The coffers of government do not get one cent of the money the port collects which is $10.00 a head plus I believe additional fees for Security, etc. The port is in huge debt for the building of it as well as the $50 million causeway & other things. It