd. Head Office, Clem Labega Square, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 542-2313 Fax: ............................................. 542-4761 www.wib-bank.net Orco Bank Union Road 139 f, Union Plaza, Cole Bay, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 544-4744 Fax: ............................................. 544-4745 info@orcobank.com

RBTT Bank N.V. C.A. Cannegieter Street 24 Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.:.............................................. 542-5908 Fax:.............................................. 542-5964 www.rbtt.com

Fax: ............................................. 542-9141

Other Contacts

UTS C.Webster Road 2, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 542-0101 Fax: ............................................. 542-3274 Phone Card Info Number: 127

AIRPORTS Princess Juliana International Airport Tel.: ............................................. 546-7542 ............................................. 546-7713 Fax: ............................................. 546-7550

Consulate General Dominican Republic Emmaplein 1 Suite B, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ...............................542-0338 / 0339 Fax: ............................................. 542-0337

Esperance Grand Case Tel.: ..................................... 590 87 53 03 Fax: ..................................... 590 87 09 71

Immigration Service Princess Juliana Int’l. Airport Tel.: ............................................. 545-3012 Fax: ............................................. 545-3011

PORT OF SINT MAARTEN Chief Executive Officer: Mark Mingo mark_mingo@portofstmaarten.com P.O. Box 5185, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ...............................542-8504 / 8503 Fax: ............................................. 542-5048

Post Office N. Debrot Street 2, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 542-2947 Fax: ............................................. 542-3308

GEBE Water and Electricity Company Tel.: ............................................. 542-2213 Fax: ............................................. 542-4810 24/24 Emergency: 544 3100

Notary Office Gijsbertha Francis Fouress Bldg., Emmaplein, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 542-2684 Fax: ............................................. 542-4978

CARIBSERVE.NET Codville Webster Road 2, Suite 3 Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 542-4233 Fax: ............................................. 542-4229

Notary office Speetjens & Associates Front Street #5, Suite 4, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 542-2339 Fax: ............................................. 542-2439

TELEM GROUP Soualiga Bldg. #5, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel.:.............................................. 546-0200 Fax:.............................................. 542-9170 www.telemgroup.an

Notary Office Steeman Professional Office Park, Point Blanche, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 542-9926 Fax: ............................................. 542-9929

SMITCOMS Falcon Drive # 3 Harbour View, Sint Maarten Tel.: ............................................. 542-9140

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

In this museum (the only museum on the Dutch side of the island) that is part of the Sint Maarten National Heritage, the history, nature and geology of the island is presented to the public.

The display on the Arawaks tells you about the way of life of these Amerindians that originated from the Orinoco Basin in Venezuela and traveled in piroques along the islands of the Lesser Antillies.

Written information is complemented with artifacts and tools, clothing and jewelry.

The plantation period has examples of agriculture, fishery, cattle raising and the salt industry, together with objects and illustrations depicting the life of planters and enslaved Africans.

The Fort Amsterdam display presents the visitor with excavated artifacts dating from the presence of Dutch, Spanish and English occupation as of 1631.

Very interesting are the exhibits from “Grandmothers time”and Antillian stamps and coins. New are the Cottage Industry and “10-10-10 Country St. Maarten” displays.

The second room of the museum contains exhibits on maritime history: artifacts and ship models such as a piroque, a schooner, a slave ship and the famous 3-masted warship “Proselyte” built in the Netherlands in 1770, that sank in the Great Bay in 1801, while sailing under British Flag.

Other displays in the museum depict the Nature and the Environment, Geology, and a collection of dried medicinal herbs.

Very impressive is the information, photographs and video tapes about the devastation several hurricanes have brought to Sint Maarten in the past decade. Especially the video of hurricane “Luis” 1995 gives the visitors a clear picture about what exactly took place and how much the island has

recovered since then.

The Museum has a videotheque and a reference library. Materials and books can be viewed and studied in the reading corner. Many students and scholars made good use of this facility.

The Museum shop sells local arts and crafts. Also books (history, poetry, biology and children literature from Caribbean and local authors) and reproductions of antique maps and prints are available. The profit from sales, and donations from museum visitors, are of utmost importance to safeguard the continuation of the activities of the Heritage Foundation and Museum.

The offices of the foundation and the Museum are located at Front street 7, in Philipsburg.

Opening hours are: Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m.

Saturdays and Sundays we are closed.

Special arrangements can be made to have a personal guided tour in the museum during opening hours or at other times.

During your visit, friendly volunteers in the museum shop are available to answer questions on island matters and ecotourism activites, while museum brochures in 7 languages enhance the quality of your visit to the museum.

There is no entrance fee, but being a non-profit organization, donations are very much appreciated.

Elsje Bosch, Director St. Maarten Museum / St. Maarten National Heritage Foundation Frontstreet #7 Philipsburg Sint Maarten Tel/Fax 1 721 542 4917 E-mail: heritage@caribserve.net Website: museumsintmaarten.org

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

THE SINT MAARTEN MUSEUM

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HISTORY St. Maarten is one of the 5 islands that form the Netherlands Antilles. This unique island is located approximately 280 miles east of Puerto Rico or 18.1 degrees north and 63.3 degrees west. St. Maarten is unique in that it shares the island with St. Martin, a French dependency that occupies 21 square miles on the northern part of the island.

St. Maarten/St. Martin enjoys the perfect blend of two European cultures, namely the French and the Dutch, with the beauty of a Caribbean paradise. The island of St. Maarten also boasts a captivating historical background. Christopher Columbus discovered St. Maarten in 1493, on the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, and in the 140 years that followed, it changed flags many times.

The Spanish, French, Dutch and English have all claimed possession. In 1648, the island was divided in two by a Treaty of Concordia, which was signed on March the 23rd, 1648. The Dutch received 16 square miles and the French received 21. Today, the inhabitants of this friendly island are proud of their 350 year coexistence and, have never constructed an official border, only a symbolic border between the island’s two countries. There is no border control (i.e. Checkpoint) between the two parts of the island; there is free access and movement between the two. Monuments and border signs indicate the entrance from one side to the other.

There are many historical sights to see and to photograph. Indians, pirates, smugglers, slaves, soldiers, merchants and mariners have all left their mark here. Be that as it may, the island is certainly a treasure trove of history.

St. Maarten, with its capital Philipsburg, occupies the southern part of the island’s 16 square miles. Philipsburg is one of the major commercial centers of the island. In Philipsburg, one can find a concentration of jewelry stores, clothing stores, souvenir stores, restaurants and tourists attractions.

Fort Amsterdam . Museum Collection

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The University of St. Martin (USM) is one of the main higher education providers on St. Maarten offering a variety of associate, bachelor, and non-degree programs. Our diverse academic and non-academic community has a student body that is distributed among the programs in business (with concentrations in accounting and business management), business information management, liberal arts, education, hospitality, continuing education (CEP), English as a Second Language (ESL), and the General Education Development (GED) tutorial.

USM’s campus is centrally located in Philipsburg and is within walking distance from business and government offices, banks, stores, supermarkets, and restaurants. USM’s architecture is simple, blending into the niche on the entrance to Soualiga Road, and offering an inviting and friendly atmosphere. Its intimate and picturesque garden also offers a soothing tranquility conducive to studying and learning.

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARTIN

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Founded in 1989 on the principle that education can improve the quality of life for people on St. Martin and the region, USM continues to be steadfast in its commitment to the community. For over 22 years, USM, with its knowledgeable and qualified pool of instructors, has been offering students the opportunity to discover their potential and helping them realize their academic and professional goals.

Our degree programs include:

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARTIN

Associate of Arts in Business: * Accounting * Management Associate of Applied Science: * Business Information Management * Hospitality & Tourism Management Associate of Arts in General Liberal Arts Bachelor of Arts in Education Certificate in Teaching Bachelor of Science in Hospitality & Tourism Management

USM, with its motto “The Key to a Brighter Future,” enrolls close to 200 full-time and part-time students in the degree programs and over 150 in the non-degree programs.

The university continues to offer an affordable liberal arts education in a culturally diverse environment. USM prides itself on having more than 500 alumni, many of whom continue to excel as accountants, managers, teachers, business owners, government administrators, and other professionals.

AT USM IT’S ALL ABOUT BENEFITS * The benefit of being able to choose from a variety of nondegree and degree programs. * The benefit of a quality academic and adult education. * The benefit of being at home in the Caribbean with family and friends while pursuing an education. * The benefit of affordable tuition and small classes where personalized attention is the norm. * The benefit of having a variety of extra-curricular activities and clubs to participate in. * The benefit of transferring to several schools in the region, U.S., Europe, or Canada if students choose to do so.

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Rooted in the tradition of the University of St. Martin is its relationship with business, civic, and community organizations.

The university, while offering special programs and services to institutions and corporate partners, gains strength from these partnerships and derives benefits for its students especially from the networks these relationships provide.

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The future of the University of St. Martin continues to be shaped by its values while catering to the needs and expectations of the students and the community. By providing students with focused instruction and personal attention, USM offers the virtues of a small college with curricular richness and disposition of a large university.

University of St. Martin 1 Soualiga Road P.O. Box 836 Philipsburg, St. Maarten Tel: 1-721-542-5171 / 542-3156 / 542-3674 Fax:1-721-542-5226 www. usmonline.net

The Key To A Brighter Future

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

PHILIPSBURG BROADCASTING

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PHILIPSBURG BROADCASTING Philipsburg Broadcasting is the home of four FM radio stations, • Laser 101, • Oasis 96.3, • Tropixx 105.5 and • Mix 94.7 Overview Laser 101, the original radio station in the Philipsburg Broadcasting family, was launched in 1993 and has been voted St. Maarten’s #1 Radio Station for the past 7 years. Laser 101 is a popular Top 40 station with a target audience of the young and young at heart with many dynamic on-air personalities playing a mix of hit music across all genres including Pop, R&B, Hip-Hop, Dance, Caribbean Hot Picks and Alternative Rock. It’s the station with the attitude where all the hit music is heard first! Laser 101 is also known as The Storm Watch Station during Hurricane Season which runs from June to November every year, and when necessary simulcasts with the other Philipsburg Broadcasting stations for storm coverage.

The weekly schedule from Mondays to Fridays on Laser 101 is jam packed with a variety of On-Air personalities and shows. Wake Up with Elektra from 7:00am to 10:00am, Gee Money with the AM/PM Workload Show from 10:00am to 2:00pm, Partydude Jason with The J-Zone from 3:00pm to 6:00pm, and The Boom Box from 6:00pm to 9:00pm hosted by Versatwizy and Omari Ferrari.

The weekends on Laser 101 are also full of entertainment with JamRock Radio on Fridays from 9:00pm to 11:00pm with DJ Waxfiend, Maikal X and Suppa Kid for the latest Dancehall and Reggae. On Saturdays The World Chart is on with PJ Butta counting down the top 20 Hip-Hop, R&B and Soul hits from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Gee Money doing double duty hosting the Saturday Jump Off from 8:00pm to 12:00 midnight and Outta Control Radio with Madlinx and DJ Power from 12:00 Midnight to 2:00am!

On Sundays from 12:00 noon to 2:00pm it’s more than Music, it’s Ministry, The Wade-O-Radio Christian Hip-

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

Hop show. Then from 5:00pm to 7:00pm is Back At It Radio hosted by St. Maarten’s own Cut Creator DJ Outkast bringing that club atmosphere to your home.

In 1997 Oasis 96.3 FM, the Softer Side of St. Maarten, the island’s Oldies and Easy listening station joined Philipsburg Broadcasting. Oasis 96.3 plays a blend of popular oldies and classic hits of the 50s up to the 90s and current ballads with a soft to medium tempo of music. Oasis 96.3 is a more mature alternative to other radio stations and is heard in restaurants, offices and banks. From Mondays to Fridays you can listen to Oasis Oldies from 10:00am to 1:00pm hosted by Phyllis Meit who takes you on a musical journey revisiting a different musical era every day.

The next radio station to become part of Philipsburg Broadcasting was Tropixx 105.5 FM in 2005, St. Maarten’s only all Caribbean music station that gives you a taste of music from Cuba to Aruba and the sweet sounds of Reggae, Soca, Salsa, Calypso and other familiar Island tunes. From Mondays to Fridays Caribbean Sunrise is on from 7:00am to 10:00am hosted by Stormin’ Norman, a very informative entertainment show. You can also listen to the Boom Tribe Caribbean Top Ten every Saturday at 12:00 noon.

In 2007 the fourth radio station joined the Philipsburg Broadcasting family, MIX 94.7 FM, a fully automated Hot Adult Contemporary station with more of an uptempo contemporary hits format with a blend of older and current hits and no On-Air talents.

The four radio stations of Philipsburg Broadcasting, offering something for everyone.

Together Making the Difference!

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

SINT MAARTEN CARNIVAL Gearing up for Carnival 2012 St. Maarten is gearing up for its 43rd Annual Carnival, which will take place from April 19 – May 2, 2012. The island’s largest celebration features colorful parades, pageants, musical performances and other activities culminating with the traditional Burning of King Momo. St. Maarten’s Carnival stands out among other regional celebrations due to its size and the way locals embrace participating vacationers who get swept away in the revelry.

“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors not just to the beautiful shores of St. Maarten but to witness and participate in St. Maarten’s Carnival, our largest cultural event and what is essentially the North Eastern Caribbean’s longest food and musical festival. Two weeks of pure excitement, costumes, music and foods from different nationalities. If you have never experienced Carnival in the Caribbean, there is no better place to start than St. Maarten and all the aspects that makes us a truly unique destination,” said President of the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation, Stuart Johnson.

The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau is encouraging travelers planning a visit to St. Maarten coinciding with Carnival 2012 to book their flights and accommodations as early as possible as rooms are expected to sell out in record time, especially in the Philipsburg capital where the Carnival Village will be located.

“While St. Maarten’s Carnival is always regarded as one of the liveliest festivals in the region, 2012 marks a very special year for us as we’ve expanded our ‘Official Carnival Season’ by an additional week,” said May-Ling Chun, interim director of tourism for the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau “Visitors to St. Maarten will now have more opportunities to get swept up in the revelry with two jam-packed weeks of hip-shaking fun to help burn calories picked up along the way in culinary capital of the Caribbean.”

Sc

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St. Maarten is the only place in the world that has two Carnivals – the first in February on the French side of the island which could be seen as a dress rehearsal of sorts for the big celebration that takes place in April on the Dutch side of the island.

St. Maarten is colorful to begin with – during Carnival Season the island becomes a vibrant playground and a photographer’s dream.

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Minis St.Ma

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The April Carnival Season is perhaps the most exciting time to be in the Caribbean as residents and visitors to St. Maarten can invoke their Carnival spirit long before the two-week festival officially begins with events and competitions held as early as March 31. Pre-Carnival activities include the Fete to Fitness Around Town Jump-Up on March 31, Junior Calypso & Road March Show on April 1, and the Teen & Senior Speech &

SCDF Presid Arrindell the photo are the

chool visit at the St. Dominic Primary School.

ary School. ool visit at the Leonard Connor Prim

dent Stuar t Johnson presents Minister Rhoda first official schedule for Carnival also in the e various contestants of the Junior Road marc h & Calypso.

Bureau Telecommunications and Post (BTP) presents some of the sponsored prizes to winners.

secretary Michael SCDF President Stuar t Johnson and SCDF Honorable Prime the to pass val carni Granger presents the first illiams ot-W Wesc Minister of St. Maarten Mrs. Sarah

School.

School visit at the St. Dominic Primary

School visit at the Leonard Connor Prim ary School.

ing dinner at Senior Carnival Queen Contestants enjoy Roof Top Bar.

Junior Carnival Queen Contestants havin g dinner at the Simpson Bay Fish Market.

entar y School.

School visit at the Sister Borgia Elem

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

s the ster of Culture Rhoda Arrindell open .

2011 ival Carn for e Villag al Festiv n aarte

SINT MAARTEN CARNIVAL

School visit at the Sister Borgia Elem entar y School.

GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

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The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

SINT MAARTEN CARNIVAL

Carnival celebrations in St Maarten are an exciting time for locals and visitors alike.

Culture Wear Competition on April 14.

The official celebration begins on April 19 with the Opening of Carnival Village followed by the Opening Jump-Up. The celebration continues with the Senior Calypso Eliminations & Soca Monarch Competition on April 20, after which the first of a series of International Concerts will kick-off on April 29 with the International Soca Concert.

The Junior Carnival Parade will take place on April 22 followed by the Ms. Mature Queen Pageant & Cultural Manifestation on April 23 and the International Hip-Hop/Dancehall Concert on April 24. Teen and Senior Carnival Queen Pageants are scheduled for April 25 with the Youth Extravaganza and Senior Calypso Finals taking place on April 21 and 27, respectively.

Things are off to an early start on April 28 with Jouvert Morning celebrations beginning at 4 am. The International Concert Series closes with the International Latin Concert and International Reggae/R&B Concert on April 28 and April 26, respectively.

The Grand Carnival Parade on April 30 is one of the most exciting events of the season, but things will not slow down

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GENERAL INFORMATION - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

on May 1 as revelry carries over into the Second Day Parade, where participants will don vibrant costumes that depict local heritage as they move their feet to the rhythms of cultural songs. The Carnival Season culminates with the Closing JumpUp and Burning of King Momo on May 2. It is said that the Burning of King Momo rids the island of its sins leaving it fresh and revived for the New Year.

Get updates on St. Maarten’s Carnival via Facebook Keywords: St. Maarten Carnival

For more information, contact:: Stuart Johnson, President St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation Tel: 1-721-522-0509 or 1-721-553-4788 E-mail: sajohnson16@gmail.com

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

INVESTMENT GUIDE

Investment Opportunities..............................................................................................32 Economy.....................................................................................................................................34 Financial Services.................................................................................................................38 Incentives...................................................................................................................................44 St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA).....................................46 Establishing a Business in Sint Maarten................................................................48 Registration of a New Business.................................................................................52 Taxation.....................................................................................................................................53 Princess Juliana International Airport..............................................................54 Harbour......................................................................................................................................58 GEBE.................................................................................................................................................63 Telecommunication in st. maarten.........................................................................66

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INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Economy

St. Maarten’s economy is almost totally dependent on the tourism industry. A relatively large share of the economic activities on the island are geared towards the tourism industry. Complementary to the tourism industry, the other sectors that contribute to the economy are construction, trade, banking and wholesale. Based on the Comprehensive Economic Development Plan (CEDP), St. Maarten is looking at diversifying the economy within the tourism industry and additional industries, however not as a replacement of the tourism industry.

One such industry is the trade industry, of which St. Maarten plays an instrumental role as a hub for the regional islands.

Because of St. Maarten’s duty free status and strategic location, St. Maarten adds reasons to be chosen as a distribution hub for container traffic for the following reasons namely, as a result of: 1. It’s close proximity to USA,creating savings of approximately 20% as compared to the southern Caribbean islands.

2. It offers excellent transshipment opportunities with the newly renovated harbor facility to the surrounding islands.

3. Falling outside the USA customs Zone, foreign vessels or US vessels under a foreign flag are permitted.

The Government has approved the Comprehensive Economic Development Plan (CEDP) for St. Maarten with the focus on diversifying the economy.

1. Diversification geared towards expanding the economic bases by focusing on the development of other economic sectors.

2. Diversification within the tourism sector thereby identifying what other types of industries within the tourism sector can be developed i.e. marina/yachting, conference/group travel.

Based on this approach the Government has approved certain priority areas of economic diversification, which are presented in the CEDP as follows:

Preferential trade agreement Foreign companies that manufacture in St. Maarten have preferential access to US and European markets due to the status as an Associate Member of the European Community.

Associate member of the EC St. Maarten has preferential access to the European markets.

• Development of the IT-sector 1. E-business related industries 2. Trade center services 3. Learning centers

The European Community is a single market of more than 350 million customers, therefore, St. Maarten companies which export to the community can experience economies of scale.

• Regional distribution center for trade, information and services

Trade preferences and free access is given to products originating in St. Maarten, which have added value by being produced or processed locally and have provided employment.

• Light manufacturing Possible joint ventures and operations with other islands, also possible and encouraged if the infrastructure developments are not in favor for St. Maarten.

St. Maarten produces very little products due to the lack of

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human resources therefore, the Island Government is looking at ways of diversifying the economy. Since St. Maarten is dependent on tourism, the CEDP focuses on industries that complement and do not effect the tourism industry.

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

International manufacturers and trading companies exporting to the EU could see financial advantages by diverting their exports via St. Maarten and by doing minimal processing on the island could change the country of origin status and benefit from this arrangement.

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ECONOMY

Our economy’s distinguishing characteristic is the dominance of a single industry; tourism.This has been both a blessing and a curse.

St. Maarten has experienced explosive economic growth and prosperity, but occasionally the island has suffered the consequences of the vulnerability inherent to this particular economic activity. Notwithstanding this economic paradox, tourism will remain the main pillar of the local economy for the foreseeable future. The Government will therefore continue to implement policies and programs, to sustain and improve the tourism infrastructure. But in addition, policies and programs to stimulate diversification will be put into place.

Ultimately, the diversification must broaden the economic activity on the island while supporting improvement and rejuvenation of the mainstay activity.

The CEDP will receive a central role in this regard as this program proposes strategies, programs and projects specifically crafted to achieve the twin goals of redeveloping the tourism sector and expanding the economy by introducing new activities.

With respect to the diversification efforts, the Government has identified two primary areas of development, based on the potential for job creation and revenue generation. The two areas are E-business development and Light manufacturing.

Both sectors are very labor intensive and considering that the main income for government comes from the collection of wage tax, these industries will definitely boost St. Maarten’s economy and strengthen government’s financial position.

For this reason, stimulation incentives will be developed in support of the attraction of these industries.The Government will see to it that packages to promote E-business and Light manufacturing are developed within short.

The enabling environment to complete the promise of E-business is being put in place. With the completion of the fiber optic cabling project, St. Maarten will boast sufficient high quality bandwidth to support and promote the sector. In addition, the Government will re-double its efforts to establish the Information Technology Institute on St. Maarten so that INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

our human resources will be equal to our technological assets.

Programs to sustain and improve tourism will be continued by this administration. The aggressive pursuit of the yachting industry, as started in 2002 with the refurbishment and lengthening of the Simpson Bay Bridge, will be given new dimension as improvement investments in and around the Lagoon progress. The marine-services industry will be stimulated by means of a sensible approach that incorporates economic development and environmental protection. This new industry segment will offer services to the mega-yachting community that will lead to a lengthening of their stay in St. Maarten. The Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority Corporation receives the support of our Government to insure that these objectives are attained.

Traditional tourism covers a substantial portion of St. Maarten’s hospitality industry.The Government promotes the rejuvenation of the stay-over tourism segment by stimulating improvement of the island’s accommodation plant and increasing airlift capacity to the destination.

Analysis bears out the need for the so-called “brand name” properties.The presence of these “premium” marques can be achieved in two ways: upgrading of existing properties and construction of new accommodation plants.

The Government fully intends to pursue both tracks. Work has already begun on the development of an incentive policy to allow for the upgrading and “branding” of existing properties. To meet the standards of an international chain, upgrades will be required in the physical infrastructure and human resources.

Incentive programs that extend the attractiveness of the Tax Holiday Hotel development program are based on the experience of the Hotel Room Tax Exemption to attract international hotel chains. To maximize the benefit to our tourism sector, prerequisites will be set for companies with the desire to make use of the incentives. Some of the criteria investors have to meet include establishing training programs to upgrade the level of service, quotas for management positions and management training for St. Maarteners, and independent audits to insure that companies are and remain in compliance.

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ECONOMY

With the establishment of the NTO, the Government fully expects the promotion of the destination to improve. The Tourism Master Plan will be executed by the NTO and will be geared towards the improvement of the tourism product.

Promotional activities to attract new international chains to the island will also be part of the NTO’s assignment. The Tourism Master Plan will provide the road map for expanding beyond the traditional offerings and adding new segments such as: • Conference tourism (corporate, education, NGO’s) • Festival tourism (music, shows) • Competition tourism (tournaments, sports) A complement to an upgraded and expanded accommodation plant is increased airlift. The goal of this Council is to achieve an increase in the mix of airlines to the destination allowing for additional competitive fares and ultimately increased stayover visitation. The St. Maarten Air Access Study carried out in 2002 makes recommendations for a structural approach in targeting and attracting airlines. The Government intends to develop programs to increase capacity.

Accommodating the increased airlift will be critical for the success of the policy. As such, the Government will take an active role in the realization of the long awaited airport complex. The new airport must be able to service the added number of aircraft and airlines and provide unrivaled comfort, safety and efficient service to the users (visitors and residents alike).

Cruise tourism remains a bright spot in the broader tourism economic overview; however, the Government will not rest on its laurels. Investments in facilities to complement the modern Cruise Facility will be developed, including the commencement of the boardwalk.

The development of the Waterside area will receive careful attention from this Government to guarantee that future development will provide maximum benefits to the broad community and to our tourism sector. A vision for this development has been developed in close collaboration with the EDC and in keeping with the plan for the total development of Philipsburg. In this regard, this administration will see to it that initiatives identified in the Development Vision for the Greater Philipsburg area are realized.

The integrated approach among the various tourism subsegments requires that a balance be found between day trip and stay-over visitation. As such, the cruise conversion program will be intensified in this governing period.

The rejuvenation of St. Maarten’s tourism product cannot be complete without a solution for the closed properties which influences the image of St. Maarten as a premiere destination in the region. A structured approach towards a solution for the Mullet Bay Resort property was initiated by the previous administration and will be vigorously pursued

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

by this Government. Elements of the approach are currently being carried out including: • A carrying capacity study • A zoning plan • An assessment of the economic impact of the area of the island • A legal assessment of the alternatives, including expropriation Developers and investors with solutions for the problem of the closed properties (Mullet Bay and Dawn Beach) will be afforded the benefit of incentives; however, the Government’s primary objective is to reach a solution that is in the best interest of all concerned.

A modern economy cannot survive without the entrepreneurial spirit of its small and medium sized business sector. St. Maarten is no exception. The Government will execute policies and implement programs aimed at lowering the barriers to entry for this segment. Focal areas of this Council’s economic policy for small business development are: • Stimulation of micro and small business with special attention given to female and young entrepreneurs; • Establishment of an apprenticeship program; • Stimulation of agriculture and local food production programs.

The Small Business Development Foundation is being given new life with the appointment of a new board and its collaboration with the SESNA program.

Licensing and permit issuance are fundamental elements of a general economic policy, moreover, this Council considers such policy indelibly linked to the creation of new opportunities, employment and revenue generation. In other words, the Government will seek balance in this area in order to manage, not suppress, economic growth. Bottlenecks which currently hamper the application and approval process will be eliminated through the development of a new streamlined administration. The new system will include checks and balances to guarantee equity and fairness in the process.

This entire initiative must occur in close cooperation with the business sector. Understanding of the licensing policy can be enhanced through the use of informative communication materials and technological means.

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FINANCIAL SERVICES

The Central Bank’s most important objectives are to maintain the external stability of the NAf. and to promote the efficient functioning of the financial system in the Countries Curacao and St. Maarten.

Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten P.O. Box 193,WJA Nisbeth Road, Pondfill, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Tel: (721) 542-3520 | Fax: (721) 542-4307

RBTT Bank NV

CA Cannegieter Street 24, Philipsburg, St. Maarten Tel: (721) 542-5908 | Fax: (721) 542-5964 Emmaplein, Philipsburg, St. Maarten Tel: (721) 542-3505 | Fax: (721) 542-2564 Airport Road, Simpson Bay, St. Maarten Tel: (721) 545-380 | Fax: (721) 545-3692 Union Road, Colebay, St. Maarten Tel: (721) 544-3076 | Fax: (721) 544-3074 Windward Side, Saba Tel: (599) 416-2454 | Fax: (599) 416-2452

First Caribbean International Bank LTD

Backstreet 38, Philipsburg, St. Maarten Tel: (721) 542-3511 / 2491 / 2567 | Fax: (721) 542-4531 Card Services: Tel: (Collect 0210) 001-246-431-5490 | Fax 001-246-228-3996 Windwarde Side, Saba: Tel: (599) 416-2216 | Fax: (599) 416-2475 Oranjestad, St. Eustatius: Tel: (599) 318-2392 | Fax: (599) 318-2734

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

Bank of Nova Scotia

Backstreet 54 Tel: (721) 542-2262 / 3317 Fax: (721) 542-2435 Simpson Bay Yacht Club Tel: (721) 544-3390 / 3392 Life. Money. Balance both.

Fax: (721) 544-3396 bns.stmaarten@scotiabank.com

ORCO BANK Union Road 139 f Union Plaza, Cole Bay Tel: (721) 544-4744 Fax: (721) 544-4745 info@orcobank.com

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

FINANCIAL SERVICES

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The Windward Islands Bank LTD

Main Office, Clem Labega Square Tel: (721) 542-2313 | Fax: (721) 542-4761 Bush Road Branch Tel: (721) 542-7950 | Fax: (721) 542-7953 Orange Grove Branch, Cole Bay Tel: (721) 544-5490 | Fax: (721) 544-5491 Airport Road Branch Tel: (721) 545-3063 | Fax: (721) 545-2130 Loan Center, Bush Road Tel: (721) 542-9537 / 9536 | Fax: (721) 542-9258 Insurance Services, Clem Labega Square Tel: (721) 542-0000 | Fax: (721) 542-5613 Bankcard Services, Codville Webster Road 2, Office space 2 Tel: (721) 542-3940 / 3422 | Fax: (721) 542-3251 Investments Services Office, Airport Road Tel: (721) 545-3608 | Fax: (721) 545-3589 Telebanking: 100 Tel: (721) 543-7969 (international) info@wib-bank.net www.wib-bank.net INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

FINANCIAL SERVICES

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The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

INCENTIVES

Incentives

The Government of St. Maarten has created a wide range of incentives to attract international investors.

Tax Holiday

St. Maarten boasts an ideal climate for foreign investment and investment services, offering tax incentives for firms wishing to invest or establish companies to process their investments abroad. There are three areas of development that are specified for which a Tax Holiday can be considered.

• Hotels and other Rest & Recreational Accommodations • Land Development • Industrial The specific conditions that apply to each area are:

Hotels and other Rest & Recreational Accommodations

• The application for the tax exemption must be for the exploitation of a hotel or other rest & recreational accommodation;

• The company must stimulate employment in St. Maarten • The company’s goal must be land development These requirements are also cumulative.

Industrial

• There must be a minimum investment of $83.303.330 • The company is expected to contribute to the broadening of the economic base of the island; • There must be a creation of permanent employment of at least 5 persons, excluding board members.

• The company mentioned above must be geared towards the enhancement of foreign visitors;

These requirements are also cumulative.

• The construction and primary furnishing should encompass an investment of at least $561.798;

• The request for tax exemption should be submitted on a form, which has been approved by the Governor. This form can be acquired from the Directorate of Taxes on the island.

• The company is expected to contribute to the broadening of the economic base of St. Maarten; • There must be a minimum of 25 rooms with a surface space of at least 30 square meters each; • There must be a creation of permanent employment of at least 5 persons.

The above mentioned conditions are cumulative; the tax exemption will only be honored if all the conditions have been met.

Land Development

• There must be a minimum investment of $1.100.000 excluding the value of the land; • The land must be fallow; • The minimum size of the parcel of land must be 2.5 hectares; • A road and other infrastructural facilities such as plumbing, water and electricity must be installed; • Real estate must be developed

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• The company must stimulate economic activity in St. Maarten

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

Application Procedure

• The form must be filled out completely, a stamp attached, and forwarded to the Governor. Only one application per form is allowed. Incomplete forms will be rejected.

• The application must contain: -- Data on the amount of employment the project will generate specified by local and foreign -- Information on financing methods; whether funds will be acquired locally or internationally • A detailed business plan including description and feasibility study of the project • Other relevant material such as maps, drawings, or any other aid deemed relevant for illustration or clarification may be annexed.

• The interested party will be given the opportunity to conduct an oral presentation of the project to the St. Maarten Tax Holiday Committee.

The Committee will then forward its advice to the Council of Ministers who in turn advises the Directorate of Taxes.The Directorate of Taxes will then make the final decision and the candidate will be notified.

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

SHTA

“The St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association Bringing Quality to St. Maarten” and Marketing Promotion Participation, Regional and International Membership and Representation, SHTA “Dollar-a-Day” Development Fund, Information Distribution and Updates, Networking Events, Conference & Seminars, Member Discounts, Trade and Consumer Website presence, and Experience St. Maarten publication.

Membership is not limited to businesses on the island but is also all businesses that have a direct interest in the economy of St. Maarten.

For further information, please contact:

The St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association is the largest private sector business representative on the island, representing close to 150 hospitality and trade companies.

The SHTA is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable economic development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair marketplace.

The four main activities of the association are listed here.

• Association Management focuses on creating, delivering and communicating benefits to member companies.

• Tourism Promotion focuses on marketing of the destination to travel trade professionals and consumers as well as the local promotion of the importance of tourism for the island of St. Maarten.

• Advocacy and lobbying to government defends the rights and interests of the business community and achievements are reflected in sound economic and development policies, social partner cooperation and private and public sector partnership.

• Product Development strives for sustainable tourism development by upgrading the quality of life with training and community-focused programs as well as protecting the natural environment.Through its NGO status, the SHTA continues to seek development funds to support these projects.

These activities include Marketing & Destination Promotion, Trade Representation & Advocacy, Product Development & Improvement, Education & Human Resources, Research & Statistics, Stainability & Environment, Government Cooperation, Local Awareness & Communication, and Policy & Strategic Planning.

Membership Benefits are Business Support, Tradeshow

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INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association WJA Nisbeth Road 33A P. O. Box 486 Philipsburg, St. Maarten Phone: 1-721-542-0108 • Fax: 1-721-542-0107 E-mail: info@shta.com • Website: www.shta.com www.visitstmaarten.com The island’s main source of income is tourism from the cruise, hotel and vacation ownership, and yachting industries. As a result, these areas and their supporting sectors are also the main industries for investment.

Trends can be identified towards a higher-end market with the multi-million dollar yacht industry with private jet service, the booming real estate and villa sale industry. This opens opportunities for upscale 4 and 5 star resorts with full service amenities, such as spas, fine dining restaurants, etc.

Other opportunities for investors are real estate development projects that can be combined with 4 or 5-star hotel operations and rental programs to minimize investment and increase return to the investor as well as to the island.

The present real estate boom may develop opportunities for supporting industries such as landscapers, interior designers, property management companies, etc.

There is also the opportunity for conference and banqueting facilities opening the meetings and incentives market more to the island which is tax deductible for U.S. companies.With the many attractions the island has to offer, there is a potential to attract more of this market to St. Maarten, but lack of facilities inhibits this development. Event organizers are also lacking for developing annual events, sports competitions, music and gastronomic festivals, etc.

Being such a small island, waste management is essential and therefore offers possibilities for investment in recycling, garbage collection and disposal, and waste control.

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ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS IN ST. MAARTEN

(Public) Limited Liability Company

Procedures for doing business on St. Maarten For persons interested in investing in a business on St. Maarten, the government welcomes you and your inquiries about setting up said business. A business can be established in the form of a sole-proprietorship or in the form of a limited liability corporation (N.V.) for which a business license is required. Sole-proprietorships are for persons born on the island and at least 21 years of age.

The most commonly used legal business entity on the island is the limited liability company (Naamloze Vennootschap or N.V.). These businesses must have a minimum of two founders. Upon incorporation, at least 20% of the authorized share capital should be issued.

With the assistance of a Notary or Trust Company, an N.V. shall be legally incorporated by deed of incorporation. Before the passing of the deed of incorporation, the above mentioned offices will present a draft of the articles of incorporation to Department of Justice on behalf of the incorporators to obtain a declaration of no objection, which will be formalized through notarial deed. The Council of Ministers will review the business objectives and credentials of the founders and they make a decision based on the advice of the various government departments.

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

Work permits are issued by the Immigration Department through the Minister of Justice’s declaration of No Objection.

The residence permit is then simultaneously granted for directors, which is limited to the term of the work permit.

However, non-national employees will only be granted work and residence permits if qualified employees can not be found locally.

For some types of businesses an additional license is required: an operational license (example restaurant, hotel/guest, casino, car rental) which covers mostly the safety considerations needed to be operational. Usually both the business and operational licenses are issued simultaneously. If not, one can not operate with a business license and no operational license if the latter is required. The request for this license must also be submitted to the Council of Ministers.

Registration Once approved, the corporation is required to register the company and its employees with the Inspectorate of Taxes and the Social Security Bank. In addition, the corporation needs to register the company at the Chamber of Commerce.

Annual Fees Chamber of Commerce: An annual fee has to be paid in order to keep the business registered. This fee is dependent on the

A Business License extension fee is also required and is the same as the cost of the business license of the first year. (See section on registration of new businesses)

• A copy of the applicant’s Curriculum Vitae, diploma’s, certificates etc.

• A copy of the police record

Time period:

A business may be started and conducted in the form of:

Under normal circumstances, the process of the license should take no longer than three months.

A) A Sole-Proprietorship B) A Limited Liability Corporation (N.V.)

B) Limited Liability Company

To start a sole-proprietorship the following steps are necessary.

Based on the previous information, the request is filed by the Notary or Trust Company and after receiving a Declaration of No Objection by the Department of Justice, a request will be forwarded to the Council of Ministers by the Notary or Trust Company.

A letter directed to the Council of Ministers containing:

●●A limited liability company is established by a public notary;

• Purpose of the business • Location of the business • The person(s) who want to conduct the business • The period the aforementioned person(s) residing on St. Maarten • The address and telephone number

●●The articles of incorporation are prepared and the required Ministerial Decree is requested by the notary;

A) Sole-proprietorship

The letter will be submitted with the following: • An application form from the Chamber of Commerce • A copy of the applicant’s passport

●●The notary submits to the Council of Ministers, on your behalf, the request for a Business and Director’s License; ●●The acquisition of the Director’s License does not allow you to work on the island; a request must be submitted to the Immigration Department for residence and work permit; if granted then you are allowed to work.

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

total outstanding capital.

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ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS IN ST. MAARTEN Director’s License Each director who is nominated in the deed of incorporation when establishing a limited liability corporation has to request a Director’s License.

Requirements The Minister of Justice and the Immigration Department handle the request for the Director’s License. The following documents are required: ●●A copy of the applicants passport ●●A copy of the applicants Curriculum Vitae, diploma’s, certificates etc. ●● A copy of the police record The request is studied by the Immigration Department and the Minister of Justice is then advised on the request.

Replacement of Managing Directors If after a Business License is approved a Managing Director needs to be replaced, then a request has to be sent in to register the new Managing Director.

Note: No business or Managing Director is allowed to engage in business before having been granted a Business License from the Council of Ministers.

Work/Residence Permit The person(s) that is requesting a Work/Residence permit needs to be residing outside of St. Maarten while the application is being processed.

The required documents must be accompanied with the application when applying for a Work/Residence permit. ●●One recent passport picture of holder and family ●●A copy of passport of the employee (and family) ●●A birth certificate of the applicant and his/her family (translated in Dutch or English) ●●A certificate of good conduct pertaining to the applicant, not older than six months (and family) ●●A medical certificate not older than two months (in Dutch or English) ●●A copy of the Marriage Certificate/ Marriage Book of

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INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

the employee if he/she is married or a certificate of bachelorhood / spinsterhood (not older than six months) or an agreement of concubinage made up by an acknowledged notary, if the employee is living together with someone or a copy of a certificate of divorce. (Translated in Dutch or English)

●●A stamp on the Declaration of Guarantee from the future employer. ●●A copy of the passport, residence permit and registration form from the Census Office of the employer/interested party ●●Receipt of payment of processing ●●A copy of the Business and Director’s License obtainable from the Business License Department ●●A copy of the registration form from the Chamber of Commerce (current year) ●●Proof of Labour Registration obtainable from the Department of Labour and Social Affairs

Building Permit If you would like to build your own building here on St. Maarten, the following are the procedures that you would need to follow for acquiring a building permit: An application for a building permit should be submitted and accompanied by the following documents: • 1 copy of a notarial deed or title; • 3 planning permits; • 3 subdivision plan; • 3 foundation plan; • 3 site plans; • 3 structural drawings; • 3 electrical plans; • 3 plumbing plans; • 3 floor plans; • 3 site plans

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REGISTRATION OF A NEW BUSINESS After the granting of a business license by the Government, the business would have to register or verify whether they are registered by the following departments and institutions.

Chamber of Commerce: # 11 Cannegieter Street Philipsburg, St. Maarten Tel: 721-542-3595

The following documents are required: -- Foreigners: Business License, Director’s License -- N.V. (Limited Liability): Business License, Director’s License; Deed of Incorporation -- Persons not residing on St. Maarten: Passport/Valid Driver’s License

Labour Department

The required documents: -- Deed of Incorporation -- Business License -- Director’s License -- Proof of registration at the Chamber of Commerce -- Name of bankers

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

Social Security Bank (SVB) (Refer to the section on taxation)

The required documents: -- Deed of Incorporation -- Business License -- Director’s License -- Proof of registration at the Chamber of Commerce -- Name of bankers

Inspectorate of Taxes: To register your Limited Liability Company (N.V.)

The required documents: -- Deed of Incorporation -- Name(s) of the director(s) or owner(s) -- Business location and telephone number(s) -- Number of employees -- Proof of registration at the chamber of commerce Inspectorate of Taxes Vineyard Building W.G. Buncamper Road 33, P.O. Box 1026 Philipsburg, St. Maarten Tel: 1 (721) 542-2143 / 542-5301

Profit Tax (Corporate Income Tax) A levy of Profit Tax is applicable to corporations as Public Limited Liability Companies, Partnerships, and Foundations that take aim at profit making. The on-shore activities will be considered for tax and the off-shore activities will be exempted. The law provides various incentives in order to stimulate investment. These incentives include credits on investments, depreciation acceleration, and tax holidays. (The latter is elaborated on in the tax holiday section of incentives)

Wage Tax and Income Tax Wage tax is based on a P.A.Y.E. (Pay As You Earn) system. The employer has the responsibility of deducting wage tax and premiums from the salaries of employees and paying these amounts to the Island Receiver. Income tax is the summary of wage taxes and taxes on any other form of income. Wage tax is viewed as a pre-payment of income tax and is therefore deductible. Below is a table of income tax rates based on an annual income.

The abbreviations A.O.V. and A.W.W. stand for “General Old Age Insurance” and “General Widow’s and Orphan’s insurance”. Both employer and employee have to contribute to social security premiums. The percentages are:

Premium A.O.V. A.W.W.

Employer

Employee

6% 0.5%

5% 0.5%

The A.O.V / A.W.W. premiums are paid in the same manner of the Wage Tax payment schedule.

against risks that are difficult to insure. This regards illnesses of long duration (chronic), long hospitalization, psychiatric nursing, relief and care of mentally and physically handicapped persons. The premium is 2% of the monthly salary and is divided in 1.5% on the account of the employee and 0.5% on the employer.

The ZV/AVBZ premiums are also paid in the same manner of the Wage Tax payment schedule.

Turnover Tax (TOT) Turnover Tax is a tax on business-sales realized by entrepreneurs or businesses in accordance with their business. This tax is an indirect tax with the character of a consumption tax and is not imposed on imports.

Exempted are among others: √√ The deliveries of goods and rendered services by entrepreneurs/businesses in the off-shore sector; √√ The delivery of immovable properties as far as transfertax (4%) is paid; √√ The services of banks and other financial institutions for banking and financial performances with the exception of loans and mortgages, the transfer of money, the saving of stocks and shares and other papers of value; √√ The services rendered to entrepreneurs/businesses in the off-shore sector performed by lawyers, legal and tax advisors, accountants, consultants, and notaries; √√ Turnover realized on transport services by aircraft or sea vessels.

There are two tax rates for turnover tax:

Medical Insurance Premium ZV/AVBZ The abbreviations ZV/AVBZ stand for “Health Insurance” and “General Insurance on Special Medical Expenses”. The premium for health insurance is 12.5% and is divided in 8.3% employer contribution, 2.1% employee contribution, and 2.1% government contribution. The AVBZ is a social insurance

√√ 1%: Due on certain basic necessities, however, turnover realized by hotels and catering establishments will be taxed at a rate of 3%.

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

The Minister of Finance is politically responsible for the correct levying of taxes. Before taxes are implemented on the island, the St. Maarten Parliament must approve them.

TAXATION

√√ 5%: Due on all other deliveries of goods and services.

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

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PRINCESS JULIANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

PJIA: Moving to Higher Heights

largest transport aircraft, the Antonov An-255, in 1995 after Hurricane Luis ravaged the island, PJIA has grown by leaps and bounds, carrying with it the phenomenal growth of the island’s tourism industry. Even the now defunct Concorde, at the time, the world’s fastest aircraft, touched down on its runway long before this was extended to its current length of 2,300m (7,659ft).

By Fabian A. Badejo

Who would have thought that a tiny airstrip, used by the US military in 1942, as World War II raged on, would become one of the leading airports in the Caribbean region 70 years later? But, that indeed, is the story of the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), without doubt one of the busiest in the region today, offering direct service to some 33 destinations/cities and handling an average of 1.6 million passengers annually with some 117 scheduled and charter aircraft movements a day, from the Caribbean, Europe, North, Central and South America.

Ms. Regina LaBega Managing Director of the Princess Juliana International Airport N.V.

In fact, the history of the economic development of the island is inextricably tied to the progressive growth of the Princess Juliana International Airport. From the first commercial flight on December, 3, 1943 by the Royal Dutch Airlines, KLM, using a “Kolibrie” aircraft, to accommodating the world’s

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Leader in Caribbean Aviation The Princess Juliana International Airport, has since become a leader in Caribbean aviation.

It is much more than an airport: it is, for many, an exciting, exhilarating, unbelievable, once-ina-lifetime experience, right from the stunning approach to the runway, with its spectacular landing and take-off, which has made it worldfamous for plane-spotters, to its unique character and sense of place.

As a strategic asset, PJIA is owned by a government holding company and operated by PJIAE, each with its own supervisory board of directors. With a staff complement of

Princess Juliana International Airport

272 employees, the PJIA community, however, consists of about 1,200 people spread across some 80 companies that include duty-free shops, jewelry stores, and restaurants.

Primary Regional Hub Its central geographic location has resulted in PJIA becoming a primary regional hub connecting St. Maarten/St. Martin and the surrounding islands, particularly Anguilla, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Barths, Tortola, St. Kitts and Nevis to the rest of the world. This hub function has given it a central role in the economic development of the Northeastern Caribbean and is evidenced in a significant jump of 20.79% in transfer passengers in 2011 compared to the same period in 2010.

This is the reason why strategic plans are underway to establish inter-island preclearance and additional immigration booths to meet the increasing needs of passengers.

As can be imagined, the first terminal building quickly became inadequate to meet the fast growing number of passengers that began to throng to the island, consequently a new terminal building was built in 1964, year in which the island’s tourist boom shot to unprecedented levels. Simultaneously, an operational Air Traffic Control Tower was built, while the

runway angle was changed and the runway itself was extended for the first time.

Twenty-two years later, the terminal building was extended with the addition of new arrival and departure halls, as well as more aircraft parking space. As a matter of fact, the transformation of PJIA into an ultra-modern, world-class facility can be described as “generational changes” which not only makes it the “gateway to Paradise” as some have called it, but also cements its role as the major engine of growth for the island’s tourism economy.

Transformation From 1942 to 1964 – a period of 22 years or more or less a generation – the island went from a sleepy, rural backwater, with a “postal order” economy to a budding tourist destination with camera-toting travelers mainly from the US, who were seeking an alternative to Cuba following the Castro Revolution. This transformation was borne on the wings of PJIA and made necessary the construction of a new terminal.

Then, from 1964 to 1986, another period of 22 years, the first real tourism boom on the island took shape. Passenger traffic INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten |

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PRINCESS JULIANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT from 1964 to 1970 alone grew by an astonishing 22% annually to stabilize at an annual average of 12% for the decade 1970 – 1980.

In fact, air arrivals had skyrocketed in the preceding decade from 9,286 in 1960 to an astonishing 137,421 in 1970, a jump of about 1,400%! Surely, this necessitated another expansion of the terminal.

The 20-year interval from 1986 to 2006 saw yet a new need for another major transformation of PJIA, based on growth forecast in regional and international travel and the increasing hub function of the airport, particularly in the Northeastern Caribbean. The new, US$100million terminal building, became operational on November 10, 2006, the eve of St. Martin Day.The pride of St. Maarten, the new terminal building has lent credence to the observation by some experts that “the way PJIA goes, thus goes St. Maarten/St. Martin.”

Facilities and Amenities Designed to handle about 2.5 million passengers annually, PJIA’s four-level, fully airconditioned, and spacious modern terminal facilities span an area of 30,500m and consist of 12 boarding gates, including four passenger loading jet bridges; 46 check-in positions all equipped with CUTE (Common Use Terminal Equipment) and eight Common Use Self Service (CUSS) check-in kiosks.The airport has a comfortable and spacious Departure Hall with 21 completely duty-free retail outlets, as well as five food and beverage outlets including three bars.

The Arrival Hall has three baggage carousels and Baggage Information Display System (BIDS) monitors. Other facilities and services that PJIA offers include a Business Class Lounge, a Food Court with ample comfortable seating offering a wide range of culinary choices, and a full service restaurant.

PJIA is equipped with two ATM machines in the check-in hall, one ATM in the departure hall and one drive-through ATM east of the meet and greet area. Similarly, taxi and VIP services are readily available while car rental services are offered in the Arrival area.

Top Two in the Caribbean in General Aviation Services PJIA also offers passenger transportation by bus, Aircraft Fueling, Ramp Handling Service (Push back), and General Aviation services for the private and corporate jet sector. In order to accommodate the tremendous growth in this sector, PJIA has a Fixed Base Operator (FBO) building complete with office space, private lounges and dedicated Customs. This has made PJIA one of the leading private jet destinations in the region, handling over 3,388 corporate jets annually. In fact, PJIA was recently ranked among the top two in the Caribbean in terms of private and corporate jet destinations.

Air Freight and Cargo Services A separate, 2,000m cargo facility exists in close proximity to the Terminal Building, which was designed to handle 10,000 tons of cargo per year. Goods shipped by air include but are not limited to personal items, electronic products and even the first herring of the season from The Netherlands or the first Beaujolais bottles from France brought in timely enough to grace dinner tables at the

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Princess Juliana International Airport island’s famous restaurants or luxury mansions.

Safety Equipped with a state-of-the-art ATC Tower and Radar facility, Category 9 Fire and Rescue Service, and General Security and Centralized Pre-screening, safety is surely top priority at PJIA. In fact, the safety record of the airport is among the best anywhere in the region and beyond, with no aviation mishaps or accidents worth mentioning in its history.

Safety considerations led to the construction of a Runway End Safety Area (RESA) at the East end of the runway, in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements aimed at minimizing the risk of damage to an aircraft undershooting or overrunning the runway.

“Safety is Job #1 for us at PJIA,” stressed managing Director Regina LaBega, who took office on July 1, 2011. “While our core business is the airlines that use our facilities, our aim is to make PJIA a place where the people of our island come to not only when they have to travel or see off friends and relatives, but also to enjoy all the amenities we offer,” she added.

Little wonder then that from small commuter airlines such as WINAIR and St. Barth Commuter, to regional airlines like LIAT, Insel Air and Caribbean Airlines, to all the major US airlines (from US Airways to Delta, Continental and of course, American Airlines, etc.) as well as major low-cost carriers such as Spirit, JetBlue and WestJet are making use of the ultra-modern PJIA facilities. Other major international airlines that fly to PJIA include KLM, Air France and Copa Airlines.

Flags At the end of December 2011, as if to ring in the New Year, PJIA mounted 31 flags on light poles that arch around the lagoon-side road leading to the airport, starting in the area of WINAIR offices with the St. Maarten flag, and up to the poles around the FBO facilities.

The flags represent islands of the now defunct Netherlands Antilles (St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius,Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao), the hub islands, (Anguilla, St. Barths), other Caribbean islands, destinations in Central and South America (e.g. Panama, Brazil), the USA and Canada as well as Europe.

“The idea of the flags is in recognition of the international character of PJIA, and a visual as well as concrete way to acknowledge all the destinations we service,” said LaBega.

“We want PJIA to exude warmth and friendliness from the time one approaches the airport to the moment of departure,” the managing director said.

“Our mission remains to be the regional leader in providing safe, secure, quality and profitable airport services – that contribute to the general economic and tourism development of St. Maarten /St. Martin and the region we serve,” LaBega added.

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HARBOUR

Welcome to the Port of Sint Maarten!

Welcome to the Port of Sint Maarten Sint Maarten and St. Martin, as the two names suggest, is the most unique island in the Caribbean. Dutch and French share this two island constitutional structure without borders.

Other than signs that say “Welcome to the Dutch side” and “Welcome to the French side” you would think it was one country.

Roughly 37 square miles, the island offers breathtaking views from beautiful mountain vistas of the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Cruise ships dock at the beautiful Port of Sint Maarten on the Dutch side which opened its gates in January 2001. The facility is owned and operated by St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies, which includes St. Maarten Harbour Holding Company and the St. Maarten Ports Authority, the operating company.

During the development of the new cruise facility, Supervisory Board Chairman H.L. Chance played a very significant role in the realization of the harbour project. Commissioner of Tourism Theo Heyliger, at the time in charge of Harbor Affairs, was also instrumental in its fruition.

Dr. A.C. Wathey recognized in the early 50’s that tourism could be an economic pillar for Sint Maarten. He was right!

The enormous growth of the industry has resulted in tourism becoming the foundation for the island economy. ln 1980, 105,000 cruise passengers were recorded. At the end of 2010, the island as a cruise destination catered to over 1.5 million cruise passengers.

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

All major cruise lines from the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) utilize the port facility. European cruise lines have also taken a great interest and have included the island into their cruise itinerary.

The port has many amenities for its clientele. One of the key features is the Harbor Point Village, a typical Caribbean style village concept of stores offering the cruise passenger various local and international gift items and accessories for that last minute shopping experience.

Harbor PointVillage was opened in May 2003 and complements the shopping center of Philipsburg (Front Street). The little village features a shopping arcade consisting of 12 shops and 12 market-stalls.

The John Craane Cruise Terminal is a full service terminal with bus and taxi pick-up and drop-off. lt also features an internet cafe, banking facilities, postal services and a food and beverage shop.

Cruise & Cargo Facilities Equipped with two cruise piers, Sint Maarten can accommodate six cruise vessels simultaneously, including two mega vessels such as the Oasis Style of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

The first cruise pier has a length of 2100 feet with depths exceeding 10 meters, and can accommodate four cruise vessels while the second pier is 1341 feet and accommodates two vessels the size of the Oasis of the Seas.

The Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility at the end of 2010 accommodated over 1.5 million cruise passengers. This makes the island of Sint Maarten one of the preferred cruise

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

HARBOUR

destinations in the Caribbean.

services.

The Tender Jetty facilities cater to home porting, water taxis and water based tours. The new tender jetty has been described as the largest in the North Eastern Caribbean.

Sint Maarten’s prime location and quality of service makes the island a transshipment hub for the seven neighboring islands in the North Eastern Caribbean.

The Tender Jetty is four meters (14 ft.) wide by 120 meters (390 ft.) long featuring a nine meter (25.2 ft.) bridge section and four finger piers and a 24 meter (67.2 ft.) covered section.

A depth of six meters has been dredged to allow vessels with a draft of five meters to safely approach the berthing facility.

Port of Sint Maarten Ranked #9 in Top Twenty World Cruise Ports and Destinations

The finger piers can accommodate up to six vessels simultaneously. ln addition to the cruise facility, Sint Maarten has more than doubled its cargo facility with additional docking space and sheltered by a breakwater in order to offer a more flexible environment for cargo and trans-shipment operations.

The cargo facility offers a container storage capacity of over 30,000 square meters with an expanded berthing facility.

The container facilities consist of the Captain David Cargo Quay with a length of 890 feet, excluding cargo North and cargo South handling and docking areas. The cargo facilities can accommodate the general Lift-On Lift-Off (LOLO) and three Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) cargo vessels.Water depth at the cargo facilities is maintained at a depth of 35 feet.

Cargo vessels can also be provided with fuel and water

Photo by Roddy Heyliger

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INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

The ultra-modern cruise facilities at the Port of Sint Maarten placed Sint Maarten in the ninth place among the top twenty world cruise ports and destinations, according to G.P. Wild lnternational, a management, marketing and economic consultancy practice which is based in the United Kingdom.

The other ports along with Sint Maarten from one to eight are, Miami, Port Everglades (Florida), Cozumel (Mexico), Port Canaveral (Florida), Cayman lslands, Nassau Bahamas, San Juan Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas..

The Caribbean is the number one cruise destination in the world, boasting approximately 45 percent of share capacity placement.

The Port of St. Maarten has grown from, 105,000 Cruise passengers in 1980 to over 1.5 million in 2010.

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HARBOUR

Photo by Roddy Heyliger

Sint Maarten Harbour Group of Companies: • Sint Maarten Harbour Holding Company • Sint Maarten Harbour Cruise Facilities • Sint Maarten Harbour Cargo Facilities • Sint Maarten Ports Authority • Sint Maarten Ports Development • SMH Crane Company • Sint Maarten Lagoon Authority Corporation

Sint Maarten Harbour Group of Companies Tel.: 1(721) 542-8504 / 542-8503 Fax: 1(721) 542-8506

Corporate Management Team:

A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facilities J. Yrausquin Boulevard, P.O. Box 5185 Harbour Village Suite #13A Point Blanche Sint Maarten, Dutch West Indies

Mark Mingo Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Tel.: 1(721) 542-8504 / 542-8503 Fax: 1(721) 542-8506

Ton van Kooten Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Website: www.portofstmaarten.com Email: comments@portofstmaarten.com

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

NV GEBE GEBE (Gemeenschappelijk Electriciteitsbedrijf Bovenwindse Eilanden) was established in 1960 to supply the islands of St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius with electricity. GEBE celebrated 50 years of existence in 2010. A new ownership structure was implemented in 2006 when NV GEBE was established and 100% of the shares in the company were transferred from the Government of the Netherlands Antilles into a Shareholder Foundation which is owned by the three islands of St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. NV GEBE produces and distributes electricity on St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius and distributes water on St. Maarten.

The GEBE Vision “To be the leading utility company in the Caribbean by providing high quality and reliable electricity, water and waste water management services to the Dutch Windward Islands, in a customer oriented and cost

effective manner, with a skilled team of professionals that strives to exceed expectations, taking safety and the environment into account.”

Electricity Production GEBE utilizes the 120/220 Volt, 60Hz standard common in North America. GEBE supplies electricity from the power plant in Cay Bay as alternating current (AC) at a frequency of 60Hz. The voltage in the low voltage system is: • Nominally 120 Volt between a phase conductor and the neutral conductor.

• Or nominally 220 Volt between the phase conductors together.

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

GEBE

The voltage in the high voltage system amounts to nominally 12,600 Volt between the phase conductors together, which voltage can be altered with regard to the whole high volt-

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GEBE

age system or part of it to the insight of the electricity company.

Recent investments into two new radiator cooled generators have expanded GEBE’s generation capacity in March 2010. Investments have been made for new Caterpillar generators in Saba and Statia to increase the generation capacity there as well.

The price of electricity ranges between $0.30 and $0.35 per kilowatt-hour depending on the fuel prices.

Electricity Distribution Electricity is supplied as alternating current (AC) at a frequency of 60Hz. The existing electrical distribution system on St. Maarten consists of a 12.6-kV switchgear in the power plant to which the generators are connected.

Electricity is transmitted via 30kV underground cables to substations and distributed at 12.6kV to the transformer houses throughout the island. In the transformer houses the 12.6kV current is transformed to 127/220 Volt and transported at this voltage to the different homes and businesses.

A distinction between the transmission and distribution part of the electrical grid can be made.This transmission system consists of the substations (4) and the power plant while the distribution system is made up of the high/low voltage network supplied from the substations.

Investments have been made in the past years to put all transmission cables and approximately 90% of the high tension cables underground. This makes most of the High Tension system hurricane resistant and enables GEBE to restore power sooner after a major storm or hurricane.

Water Distribution & Testing GEBE was requested by the Island Government of St. Maarten to distribute potable water to the community.

The water is produced by AirFin NV using the reverse osmosis process to purify seawater. GEBE is currently upgrading the large water distribution network of pipes to improve water quality and reliability. The potable water is also tested by the GEBE lab to control the quality of potable water that is distributed.

The price of water ranges between $3.30 and $11.70 per cubic meter for commercial connections depending on the price of fuel.

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INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

Seeking Alternatives to Oil

While our immediate future is tied to oil and the rising oil prices, the company recognizes the need to diversify the electricity supply away from this single source. During the past years, much effort and investment have gone into researching and pursuing other sources of energy to meet the growing demand for electricity whether solar, wind, or geothermal energy.

Facts & Figures Company

Electricity Distribution

Population Served

47,677

Service Area

68 sq. km

Customers

19,710

Customers per km

289.50

Residential Customers

84%

Commercial & Industrial

16%

Employees

250

2

Electricity Production Peak Electricity Demand

53 MW

Consumption

31,8000 MWh

Generation Capacity

84 MW

Frequency

60 Hz

Voltage

120 V

Distribution Voltage High Tension

12,600 V

Network Length

175 km

Percentage High Tension Underground Number of Electricity Meters Installed

90% 19,710

Water Distribution Water Demand

15000 m3/day

Number of Water Meters Installed

18,660

More information about GEBE’s services can be found at www.nvgebe.com

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

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GEBE

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The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

TELECOMMUNICATION IN ST. MAARTEN

commercial properties on St. Maarten. These St. Maarten Telecommunication Holding Company N.V. (TelEm Group) services include land line and PBX services, Internet The Sint Maarten Telecommunication Holding Company N.V. is a government-owned company established in 2007 with the Island Government of St. Maarten as sole shareholder.

As the incumbent carrier, the Sint Maarten Telecommunication Holding Company N.V. plays a The main office location is Pond Island in the heart significant role in the economic development of the island by providing a modern telecommunication of the capital, Philipsburg, There are other company locations and sub-stations in several areas including: Simpson Bay, Cole Bay, Le Grand Marche Shopping Center and Point Blanche Harbour Facility.

The companies falling under the umbrella of the Sint Maarten Telecommunication Holding Company N.V. are referred to jointly under the brand name TelEm Group.

The brand is charged with providing a range of telecommunication services to residential and

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and Data services, Mobile and Mobile Data services, International Telephone, Lease Line and Broadband services.

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

infrastructure onto which other telecommunication 2010, Mr. Boasman sits on the board, with Attorney, providers are able to operate and in some cases Mr. Jairo Bloem, Administrator, Mr. Paul Marshall, even compete against the incumbent’s own services. Banker, Mr. Steven Constance and IT specialist, Mr. K. Kendall Dupersoy. There is currently one vacant Over the years the Sint Maarten Telecommunication position on the Supervisory Board.

Holding Company N.V. has pioneered the introduction of various new technologies to the The Supervisory Board of Directors is answerable island more specifically in the field of High-speed to the Shareholder Representative, in the person of Internet, Digital Mobile Telephony, International Prime Minister and Shareholder Representative for TelEm Group, Mrs. Sarah Wescott-Williams.

Telephony and Bandwidth capacity supply.

The company is presently managed by a Management Board consisting of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mrs. Helma Etnel, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Mr. Eldert Louisa and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Mr. Brian Mingo.The Executives are expected to be joined this year by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) whose appointment was awaiting at the time of printing of this publication.

The Management Board is governed by the Supervisory Board of Directors, under the chairmanship of Mr. Rafael Boasman.As of December

With the changes that have come into effect as a result of St. Maarten attaining its new status as a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a Minister responsible for Telecommunication has been appointed in the person of, Mr. Franklyn Meyers.

While Minister Meyers holds the responsibility for telecommunication policy and regulatory matters, direct responsibility for the Sint Maarten Telecommunication Holding Company N.V. falls under the portfolio and charge of the Shareholder Representative, Mrs. Sarah WescottWilliams.

INVESTMENT GUIDE - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

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TELECOMMUNICATION IN ST. MAARTEN

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TOURISM

Philipsburg: Shopping Mecca of the Northeastern Caribbean...................... 70 Map of Philipsburg............................................................................................... 79 TOURISM ACTIVITIES................................................................................................. 80 Simpson Bay: The New Strip of Entertainment................................. 82 Map of Simpson Bay, Cole Bay, Maho, Mullet Bay............................. 86 Cupecoy: The New Shopping Attraction & Entertainment center....... 89 St. Maarten Tourist Bureau........................................................................... 91 The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta......................................................... 100 The Neighbouring Islands.......................................................................... 102 French Saint Martin........................................................................................ 102 Saba.............................................................................................................................. 105 St. Eustatius............................................................................................................. 109 Saint Barthelemy............................................................................................... 114

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Photos by Emile Cukier

PHILIPSBURG

Shopping Mecca of the Northeastern Caribbean Duty Free Shopping

According to a study on Duty Free Shopping in the Caribbean, the global duty free trade has developed rapidly over the past 50 years, from a very modest beginning in 1947 to a multi-billion dollar industry today.

Fifty two years ago the duty free industry saw the light of day for the first time when a small whiskey and tobacco store opened at Shannon Airport. At that time, just after World War II, it was logical that Shannon’s advantageous and strategic position on the west coast of Ireland should be the final refueling stop, before the final 2500 mile trip to New York.

From this point onwards, airport authorities in Europe and elsewhere started realizing the potential of non-aviation income that could be generated by duty free shops.

The Americas now represents more than one quarter of global duty free sales of which the Caribbean alone stands for an impressive and important close to half the share.Very few regions in the world can compete with the Caribbean in terms of relative duty free performance with regard to the geographic size of the region.

The Caribbean has some of the best shopping in the world, but Sint Maarten is different. One of the joys of vacationing in Sint Maarten is that it is duty-free! Great values can be had because prices are among the lowest in the Caribbean.

Certainly much less than prices you would pay in the U.S, Europe and Canada.

With no duties on jewelry, leather goods, cameras, gold, perfumes, cosmetics, watches, liquor, china, crystal, linen and much more from around the world, Sint Maarten is a duty-free shopper’s paradise. The best places to shop on the Dutch side are Philipsburg’s Front Street and Old Street, Simpson Bay, and Maho Reef. New additions to duty-free shopping have been added such as the “Puerta Del Sol Plaza,” a new extension to the Simpson Bay Yacht Club Shopping area; currently under construction is the “Blue Mall,” in Cupecoy; and the recently opened “Porto Cupecoy.” Wherever you go, you’ll find the best products the island’s expanding duty-free sector has to offer.

Travelers in the know are taking a close look at the goods being produced by local artisans. Caribbean crafts people bring to their work a rich and colorful blend of African and European influences that make up their culture.

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Welcome to the Capital of Duty-free Shopping: Philipsburg Philipsburg, the capital of Sint Maarten is built on a sand ridge. From the sleepy village to the bustling town with over a mile of duty free stores mainly jewelry, electronics, local Caribbean arts and crafts, watches, alcohol and tobacco, fine cigars, camera’s, perfumes, art galleries, and much more.

The town has a lot to offer the visitor. Shopping is one of the best reasons to take a break from the beach and water sports to explore what Philipsburg has to offer.

There are approximately 500 duty-free shops on the island.

Duty-free stores are mainly located on Front Street. The Front Street location offers various stores, great access to the cruise ship passengers that arrive via three cruise ship tender jetty’s, namely the Capt. Hodge Jetty centrally located in Philipsburg, Bobby’s Marina Jetty, and Walter Williams Tender Jetty in front of Sea Palace hotel.

Competition between merchant’s guarantees that the customer gets what they bargained for with great prices on emeralds, set diamonds, rubies, sapphires, cultured pearls, gold, silver and much more.

Philipsburg stores also offer a wide selection of fine jewelry and watches from such well-known designers as C2K, Caribbean Hook, Honora, House of Tanzanite, John Atencio, John Hardy, Kabana, Roberto Coin, Starnight, White Diamonds, Alfex, Concord, Faconnable, Gucci, Maurice Lacroix, Michele, Movado, Wenger, La Nouvelle Bague and more.

Sint Maarten has some of the most famous duty-free shopping in the region. Many of the stores have branches at the airport, cruise terminal and at Maho Reef Shopping Center.

Whether arriving by plane, cruise ship or mega-yacht, the

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visitor will find an endless selection of gift items to carry back home as reminders of their vacation on the “Friendly Island.”

Getting to Philipsburg

It is easy to get to the capital town of Sint Maarten. Whether you are driving your own rental car or taking a taxi cab, getting there is not a problem. There is one main road with some secondary roads, the latter giving you quicker access into Philipsburg.

PHILIPSBURG Night Life

available to take you wherever and whenever you need to go.

Dining/Restaurants

Busses travel from Philipsburg to the main tourist areas or near the main tourist areas namely, Cole Bay, Simpson Bay, Caravansarai, Maho and Cupecoy, where one finds the majority of hotels.You can also get out at the Simpson Bay Yacht Club Shopping Center, and cross the street walking in the direction of Pelican, you will find a number of hotels, timeshare properties and vacation villa rentals.

There are a number of casinos throughout the town. For those who are into gambling, Philipsburg has much to offer.

Due to the town’s proximity to the Dr.A.C.Wathey Cruise Bus Service & Cargo Facilities, thousands of cruise ship passengers and You also have the option to travel via bus. In this case you will crew visit the casinos on an annual basis to try their luck. need to go to Back Street and search out a bus that is going in your direction. If you are traveling from Caravanserai/ Town, which Philipsburg is also referred too, offers lively Maho Reef/Mullet Bay/Cupecoy, then you will have to check beach bars, night clubs where you can meet visitors and the directional sign which is usually at the front section of a locals and hang out in a friendly environment. bus telling you in which direction the bus is heading.

Philipsburg would not be the capital of Sint Maarten if you couldn’t find great food.Town offers a variety of international cuisine and you won’t be disappointed.

Shopping Hours

Stores on Front Street open at 9.00 am until 6.00 pm from Monday to Saturday. Occasionally some stores would open on Sunday when there is a cruise ship in port.

Transportation Taxi

Finding a taxi in Philipsburg is not a problem. Taxis are

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Essential services

Philipsburg is the base for all major services such as notaries, law offices, banking institutions, government departments and much more. All the aforementioned are in walking distance from each other. Whether you’re an investor or a

visitor, Philipsburg has something to offer everyone.

Parking

The most convenient parking lot is located in front of the Government Administration Building at the Clem Labega Square which is located across from the Windward Islands Bank. Additional parking lots have been built across from the Post Office, and the Police Station.

Philipsburg Rejuvenated

The Government embarked on a number of projects to rejuvenate the capital town of Philipsburg. Plans for beautifying Front Street date as far back as 1999. The first part of the rejuvenation of Philipsburg entailed beach replenishment, where tons of sand were pumped from the seabed onto the Great Bay Beach.

Very few islands can boast of a beach in town, the size of the one in Philipsburg. Since the beach replenishment, more restaurants and beach bars have opened, and there are a lot more activities for visitors on the beach.

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Philipsburg two secondary streets.The entire process of development and rejuvenating the city capital is all related to improving the visitor experience.

Beach Promenade

The beach promenade starts at Passangrahan Guesthouse near Bobby’s Marina and stretches as far as Sea Palace Hotel. The promenade has become a hive of activity. It allows one to leisurely stroll along the waterfront enjoying the ambiance of Philipsburg. One also has easy access to restaurants and main street – Front Street, where you find all your duty-free shopping.

Beautification of Front Street

The first phase of the beautification of Front Street

started from Passangrahan Hotel and went as far as Sea Palace Hotel. However, the beautification program continued down to the former Paper Garden Book Store.

The Government recognizes that further upgrading and improvement of the tourism product is necessary if Sint Maarten wants to continue to remain one of the main tourism destinations in the Caribbean.

The upgrading of Front Street fits into the Governments development vision policy document, “A Development Perspective for Philipsburg and the Greater Great Bay Area,” which outlines a particular framework on how the capital town should be developed.

In keeping with the vision of continuing to upgrade the island’s tourism infrastructure, the Government has embarked upon another project which is the busy thoroughfare which connects Philipsburg to the French side of the island.

Part of the Tourist Corridor beautification project has been executed. It features a running/walking track for visitors and residents. It also features specially constructed stone walls, an avenue of indigenous trees, a fishing deck, customized street lighting and much more.

The beautified area of the Tourist Corridor stretches from the Buncamper Road, Point Blanche to the Keys in Suckergarden.

Harbour Point Village – An Addition to Shopping in the Capital

New to Philipsburg is Harbour Point Village, which opened in May 2003 at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facilities in Point Blanche. This five acre development was designed in the traditional Caribbean flavour of architecture.

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All Roads Lead to Philipsburg – The Tourist Corridor

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PHILIPSBURG

Harbour Point Village is a mini-Philipsburg – a small shopping arcade consisting of 12 shops and approximately 12 market stalls. Harbour Point is meant for cruise visitors who stay onboard the vessel; the person can take a stroll into the little village which is not far from the ship; or those who go on an island tour and return to the vessel without having the experience of shopping in Philipsburg, can still do that last minute shopping at the Harbour Point Village.

There are already several traditional, high quality shopping centers on the island. The Harbour Point Village is a reminiscence of the days gone by, but not forgotten.

Pond Island

Pond Island is a new development. It is surrounded by the historical salt ponds and is linked to Philipsburg. It is also part of the Development Vision of the Government.

There are existing buildings such as the University of St. Martin, Telecommunications Earth Station, Turning Point Rehabilitation Center, the Sint Maarten Receiver’s

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Office, Little League Ball Park, Festival Village and the Government Office Complex (still to be completed).

All government offices will be housed in this building.

It will be more investor and customer friendly as all government departments will be centrally located at one location.

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TOURISM ACTIVITIES Tourism encompasses all activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment. Sint Maarten has a host of activities to offer the visitor.

The destination has an unlimited range of tourist attractions and activities, located throughout the country.

Whether you are looking for adrenaline-pumping adventure, or a relaxing game of golf, there is an activity or attraction to suit everyone’s tastes, age, culture and budget in Sint Maarten.

On the Dutch side of the island, a 16 square mile area, you will be surprised by the breath-taking landscape, the colourful fauna, blue turquoise waters, beautiful white sand beaches, delicious food, and to top it off Duty Free and Tax Free shopping.

Besides Caribbean sunshine beaming on you during the day and a vibrant nightlife at night...Sint Maarten/St. Martin, both Dutch and French, offers a broad array of entertainment for everybody from singles, families, seniors to honeymooners.

Throughout the day, you can do almost anything from relaxing by your hotel, or lying on the white sand coral beach with a good book.

There are so many different activities available, there is one just for every interests, from horseback riding to snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, windsurfing, jet-skiing, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, sailing and deep sea Caribbean fishing are some‌of the most popular activities on the island.

During the evenings, enjoy the vibrant nightlife of casinos, steel bands, dance clubs, discotheques, open air cafes and incredible fine dining in Philipsburg, Simpson Bay Strip, Oyster Pond, Grand Case, Maho Reef, Cupecoy, and Marigot.

Whatever your Caribbean vacation desires, Sint Maarten has it for you.

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The listing of activities is just some of what there is to do on the island.

We at the Golden Book of Sint Maarten wish you a wonderful stay.

Sint Maarten, the Gem of the Caribbean.

Sea Trek St. Maarten and Snorkel Safaris

by Whitney Keough

St. Maarten’s crystal blue waters are not only beautiful to look at; they are home to incredible color and life!! There are many ways to experience our Big Blue Ocean…

You can wade in it, splash, swim, snorkel, scuba dive, Sea Trek Helmet dive or just sit in a noodle chair off the Tiki Hut.You will see colorful reef fish, corals, shipwrecks, historic canons from Fort Amsterdam and MUCH MORE - all you have to do is JUMP IN!!! St. Maarten Nature Foundation Marine Park is helping to preserve our amazing eco system for generations to come!

We invite you to renew and invigorate yourself any way you choose in St. Maarten’s refreshing clear blue waters of paradise!!!!

Photo by Mike Szekely

Photo by J. Techera

Photo by J. Techera

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

SEA TREK ST. MAARTEN / SNORKEL SAFARIS

Photo by Mike Szekely

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SIMPSON BAY

The New Strip of Entertainment

Until 1933, Simpson Bay Village was completely isolated.

A lot has happened and developed since then. Today the Village is alive and well, bustling with activity. The new strip of entertainment offers all the essential services that a visitor to the “Friendly Island,” would require in order to enjoy themselves.

Simpson Bay is also home to the mega-yacht sector of the island’s tourism oriented economy.The Simpson Bay Lagoon is one of the biggest natural assets, a natural

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area for marinas. The Simpson Bay Lagoon caters to the Palapa Center and Marina, Simpson Bay Yacht Club, Isle del Sol Yacht Club, and the Princess Yacht Club at Port de Plaisance.

Simpson Bay Village has a lot more to offer the visitor.

It has restaurants, art galleries, international fast food establishments, hotels, real estate agents, casinos, doctor’s offices, brand-name stores, and much more.

The beaches are just a stone’s throw away.

SIMPSON BAY

Essential Services

The strip also offers the services of a number of financial institutions on the island. The island’s main banks which have their head offices in Philipsburg have branches and ATM machines throughout the Dutch side of the island.

Some of them have branches in Simpson Bay, namely Windward Islands Bank and the RBTT Bank. They provide a whole range of services for visitors.

Watersports

Diving/snorkeling, kayaking, banana boats, sport fishing, sunset trips, day trips, bike riding are just some of the things that are available in the village. There is so much to do including boat trips to the neighboring islands.

You will always find something to do.

Dining/Restaurants

The Simpson Bay strip caters to approximately 50 restaurants. The island is recognized as the gourmet capital of the Caribbean boasting over 350 restaurants.

The strip offers some of the finest dining on the island.

Dining on the strip is exquisite. You will find a variety of gastronomic possibilities such as Italian, Continental, French, Creole, Brazilian and much more.

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Simpson Bay

New Addition – Puerta del Sol Plaza at Simpson Bay

In Sint Maarten you always find something new on your next visit. Puerta del Sol Plaza is a new addition to the Simpson Bay Yacht Club. The new plaza has been described as having shady courtyards with a collection of chic boutiques, hair salons/day spas, yacht brokers, real estate agents and restaurants. Some of the dutyfree products that you would find featured at the stores in Puerta del Sol Plaza are: Roberto Cavalli, Versace, Life is Good, Apple Bottom, Babyphat, Coogi, Rocawear, Echo, Gap, Desigual, Season Whispers Jewelry, Deux Lux bags, Kiddo children’s boutique, Mystique shoe wear and much more. Once again it is in easy walking distance to everything else.

Airport

The Princess Juliana International Airport is right next to the Simpson Bay Village. The airport is ideally located just a few minutes away from the main hotels and timeshare properties located in such areas as Beacon Hill-Caravansarai, Maho Reef, Cupecoy, Simpson Bay and Pelican.

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Cupecoy

CUPECOY

The New Shopping Attraction & Entertainment Center

As Sint Maarten continues to develop, investors are looking for new opportunities and they have over the past few years discovered the Cupecoy area.

Construction works have been going on for the past three years in this area leading to the development of what has been described as the “Riviera,” in Sint Maarten, Porto Cupecoy. Another new development nearing completion is the “Blue Mall.”

Porto Cupecoy – Sint Maarten Riviera

Described as living in a seaside village, near the Dutch/ French border, Porto Cupecoy features private condominiums, international boutiques, renowned restaurants, full service fitness center, pool, tennis court, supermarket and a deep water marina with 54 slips.

The Porto Cupecoy website described the property as a Mediterranean village-inspired layout, with a blend of classic sophistication and Caribbean comfort with modern convenience.

This vibrant community is set around a bay-front promenade ringed by luxury boutiques and top-rated restaurants.

Porto Cupecoy is more than a prized vacation spot; it’s a twenty-first century port of call.

Blue Mall – Largest Shopping Center in Sint Maarten

Blue Mall is destined to be a landmark of architectural design and excellence, standing majestically atop Cupecoy on the southern tip of Simpson Bay Lagoon and offering luxurious residential and commercial space.

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Cupecoy

Expansive views of the Caribbean Sea and over the Cupecoy Yacht Club into Simpson Bay Lagoon are enhanced through the extensive use of floor to ceiling glass.

Blue Mall also features 36 luxury apartments; residing on the top two floors, select residences will offer both ocean and lagoon views and all will be completed in the finest finishes.

Blue Mall also features 100,000 square feet of exclusive retail and commercial space which will accommodate the finest restaurants and luxury shops and is considered the largest shopping mall on the island.

Sampling a tasty delicacy at a market café, pampering yourself at the salon or browsing some of the world’s finest diamonds is as simple as a short descent from your residence in the glass encased elevator or perhaps it’s a leisurely walk to the sand stone cliffs of Cupecoy Beach for a day of sun.

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EXPLORE A HISTORY OF DIVERSE CULTURES LIKE NO OTHER IN THE WORLD. The smallest island in the world shared by two sovereign powers, St. Maarten/St. Martin enjoys the perfect blend of two European cultures with the beauty of a Caribbean paradise. The island of St. Maarten also boasts an intriguing historical background. Christopher Columbus discovered it in 1493, on the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, and in the 140 years that followed, it changed flags many times. The Spanish, French, Dutch, and English have all claimed possession. In 1648, a treaty divided the island in two; the Dutch received 16 square miles and the French, due to a superior naval presence at the time, received 21. Today, the cosmopolitan inhabitants of this friendly island are proud of their over 350-year coexistence and, as if to prove a point, have never constructed an official border between the island’s two countries.There are historic forts to see and architectural gems to photograph. Indians, pirates, smugglers, slaves, soldiers, merchants, and mariners have all left their mark here. And rumors of buried treasure still persist. Be that as it may, the island is certainly a treasure trove of history.

WITH 37 BEACHES, WHEN IT COMES TO FUN,THE WETTER THE BETTER. When it comes to water activities in this picturesque paradise, the recipe for fun is this: simply add water. In fact, the wetter and wilder the water sport, the better. The island offers not only the turquoise Caribbean sea but tranquil lagoons as well. Enthusiasts can snorkel, windsurf, waterski, sail, jet-ski, and parasail. Fishing charters for marlin, king fish, tuna, and wahoo, plus day sails to our neighboring islands, are also readily available.

The beautiful island of St. Maarten is encircled by 37 magnificent beaches. While some invite you to endless stretches of powder white sands shaded by swaying palms, others lure you to enchanting coves or a scuba diver’s dream sheltered by colorful coral reefs. Nice to know is the fact that our beaches are never crowded, even in season. So those who prefer the sensual privacy of a secluded beach in paradise can become lost in fantasy and intrigue. For those who wish not to get their feet wet, there’s horseback riding, tennis, and golf. Most hotels have tennis courts or access to them, and arrangements can be made for you to play golf on Mullet Bay’s 18hole championship course. Whatever your whims, the island of St. Maarten offers more activities than imaginable to have total fun in the Caribbean sun.

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NONSTOP ACTION THAT’S WORLD-CLASS If exciting night life and gaming tickles your fancy, the Dutch side of the island can deal you a winning hand every time.

or Mexican appetizer, a Brazilian or Indonesian entrée, and a Vietnamese dessert. Frankly, the gastronomic possibilities are endless.

Seasoned high rollers and spirited amateur shooters can try their luck at roulette, craps, baccarat, blackjack, and slots at any of our glamorous casinos.

But of course, there’s more to dining than simply the food.

There’s the ambience, the view, and the atmosphere of many different cultures. Whether you’re enjoying a candlelit dinner in a sophisticated restaurant in Philipsburg or a bistro meal in a sidewalk café on one of Marigot’s colorful avenues, dining in St. Maarten is like dining no place else. ~ Bon appétit!

In addition to popular local hot spots, the island’s many and varied hotels also offer entertainment of their own; you will not have to look far to enjoy an evening of limbo fire dancers, folkloric, and the calypso beat of a Caribbean revue. On lively St. Maarten, disco lives! Wherever the excitement draws you, it is a sure bet that you’ll find enough Las Vegas-style entertainment and casino action to keep you rolling all night long.

In the wee hours of a starry night, there’s always romance, a stroll in the surf, a balmy breeze and the scent of wild orchids.

IN THE GOURMET CAPITAL OF THE CARIBBEAN, YOU’LL FIND FINE EUROPEAN DINING. Food, delicious food! While our guests may argue the merits of golf versus tennis and scuba versus snorkel, they all agree on one thing: the dining on St. Maarten is exquisite.

The cuisine can be described in many ways. French, Italian Continental, Creole from beluga to zucchini mousse. St. Maarten sets a table that’s unique in the Caribbean. Where else in the world will you find a 37-square-mile island boasting over 350 tantalizing restaurants. Here you can enjoy a Cuban

SOFT ADVENTURES Your trip to St. Maarten offers many opportunities such as: Hiking along lush, scenic trails, Kayaking along our gorgeous beaches. Also one can enjoy our numerous cycling routes along both roads and mountainous trails.

HORSEBACK RIDING The island has several stables at which persons rent horses.

Arrangements for guided horsebacktours can also be made at the stables.

BEACHES Vacation on St. Maarten and the sand will always be between your toes.We have so many wonderful beaches. On the Dutch side, Cupecoy beach is picture-perfect. Mullet Bay and Maho Bay offer shimmering sands and family facilities. Simpson Bay and Great Bay offer suntans and water sports. Anywhere you

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WATER SPORTS The island offers excellent diving and snorkeling locations.

And with so many multicolored tropical fish, you’d think Picasso had been painting them. Underwater visibility runs from 75–200 feet depending on conditions. Windsurfing, sailing, and jet skiing have enjoyed rapid growth over recent years and instructors are usually available.

CHARTER FISHING Charters, available for half or full-day hire, usually include tackle, bait, food, and refreshments. Your hotel will tell you where the best fishing is.

SAILING Internationally renowned for hosting the famed Heineken Regatta and the 12-metre Challenge, St. Maarten fascinates boaters of all sorts with crystal blue waters, brisk trade winds, secluded beaches, and first-rate mariners’ services. St. Maarten also offers various yacht chartering services, from day trips to neighboring islands to sunset cruises boasting the best view of the island.

DUTY-FREE SHOPPING One of the joys of vacationing in St. Maarten is that it is dutyfree!

You can get many bargains because prices are among the lowest in the region. Certainly much less than prices you pay in the U.S. and Canada. The best places to shop on the Dutch side are Philipsburg’s Front Street and Old Street, Simpson Bay, and Maho village. Wherever you go, you’ll find clothing, leather goods, jewelry, gold, watches, perfumes, cosmetics, china, and crystals from around the world.

All famous brand names are well represented. St. Maarten plays hosts to a number of fascinating art galleries and studios featuring the finest local, International and Caribbean works.

CASINOS No vacation on this island is complete without a visit to one or more of our spectacular casinos. All are located on the Dutch side and are open from noon until 3 am.

CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION U.S. citizens entering St. Maarten for three months or less must bring a valid passport or proof of U.S. citizenship, return travel tickets, documents for next destination, and sufficient funds.

Canadian citizens entering St. Maarten for 14 days or less must bring: a valid passport, birth certificate, or naturalization certificate. Return travel tickets, documents for next destination, and sufficient funds are also required.

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travel, a beach is not far away.

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ST. MAARTEN TOURIST BUREAU United Kingdom citizens or British-protected persons entering St. Maarten for three months or less must bring a valid passport, return tickets, documents for next destination, and sufficient funds.

Citizens of other countries should check with a travel agent or a St. Maarten Tourist Office on the appropriate documents necessary to enter St. Maarten.

AIRLINES The island is serviced by a number of major carriers and charter flights.

AIRPORT Princess Juliana International Airport is located on the Dutch side near Simpson Bay. Flight Information: Information Desk:

1 (721) 545-5757 1 (721) 545-4211

AUTOMOBILE RENTALS One of the best and most convenient ways to see the island is to rent a car. For about $35 to $55 per day, most rentalcar agencies offer unlimited mileage. Pickup and delivery service is usually available. All you need to rent a car is a valid driver’s license and a major credit card or cash deposit (about $350 to $600). Also available are scooters, bikes, and HarleyDavidson rentals.

DRIVING LICENSE Both international and foreign licenses are accepted. Traffic on St. Maarten is right hand driving.

BUSES Public transportation runs regularly between the island’s two capitals for a moderate fee. Other buses travel hourly between Mullet Bay, Simpson Bay, Cole Bay, and Grand Case.

TAXIS Taxis on St. Maarten are not metered. Rates determined by the government are based on carrying two passengers per trip to their destination. Your driver will appreciate a tip of 10 to 15 percent. Taxi Stations are located on the Dutch Side at the Airport, at the Cyrus Wathey Square, at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility, at Diamond Casino on Front Street, and also on the waterfront on the French Side.

BANKING HOURS 8:30 am–3:30 pm, Monday to Friday. (Hours vary from bank to bank.) ATM machines are available throughout the island.

CURRENCY Dutch side: U.S. Dollars ($) or Antillian Guilders (Naf./Fls./ Ang.). One U.S. dollar equals approximately Naf.1.82 French side: U.S. Dollars ($) or Euros (€).

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CLIMATE Annual averages: Temperature - 80°; rainfall - 40”; water temperature - 78.° DRINKING WATER Purified tap water. Local and imported bottled water also widely available.

ELECTRICITY Dutch side: 110 volts (50 cycles).

French side: 208/200 volts (60 cycles).

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES St. Maarten: Dutch St. Martin: French English is widely spoken on both sides of the island.

SIZE AND LOCATION The Dutch side is 16 square miles. The French side is 21 square miles. St. Maarten is located 195 miles from San Juan, 1,690 miles from New York, 1,989 miles from Montreal, 2,008 miles from Toronto, 3,065 miles from São Paulo, 1,225 miles from Miami, 3,612 miles from Buenos Aires, and 4,314 miles from Amsterdam.

SHOPPING HOURS Monday through Saturday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Some shops and supermarkets are open on Sundays.

WEDDINGS AND HONEYMOONS Nothing makes for a more memorable wedding day than having your ceremony presided over by the serene surroundings and azure waters of beautiful St. Maarten.

TOURISM - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

Marriage licenses are easy to obtain and you can even be provided with a wedding coordinator to help facilitate your special day. For those who can’t wait to start their honeymoon, St. Maarten offers a wonderful variety of charming hotels and resorts so you can instantly be whisked off to your once-in-alife-time rendezvous. For complete wedding and honeymoon information, contact the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau.

For more information, call your travel professional or the St. Maarten Tourist Offices: St. Maarten Vineyard Building W.G. Buncamper Road #33 Philipsburg, St. Maarten Phone: 1-721-542-2337 Fax: 1-721-542-2734 Internet:www.vacationstmaarten.com

Argentina Calle Florida, 890 – 2nd Floor – Of. “G” C1005AAR - Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 54 11 4313 4400 Fax: 54 11 4313 4466

United States 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807 New York, NY 10017, USA Phone: 1-212-953-2084 Fax: 1-212-953-2145 1-800-ST. MAARTEN 1-800-786-2278

Brazil Av. Ipiranga 318 bl. A-5 Andar São Paulo – SP-CEP 01046-010 Brazil Phone: 55 11 3214 5588 Fax: 55 11 258 3575

Canada 703 Evans Avenue, Suite 106 Toronto, ONT M9C 5E9, Canada Phone: 1-416-622-4300 Fax: 1-416-622-3431

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

32 March 1-4, 2012

Photo by Tom Zinn

The event

The 32nd edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta was another great success. With challenging wind conditions, lots of sun and great musical entertainment at night, there was lots to enjoy for the sailors, volunteers and visitors of the island. The dates for the 33rd edition are set for February 28 – March 3rd 2013 and organizers are expecting over 200 entries for this international event. The number of different nationalities is staggering with 32 different countries being represented at this one event. By our ability to attract this number of different nationalities we are able to bring the island of St. Maarten to the entire world. Throughout the years the Heineken Regatta has established itself within the sailing community and has helped promote St. Maarten as a successful tourist destination for more than a quarter of a century. With four days of racing and four fantastic nights of on shore entertainment, the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta has grown to become the biggest sailing event in the Caribbean.

Caribbean Racing at its Best

with boats like Virago and Varsovie, Swan’s 100 and Gran Jotiti, a Volvo 70, the level of racing has reached great heights and has met the levels of international racing standards. ln 20l2 there were 190 entries of which 70 were bareboats, giving this event the largest Bareboat fleet in the Caribbean. The bareboat fleets are sailors who rent cruising boats to race from local (mainly French side) operators.

Other classes include “CSA”, “Multihull “ and the “Lottery”

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Class (which involves a simple rating system). The other classes (with the exception of the multi hulls) use the Caribbean Sailing Association Rule.

On Tuesday February 28th, 2012 the island was treated to the Budget Marine Match Racing cup, a pre-event dedicated to the top match racers of the world. With a cash prize totaling $ 8,000, this event has quickly become a must do on a match racer’s calendar. Seven teams competed on the waters within the islands lagoon for one day to battle it out until in the end there were three top place winners who shared the cash prize.

Many of these sailors went on to race on larger boats during the rest of the weekend’s events.

On Thursday March 1st, 20l2 the Commodores Cup sponsored

by Gill, one of the world’s leading sailing clothing manufacturers, took place. With 30 competitors and Windward Leeward courses, this day of racing was a huge success. Because the results had no effect on the overall results of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, competitors had the chance to start off on Friday with a clean slate, essentially two regattas, during one event. Friday through Sunday brought,stiff competition, high winds and tired sailors who gave it their all and then some.

Economic Impact

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta has been hosting an approximate of 2000 sailors originating predominantly from

Photo by Bob Grieser

Photo by Bob Grieser

Europe, USA, the UK and the Caribbean region for the past couple of years.These sailors also bring their followers, which can be estimated at another 1000 extra visitors to the island. ln addition to the sailors and their followers, over 70 media representatives and hundreds of sailing enthusiasts make the trip to St. Maarten for the annual event. With all of these people making their way to the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta it has an enormous financial spin-off on the local economy.

The event contributes to an increase in revenue for many airline companies, car rental companies, hotels, the local bar & restaurant business, taxi’s and so forth as well as the local government and the airport which see an increase in tax profits (turn-over tax) and collected departure tax.

different acts throughout the night and gave all those attending a wide variety of choices in what to listen to. On Saturday the course made its way to Marigot, the capital of the French side, making this event multi-national and multi cultural. This venue has a chic and European flare with its sidewalk cafes and French cuisine. The atmosphere was further enhanced by the rhythms of the Caribbean sounds of the Soca band. The last day of sailing featured a course from Marigot to Simpson Bay where on Kim Sha Beach the event was brought to a climax with a stellar performance by world renowned Beres Hammond, performing into the late hours. The last night of the regatta features the traditional prize giving ceremony for all categories including the overall winner of the event.

ln another intangible way, the event offers St. Maarten immeasurable local and international media coverage throughout the year. The event is broadcasted by many large media institutions such as ESPN and Sailing Channel and by the printed press such as Sailing World Magazine, Yachts & Yachting, Voiles et Voiliers and Nautique. All of this generates the much needed and vital publicity for the island as an appealing vacationing destination.

The Future

On Shore Venues

With a sponsor like Heineken, which has been a part of the Regatta since the inception, the onshore events are always something to look forward to. The 32nd edition was no exception starting off with an opening party at Princess Port de Plaisance Hotel & Casino. The first day of racing on Friday featured a round-island race with the finish in the capital of the Dutch side, Philipsburg, on the boardwalk where food, drinks and concerts were held. Several stages boasted

With over 30 years of experience the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta has established a standard that cannot be beat but which can only get better. Organizers are working year round to ensure that the next 30 years will continue to bring St. Maarten, her beaches, culture, food and fun to the entire world through the sport of sailing. More information can be found on the web site www.heinekenregatta.com or by contacting the regatta organization at regatta@heinekenregatta.com or by calling +1721-544-2079.

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THE NEIGHBOURING ISLANDS

FRENCH SAINT MARTIN Saint Martin is a friendly and authentic small island, surrounded by 36 white sandy beaches, turquoise water, cradled by the beautiful Caribbean sun.

The Friendly Island is known for its picturesque landscapes and its captivating nights but also for its charming inhabitants. This fame is also due to the coexistence of France and the Netherlands on 75 km2, in perfect harmony.

The French side is in the North and depends on Overseas Departments of France. The Dutch side is pegged to the group of Netherlands. The most common languages spoken on the island are French, English, Creole or Spanish.

This small tropical island invites visitors to float in the Atlantic Ocean on the east side, and sip a cocktail in the Caribbean Sea in the west side, with many different water sports such as sailing, surfing, windsurfing or diving.

Saint Martin welcomes guests for an unforgettable stay, in an amazing melting pot, where more than 70 nationalities live together.The traditional craft market welcomes visitors everyday, where they meet very talented local artists. Grand Case, the culinary capital offers typical and local cuisine but also French gourmet restaurants with varied atmospheres: festive, romantic, local etc. Marigot, which is the Capital of the French side, is ideal for shopping, relaxation and refreshment. Mount Pic Paradise, the highest pick of the island is famous for its natural activities and its wonderful rainforest.

Music has a precious place in Saint Martin, soca, zouk, reggae, salsa but also soul and jazz that are the sounds that keep the island alive night and day. Despite the success of tourism, the island has preserved its authentic Creole charms: natural islets, colored wooden houses, mountains walks, all in a beautiful protected area. Carnival, Christmas or Easter are part of traditions. Melodies and dances with traditional costumes, parades, glitters and feathers, all together on the sweet rhythm of the Caribbean music.

The island invites visitors to experience what we call the “Friendly Island�, for an unforgettable stay.

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Topography

One can enjoy the many bays and creeks along the shores of Saint-Martin where several water sports can be enjoyed. Pic Paradis, the highest summit culminates at 424 metres (1392 feet) in the centre of the island. Simpson Bay lagoon, one of the largest within the Caribbean, is an ideal place for water sports boat trips and special cruises.

Climate

Average temperatures vary between 66 and 82° F in January and between 72 and 89° F in July.

The most important rains occur between August and November of each year and the drought is serious during February, March and April.

Flora

The island is covered with a variety of tropical flowers which make the landscape a delight to look at. The thicker forest occupies the more mountainous areas.

Fauna

Many pelicans, herons, aigrettes, waders and gulls live around the salt ponds and one can easily see mongooses crossing the streets, lizards, iguanas and turtles along the trails. Humming birds and sugar birds are common in the gardens.

Beaches

36 beaches of white sand, each one with its own charm and beauty, wild islets and coral reefs.

Art

If many international artists have migrated to the Saint-Martin in search of new sensations, the native painters of the Caribbean and of the island undoubtedly hold the island heritage through a combination of the genuine values of the Caribbean islands in their works.

Roland Richardson has a gift for grasping nature as a whole and deeply seizing environment. This Saint-Martin artist understands that the subject appeals to you and not the other way around; that is why he tries to go far beyond personal expectations and respect nature’s gifts and offerings.

In Saint-Martin, art is linked to collective life and the artist expresses the surrounding energies, namely the beauty of the scenery, the glistening of colors and the variety of lights.

Although the island has experienced a galloping development toward urbanization, the work of the artists continues to restore the very essence of the Caribbean world through an original luxuriant nature. Saint-Martin will live, breathe and rise thanks to their talent.

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The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

FRENCH SAINT MARTIN

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FRENCH SAINT MARTIN

Lodging

Diversity is the word by which one could describe lodging on Saint-Martin. The island offers a great variety of places that accommodate visitors from the world around throughout the year.The choice of hotels is wide, unique in the Caribbean and covers numerous sites, styles, sizes and moods according to the taste of the clients. On the beach side or up on the hillside to discover the magnificent views, close to the shopping centres or facing the splendour of the Caribbean sea or the Atlantic ocean, luxury hotels are harmoniously located next to smaller hotels offering an inexpressible charm and refined service with a French touch, simple yet very war hotels, friendly Guest Houses and absolutely sumptuous villas.

Sports and leisure lovers will find a wide variety of activities they can practice, whereas lovers of Caribbean mildness will appreciate the charm and the calm of the more intimate places.

Whatever the size or style of the hotel, the owners are professional, strict and concerned about preserving a great quality of equipment and services, they have an innate sense of reception and this Caribbean kindness distinctive of the friendly island.

For approximately 20 years the Hotel Association in SaintMartin has grouped together the main and best hotels of the French side. The hotels being a part of this association enjoy experience and skill, on this account, you can trust them for your stay in Saint-Martin.The hotel manager is a host who can guide you for gastronomy, in organizing your leisure, tell you

TOURISM - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

about the traditions and customs of the island and also in turn initiate you to the mild Caribbean nonchalance.

Our binding character is one of happiness, each one is here convinced that our hosts are first of all friends and everyone would like to you fall in love with Saint-Martin and welcome you to Paradise!

French Saint Martin Tourist Office Route de Sandy Ground, 97150 SAINT-MARTIN TÊl: 0590 87 57 21 | Fax: 0590 87 56 43 E-mail: contact@iledesaintmartin.org Site Web: www.iledesaintmartin.org Saint Martin Promotional Bureau (North America) Atout France 825 Third Avenue, 29th Floor, New York 10022-7519 Tel: 1 212 745 0945 | Fax: 1 212 838 7855 Email: newyork@stmartinisland.org French Saint Martin Tourist Office (Europe) 10 rue Pergolèse, 75116 Paris Tel: +33(0)1 53 29 99 99 | Fax: +33(0)1 42 96 15 16 Email: paris@iledesaintmartin.org

Photos: Cees Timmers Photography - www.tvc-advertising.com

S

aba

Dutch Caribbean

Saba -The Island of Your Dreams

An emerald island in an aquamarine sea. Far from the cares of the modern world. Seductive. Unforgettable. This is Saba. Once you’ve visited our island, you’ll understand that there’s nothing else like it in the world. A paradise for divers and hikers, and for those who seek only rest. An island where time stands still. Hike to Saba’s highest point, Mount Scenery, nearly nine hundred metres (3,000 feet) above the Caribbean Sea, its slopes clothed in lush, verdant woods. A veil of cloudmist often drapes the summit. Unlock Saba’s treasures. Its stunningly beautiful natural habitat and fabulous underwater world have long been cherished by its islanders, as they will be cherished by you. So if you’re looking for luxury hotels, shopping districts, discos, casinos and amusement parks, please pass us by. On Saba, only nature, unspoiled, awaits you.

‘The Unspoiled Queen’

Saba has a population of only 1400, so the island’s surface of 13 square kilometres (5 square miles) is scarcely inhabited. The people of Saba proudly refer to their island as “The Unspoiled Queen.” Imagine an island largely untouched by the 21st century, with the year-round climate of your dreams. Imagine landscapes that resemble those encountered by the earliest explorers.

Lush, pristine, mysterious, alluring. English is the principal language spoken on Saba and our islanders will make you feel at home every minute of the day.

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SABA

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SABA

Getting around on Saba

No matter how you arrive on Saba, on the island there’s only one road to travel. Travelling by taxi along “the road that couldn’t be built” brings you to your destination within twenty minutes. The road begins at Fort Bay harbour and ends at the airport’s spectacular landing strip. On your way you’ll find out what it means to travel back in time. No one’s in a hurry. The taxi driver is busy greeting friends and making small talk with everyone who passes by. The houses are pleasingly uniform, their architecture harmonious.

‘The unspoiled queen’

You’ll stay in one of the four small and charming villages.

Saba is a magical place for scuba diving, hiking, eco-touring and (not surprisingly) honeymooning. The people of Saba are happy to recommend the best ways to experience the island. And everyone seems to have a different idea, so you’ll have no shortage of things to do. Ask for a map at the tourist office in Windwardside. Check the events calendar to be sure that your “things to do” list is complete. And don’t forget that fewer than 25,000 tourists visit Saba each year. Those who do, treat the island with respect. Even though Saba has modern facilities and technology, the focus of the island is nature and conservation. So add Saba to your list of eco-tour destinations.

Climbing Mount Scenery

Follow the trail and be sure not to miss any of the 1,064 steps that form Saba’s “stairway to heaven.” Start your trip early in the morning in Windwardside. Climbing Mount Scenery is one of the principal attractions of Saba, an adventure you’ll never forget.Visitors are advised, however, that because of the altitude and the demands of the climb, only those in peak physical condition should attempt the trek. Good hiking boots are recommended as well as sunblock/ sunscreen, and a raincoat. Last but not least: be sure to take plenty of water with you.

Mount Scenery 877 metres (2877 feet) is not only the highest mountain on the island, it is the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The trail is well defined and has stone steps conveniently placed every few metres. Hikers are advised to travel together and to pay attention to all signage. When you reach the summit, indulge yourself in the breathtaking view. The volcano crater contains a rainforest jungle of ferns, tropical flowers and mahogany trees You’ll feel that you’re in heaven as you gaze over the island. Observe the unique transition from cloud forest to secondary rainforest, and in the distance the isles of Saint Kitts and Saint Eustatius.

A tour guide (optional) will be happy to answer your questions about Saba’s abundant flora and fauna.There’s much to see so be sure to pack a camera! The Mount Scenery forest is an example of the evergreen mountain forests characteristic of tropical areas, where local climatic conditions include cloud and mist formation, especially around mountain peaks such as that of Mount Scenery. The island supports ecosystems of distinctive floristic and structural form and contains a TOURISM - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

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Nature Trails & Walks

Hikers from all over the world are attracted to Saba.The island features a network of trails, carefully marked and maintained.

Some are designed for easy trekking, others require a guide, enriching the experience through a greater appreciation of Saba’s botany and history. Everyone can hike to the trailhead then into Saba’s rainforest, tide pools, historic ruins and rich nature wonderland. Even a walk along Saba’s winding road will lead you through many breathtaking and memorable views.

Diving

Saba is a volcanic island that rises steeply from the ocean.

Lava tunnels and hot springs remind divers of the island’s dramatic origins. Depths of 300 metres (1,000 feet) and more are found within almost a kilometer/half a mile of the shore.

The nearshore environs offer very interesting and extremely varied diving, while the offshore dives will leave you absolutely speechless. A busy population of colourful tropical fish as well as large groupers and jacks inhabit the waters around Saba.

Along the edge of Saba’s sheer wall dives, divers can sight turtles and rays of all shapes and sizes. The small leeward side hosts gentle, mediumdepth, spur- and-groove formations.

Saba Marine Park

Saba Marine Park was established in 1987 with permanent moorings, regulations for its use and maintenance and a very positive attitude toward conservation. At the time very few divers knew about Saba.Then its legend grew.Those who visit will encounter undamaged reef life, a pristine environment appreciated both by locals and by divers.

Impressed by the effort and achievement of creating the park, the Dutch navy donated a four-person hyperbaric chamber, operated by Saba Marine Park staff and by volunteers from the dive shops. All dive operations abide by the rules of the park and benefit from its ongoing research and education programs. Weekly slide shows entertain and inform divers of Saba’s special marine life. Saba’s marine park has received several honours and remains the only park of its kind in the world to be completely self sufficient in its operation.

The marine park surrounds the entire island and includes the waters and seabed from the highwater mark down to a depth of 60 metres (200 feet) as well as offshore seamounts.

A zoning system has been applied to achieve the best possible compromise between different uses of the marine environment. Since the island is small, dive boats can reach all sites within minutes. Saba’s beauty extends below the waterline into an exciting marine environment rich in corals and active Diving with fish life.

Shopping

Saba Lace a.k.a. Spanish work is one of the island’s most popular

The Island of your Dreams

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disproportionately large number of the world’s endemic and threatened species.

purchases and can be found at various giftshops around the island. The largest selection is to be found at the Saba Lace Boutique situated behind the Roman Catholic Church in Hell’s Gate, usually only open in the morning.A large selection is also available along with the island’s famous liqueur “Saba Spice” at the Saba Artisan Boutique in The Bottom, Tel: 416 3260 In Windwardside Helen’s Fabric & Notions also carries a nice selection of the famous lacework.

Economic Affairs

The Dutch Government Ministry of Economic Affairs will contribute to a prosperous, sustainable and enterprising economy of Saba in an open global economy. This entails that companies receive more and more room to engage in entrepreneurial activities and innovation. Focus will also be on clean energy, maintaining postal services, a secure, safe and reliable telecommunications sector. The Dutch Government also favors a business climate that is competitive and attractive internationally.

Currency

As of January 1, 2011, the US Dollar was introduced as the official currency of Saba replacing the Netherlands Antilles Guilder.

Chamber of Commerce

Plans are to set up a Chamber of Commerce and restructure the trade register.

Tax and Customs

The Dutch Ministry of Finance Tax and Customs Administration will be responsible for levying, checking and collecting taxes and premiums. The aforementioned will also issue refunds. The administration will supervise the import, export and transit of goods, and supervise the compliance with tax laws and regulations.

Tax System

The Golden Book Of Sint Maarten

SABA

A simplified tax system will be introduced based on Saba’s own characteristics as a small island with less than 2000 persons. The system will be service and customer oriented

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under one roof offering entrepreneurs and investors a onestop shop policy.

For more information about Saba, The Unspoiled Queen, please contact the tourism office below.

Immigration

The Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) are now responsible for the admission and deportation of aliens on behalf of the Dutch Minister of Justice. A close working relationship exists between the IND and the Saba Population Affairs Desks, Saba Department of Labour Affairs, the Police Force and other authorities. The IND coordinates matters with the Royal Military Constabulary.

The system used for immigration control is the Foreigner Management System (FMS). Applications for admission and a work permit are based on the one-stop counter system in order to ensure speedy and professional service.

Labour Related Matters

The Dutch Government Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) has assisted the Island Government with the following matters: minimum wage, labour permits, complaints about wages, holiday regulations, working hours, field safety inspections, and illegal accommodation including of foreign employees.The RCN is responsible for carrying out these matters on the island. Those seeking information and assistance should contact the aforementioned office.

TOURISM - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

Saba Tourist Bureau P.O. Box 527, Windwardside, Saba, Dutch Caribbean Tel.: 599-416-2231 / 2322 Fax: 599-416-2350 E-mail: tourism@sabagov.com Website: www.sabatourism.com

St. Eustatius, affectionately called Statia, was discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus. Throughout a swaggering colonial era that followed, the island had changed hands at least 22 times. In 1636 near the close of the 80-year war between Holland and Spain, the Dutch took possession. During the 17th and 18th century, Statia was a major trading center with some 20,000 inhabitants and thousands of ships calling at her shores.

It is hard for present day visitors to imagine that this tiny island once had one of the busiest ports in the region. During the latter part of the 18th century, St. Eustatius was the major supplier of arms and ammunition to the rebellious British Colonies in North America and the subject of conflict among the most powerful seafaring nations of the era.

For a time, Statia was the only link between Europe and fledgling American colonies.

It is a fact that Benjamin Franklin had his mail routed through Statia to ensure its safe arrival. Statia remembered as the emporium of the Caribbean, was nicknamed “The Golden Rock”, reflecting its former prosperous trading days and wealthy residents.

On November 16th, 1776 the American brigantine warship, the “Andrew Doria”, sailed into Statia’s harbour firing a 13-gun salute indicating the fledling 13-States of America having achieved its long sought independence. The 11-gun salute reply, roaring from the canons at Fort Oranje under the command of Governor Johannes de Graaff, established Statia as the first nation to officially recognize the United States of America.

St. Eustatius

As the eighteenth century drew to a close, St. Eustatius gradually lost its importance as a trading center and most merchants and planters left the island leaving behind their homes and warehouses. Fortunately, in the 1960’s and 70’s, the people of Statia became increasingly aware of the cultural value of their unique heritage and initiatives were taken to preserve and maintain it.The first inhabitants of Statia were the Saladoid Indians, who arrived in great sea-going canoes from South America before the end of the 15th century.

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ST. EUSTATIUS

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ST. EUSTATIUS

In the 1600’s, African slaves were brought to the island to cultivate the land which had more than seventy plantations.At the end of the 18th century slavery had been outlawed in the Dutch Antilles.Today, people of more than 20 nationalities live in harmony on this peaceful Dutch Caribbean Island. Statia is approximately 5 miles long and 2-/12 miles wide covering a total of 11.8 square miles or approximately 31 square kilometers. Its population is 3400 as of January 2008 and is made up mainly from people of black African descent with a pleasant nature and zeal for work.

Diving

Few know where the island of St. Eustatius is, let alone anything about the artificial reef there called the Charlie Brown. Good Grief! You don’t know what you are missing! First, the Charlie Brown is big, measuring over 300 feet in length from bow to stern. Once a former fiber optic cable layer for AT&T, it was actually named after one of AT&T’s former CEO’s Charles

Tiny island.

BIG thrills.

L. Brown, not the cartoon character. The ship was sunk fully intact, and now presents one of the best wreck diving opportunities in the Caribbean for all levels of divers from novice to wreck specialist and everyone in between.

By now, you will need to start ascending a bit, unless using Nitrox. Moving up to the shallow side of the hull, returning to the bow at a depth of 50 to 60 feet, you will get a good look at the ship you just penetrated.

The Charlie Brown is located on the leeward side of the island of St. Eustatius (often called Statia by the locals). The ship rests on its starboard side in 98 feet of water, with the shallowest point 50 feet from the surface – an opportunistic depth for marine growth to take hold. Seven years of lying on the bottom has done the big ship a service by transforming it into a vibrant artificial reef. Pound for pound, it is one of the most populated sites on Statia for fish life. On any given day you are likely to see the wreck’s resident population of Horse-eyed Jacks – small schools of several hundred that have a habit of surrounding you while on your safety stop.

Charlie Brown was built in the day when looks mattered; there is lots of interesting structure - from life boat davits to the smoke stack and mast, with its now coral encrusted horns. As you reach the bow and the mooring line, it’s time to make your way to the surface. Looking down as you ascend provides an overview of it all. Once on the safety stop, you may think it is almost over, then here comes the Horse-eyed Jacks who surround you until your dive buddy is barely visible through them.When back on the boat, most divers have to sit and reflect on all they just took in. Commonly, the first words out of their mouths are ‘Can we do that again?’ How did a small island such as Statia end up with such a large artificial reef as the C/S Charles L. Brown?

Turtles and Reef Sharks often frequent the wreck, along with

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Charlie, the resident Barracuda, who is as big as they get and very friendly. He will let you get extremely close. The most popular dive profile is to descend to the bow along the mooring line; then, after pausing to neutralize buoyancy, cruising along the foredeck toward the “Highway.” This is a large work area that runs through the superstructure for over 120 feet, with portholes that act like skylights, taking a dive light is optional. Most guests enjoy the way the light bounces around inside the ship and the mirror effect created by air bubbles trapped on the ceiling. Once you exit the Highway you are at the stern. Glancing up here, you will normally get a first look at the massive school of Jacks. Swimming around the aft end, a pair of propellers with a 15-foot radius appears – one in the light, good for photographs and one in the darkness caused by the overhanging ship’s stern. This shadowed area is a popular hang out for Dogtooth Snappers, Nurse Sharks and other ambush predators.

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As the project manager, I was most focused on the removal of hazardous chemicals, fuel and lubrication oils and the final preparation for scuttling. We had arranged for a consultant from Holland’s world famous Smit Tug to oversee the actual processes to ensure a successful scuttling. He arrived just as we were finishing our preparations, allowing us to move directly to the next step, a controlled sinking by using the fire pumps to fill every compartment one by one. Finally with only the forward hold and the main engine room not flooded and the vessel in a very precarious state we pumped the last of the fuel oil off the vessel on to a barge and called it a day.

The next morning we found the ship listing heavily to starboard and taking on water through the port holes. We had already salvaged the port hole covers, which were made of solid brass, “oops!.” We spent the rest of the day trying to pump water from one side to the other to right the ship, without luck. Finally at around 4:00 pm we decided we had better put it down or it might flip in the night, which was something none of us wanted.

The story begins in Naples, Italy in the 50’s, which is where this large ocean cable layer was constructed. After a long and rigorous career that spanned some five decades, the ship was showing her age. As most ships approach retirement, their owners often seek one of two options – sell it off cheap and let it become some one else’s problem or decommission it to be salvaged for its steel, which isn’t always the most economic practice. Surprisingly, when the owners decided to decommission the Charlie Brown, they didn’t want to have it stripped down for its metal. They decided instead to allow it to start a new life as an artificial reef, offering it to all the islands in the Caribbean for the price of one U.S. dollar. As you might guess, almost every island wanted it, including Statia.Those of us who were involved in the local diving scene knew it would be a great drawing card to get divers to come to the island, and once here, they would find out what makes Statia special. So the dive operators and Marine Park got the government involved, and we eventually won the right to buy the vessel. Then the work started. The former owners gave us the keys and got off the ship in Curacao. It took several months to get it to Statia where it was anchored offshore.

We then had to come up with a plan as to how we would prepare the ship for scuttling, with volunteers from the marine park, dive operators, fire department, harbor, and many others all being ferried back and forth from ship to shore for several months. To understand the effort that was taken, imagine a fully functioning ship in good condition with everything needed to do its job. Now transform it into something safe for divers and clean for the environment. We were in over our heads, but there was no turning back! File cabinets full of documents, a machine shop, wood shop, galley, laundry – everything you could imagine and much more – all

To start the final process we cleared the ship, and only those directly involved in the scuttling would remain. We opened the sea chest in the main engine room and forward hold – essentially pulling the plug. Now, with the ship sinking we had one more objective before we could get off. We made our way to the bridge, where we sounded the ship’s horn so everyone would know what was happening. Most of the island inhabitants raced to the cliff to see the vessel slip beneath the waves, set to the tone of the horns as if the ship was calling for help. R.I.P. Charlie Brown 1953 to 2003.

Now resting on the bottom, the ship is making the transition from high sea work vessel to underwater habitat for countless marine creatures. The first to inhabit the ship where Sailfin Blennies, which moved in the old barnacle shells on the hull of the ship. What made this interesting to me was that the fish normally live on sandy bottoms. They must have moved in to feed on the remains of the barnacles left from the journey to Statia.The vessel was anchored for several months over a unique dive site in the harbor where an abundance of macro life is found including the Sailfin Blenny. Theirs was an interesting migration from the bottom of the sea to the bottom of a ship 40 to 50 feet straight up!

As more and more life takes hold, we have enjoyed the changes, soft and hard corals, sponges and tubeworms – all vying for their spot on this new artificial reef.

Nature

The St. Eustatius National Parks protect the high biodiversity and unique tropical ecosystems present on both land and sea .The Quill/Boven National Park was pronounced the first official national park of the Netherlands Antilles in 1998 and consists of two sectors: The weathered remains of the northern extinct volcano, that includes Boven (289m), TOURISM - The Golden Book of Sint Maarten

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had to go ashore.

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Bergje (223m), Gilboa Hill, Signal Hill and Pilot Hill. Active management currently focus on the Quill. The Volcanic cone of the Quill dominates Statia’s landscape. The highest point is Mazinga. A number of different vegetation zones vary with altitude, ranging from evergreen seasonal forest inside the crater to elfin forest on the rim. The forest in the crater is closely related to a tropical rainforest with the highest trees reaching 40 meters, including the Silk Cotton Tree,Yellow Plum and Trumpet Wood. Begonias and Bromeliads are common.

Animals to watch out for include the endangered Antillean Iguana which feeds on flowers, fruits, leaves and eggs.The Redbellied Racer is a small snake found only on Statia and Saba and is not poisonous to humans, feeding on small reptiles.

Hikers also come across large numbers of mountain crab.

Activities in the national park include creation and maintenance of a network of ten trails, display of information boards and research and monitoring.The park organizes guided hikes and visitors are requested to purchase a “trail tag”.

Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden

This young Botanical Garden extends for 5.3 hectares across the southern slopes of the Quill. The garden was conceived

by Miriam Schmidt in the 1990s with a vision of a sanctuary for protection of Statia’s rich biodiversity from the increasing pressures of development, animal grazing and invasive species.

The Garden was created in 1998, infrastructure completed in 1999 and planting commenced in 2001. Today, the Garden provides a haven for the protection of the island’s natural flora whilst creating an opportunity to rest in peaceful surroundings.

The first phase of the Botanical Garden is complete with an educational Sensory Garden, a Palm Garden, a Lookout Garden, a Kitchen Garden and a Bird Observation trail through the forest of the rear portion of the Garden.

It is hoped that the endemic flower - Statia Morning Glory (Ipomoea sphenophylla) – once declared extinct, will soon

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flourish in the Garden.

Economic Affairs

The Dutch Government Ministry of Economic Affairs will contribute to a prosperous, sustainable and enterprising economy of St. Eustatius. This entails that companies receive more and more room to engage in entrepreneurial activities and innovation. Focus will also be on clean energy, maintaining postal services, a secure, safe and reliable telecommunications sector. The Dutch Government also favors a business climate that is competitive and attractive internationally.

Currency

As of January 1, 2011, the US Dollar was introduced as the official currency of St. Eustatius replacing the Netherlands Antilles Guilder (Nafls.).

Chamber of Commerce

Plans are to set up a Chamber of Commerce and restructure the trade register.

Tax and Customs

The Dutch Ministry of Finance Tax and Customs Administration will be responsible for levying, checking and collecting taxes and premiums. The aforementioned will also issue refunds. The administration will supervise the import, export and transit of goods, and supervise the compliance with tax laws and regulations.

Tax System

A simplified tax system will be introduced based on St. Eustatius’ own characteristics as a small island with less than 3000 persons. The system will be service and customer oriented under one roof offering entrepreneurs and investors a one-stop-shop policy.

Immigration

The Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) is now responsible for the admission and deportation of aliens

For more information about St. Eustatius, contact the tourism office below:

The system used for immigration control is the Foreigner Management System (FMS). Applications for admission and a work permit are based on the one-counter system in order to ensure speedy and professional service.

Labour Related Matters

The Dutch Government Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) has assisted the Island Government with the following matters: minimum wage, labour permits, complaints about wages, holiday regulations, working hours, field safety inspections, and illegal accommodation including of foreign employees. The Caribbean Netherlands Kingdom Service is responsible for carrying out these matters on the island. Those seeking information and assistance should visit the aforementioned office.

St. Eustatius Tourism Development Foundation Fort Oranje, Oranjestad, St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean Tel/Fax: +(599) 318-2433 E-mail: info@statiatourism.com Website: www.statiatourism.com

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on behalf of the Dutch Minister of Justice. A close working relationship exists between the IND and the St. Eustatius Population Affairs Desks, St. Eustatius Department of Labour Affairs, the Police Force and other authorities. The IND coordinates matters with the Royal Military Constabulary.

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SAINT BARTHELEMY

The Art of being an Island Many people have heard of it, but aren’t sure exactly where it is. They know it’s an island, someplace in the Antilles archipelago.

Do they imagine it to be hip and sophisticated, or more authentic, discreet, and laid back? This tiny rock, smaller and less populated than many villages in the French countryside, has few resources other than its charm, its perpetual sunshine, the underwater wealth of its Marine Park, and its protected landscapes.

And of course, the island is an excellent tourist destination: one of the most varied and upscale, with villas, hotels, spas, some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean, a wide choice of leisure activities and nautical sports, prestigious sailing regattas, a full calendar of cultural events, and the irresistible allure of great shopping…

From Christopher Columbus To The Present

From its discovery in 1493 to its evolution as a French Overseas Collectivity on July 15, 2007, Saint Barthélemy was at various times under the rule of Spain, France, England, Sweden… and a refuge for fortune seekers of all nationalities. Definitively French as of March 16, 1878, the island’s multi-cultural background is reflected in its open attitude toward visitors from all four corners of the globe.

Local Life and Heritage

An island that has been populated for only a few hundred years and prosperous only in the past few decades, Saint Barthélemy has maintained elements from its past, such as a pride in its origins, an authentic simplicity, and an open mindedness toward visitors from all other cultures. Caribbean influences have blended harmoniously with colonial traditions to create a singular identity that continues to thrive on an island that strives to protect its environment.

Architecture: Past and Present

Historic buildings, traditional houses, and contemporary architecture rarely coexist in such a harmonious manner as in Saint Barthélemy, where typical Creole style and local materials freely inspire the most prestigious villas. And where controlled development has preserved the harmony and serenity of coastal villages, as well as hillsides on the interior of the island’s landscape.

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At a distance of 8,500 km from Paris and 2500 km from New York, this small island floats in the Caribbean Sea at 17°55 North and 62°5 West. If the island of Saint Barthélemy, also known as Saint Barth, seems miniscule with its 25 square kilometers of rugged terrain, the most recent census revealed that there are 8,398 residents, or 335 residents per km2.

Considered one of the oldest volcanic islands in the Lesser Antilles chain, its dry, rocky soil does not lend itself to agriculture. But its jagged coastline encircled with sparkling white sand makes the island one of the hottest vacation spots, aside from the large tourist destinations.

Electricity

220 volts/60Hz. Most hotels and villas have 220V/110V transformers.

Water

Saint Barthélemy is a dry island without a natural source of fresh drinking water. City water is provided through desalination of ocean water.

Immigration

Identity papers and visas Citizens of the European Union must have valid passports.

Citizens of the United States and Canada must have a valid passport as well as a return ticket or proof of continuation of travel. The passport must be valid for more than three months from the date of entry to Saint Barth. No other visa or paperwork is necessary for a stay of less than or equal to 90 days.

Citizens of other countries, except Brazil, must have a valid passport and a tourist visa provided by the French Embassy or Consulate closest to their home.

For more information about St. Barth, please contact:

Neighborhoods

The mountainous landscape of the island determined the creation of distinct neighborhoods, some of which encompass a beach, others offer a perfect little harbor for fishermen, or embrace the interior charm of the island. It wasn’t that long ago that the absence of roads and transportation made communication between villages difficult other than by boat, thus allowing each neighborhood to develop its own particular character. Whether one is looking for peacefulness or a lot of activity, someplace picturesque or unspoiled, there is always a neighborhood in Saint Barthélemy that suits the mood of the moment.

Comité du Tourisme deSaint-Barthélémy Quai du Général de Gaulle, Gustavia, B.P. 591 - 97133 Saint-Barthélémy Tél: 0590 27 87 27 Fax: 0590 27 74 47 Website: www.saintbarth-tourisme.com E-mail: info@saintbarth-tourisme.com

Weather

The air temperature only varies between 80°F in the winter and 86°F in the summer, or as high as 90°F in July and August, while ocean temperatures can rise as high as 86°F in the summer.

Languages

French. English widely spoken.

Currency

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Euro and US Dollar.

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ADVERTISER’S INDEX

ABU-GHAZI SHWARMA.............................................. 84 AEGIS SECURITY SERVICES......................................... 98 ANTEK.........................................................................13, 51 ANTILLEAN LIQUORS................................................. 87 ARLYN CONSULTANTS.........................................37, 48 ATRIUM RESORT............................................................ 85 AUTO DEPOT.................................................................. 35 BBW..................................................................................... 33 BELAIR CENTER............................................................. 17 BEST DEAL CAR RENTAL............................................ 94 BLUE ROCK REALTY..................................................... 45 BOOLCHAND JEWELERS............................................ 11 BUILDERS PARADISE..................................................... 52 BZSE ATTORNEYS AT LAW......................................... 49 CABANA BEACH BAR & RESTAURANT................ 92 CARIBBEAN LIQUORS & TOBACCO...................... 72 CARIBTRANS.................................................................. 61 CENTRALE BANK VAN CURACAO EN SINT MAARTEN.............................................................. 38 CHRISTINA’S BOUTIQUE........................................... 72 CIREXPRESS..................................................................... 61 COR MERX LEGAL SERVICES..................................... 45 CORONA COVE............................................................. 77 DOUBLE DECKER.......................................................... 78 DUZON’S CATERING SERVICE................................. 29 EDDY’S AUTO SUPPLY.................................................. 99 ELLE-SI-BELLE................................................................... 80 EL MAS RAPIDITO.......................................................... 78 EMERALD FUNERAL HOME....................................... 99 EXPECT CAR RENTAL.................................................. 59 FATUM INSURANCES................................................... 15 FLOWERHOUSE (THE)................................................. 35 GATSPY FASHION.......................................................... 70 GEBE...................................................................... 63, 64, 65 GREENFINGERS GARDEN CENTER........................ 61 GULF INSURANCE LIMITED....................................... 75

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HASSELL’S......................................................................... 99 HEAVENLY CRYSTAL WATER...................................... 71 HEINEKEN REGATTA......................................... 100, 101 HENDERSON INSURANCES...................................... 48 INTER COIFFURE........................................................... 80 INTERNATIONAL LIQUOR & TOBACCO TRADING......................................................................... 25 ISLAND COOKING GAS............................................. 72 JANEKS BOUTIQUE...................................................... 84 JENNIFER’S VACATION VILLAS.................................. 93 JIMBO’S MESQUITE GRILL........................................... 95 JULIANA LOCS AND STYLE....................................... 59 KFC..................................................................................... 97 KWIK IDEAS.................................................................... 76 LA BAMBA BEACH BAR............................................... 82 LA DOLCE VITA RISTORANTE ITALIANO............. 84 LAW OFFICES GIBSON & ASSOCIATES.................. 41 LE CHAROLAIS STEAK HOUSE................................. 92 LICCOM............................................................................ 47 LITTLE EUROPE JEWELERS......................................... 74 LOVE LAND BEAUTY SUPPLY.................................... 86 LUCKY WHOLESALE.................................................... 79 LULU’S DOLLS................................................................ 59 LYDIA’S FLOWER SHOP............................................... 75 MAMACITA....................................................................... 77 MAN GEORGE AUTO REPAIR.................................... 99 MARIE-ANTOINETTE COIFFURE.............................. 83 MIXITALIA......................................................................... 73 NCW WATKAN TRADING CO.................................. 59 NEW BIRTH CLOTHING STORE............................... 75 NO LIMIT COUTURE.................................................... 83 OBERSI GROUP (XEROX)............................................ 71 OCEAN EXPLORERS..................................................... 80 ORCO BANK.................................................................. 39 PARADISE INN................................................................ 96 PEG LEG PUB STEAK HOUSE..................................... 83

PHILIPSBURG BROADCASTING............................... 23 PHOTO GUMBS.............................................................. 35 PJD2 RADIO STATION................................................. 98 PRESTIGE VALUE CAR RENTAL................................. 83 PRINCESS JULIANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT........................................................54, 55, 56, 57 PUERTA DEL SOL PLAZA............................................. 94 ROYAL CARIBBEAN JEWELERS................................. 70 SAINT MARTIN CARS................................................... 87 SATEL N.V........................................................................108 SAVE-A-LOT..................................................................... 71 SCOTIABANK.................................................................. 39 SEA TREK ST. MAARTEN / SNORKEL SAFARIS...... 81 SINT MAARTEN HARBOUR....................58, 59, 60, 62 SINT MAARTEN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION................................................................ 77 SINT MAARTEN MUSEUM........................................... 19 SOL PETROLEUM.....................................................42, 43 SPARKLE JEWELERS....................................................... 74 SPORTS GALLERY........................................................... 78 ST. MAARTEN CABLE TV.............................................. 97 ST. MAARTEN PLACEMENT NETWORK................. 40 SUN NAILS....................................................................... 94 TDC TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT CENTER....... 35 TELEM GROUP..........................................................66, 67 TERMINIX......................................................................... 88 THE CARAVANSERAI BEACH RESORT................... 92 THE DAILY HERALD...................................................... 97 TIREMAXX........................................................................ 99 TOTAL SERVICES............................................................ 71 VICTORIA’S FASHION.................................................. 86 VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY............................................ 87 WIB THE WINDWARD ISLANDS BANK................. 41 YOUNIQUE WATERS..................................................... 73

The Golden Book of Sint Maarten-6 th edition 2012 w w w. g o l d e n b o o k s x m . c o m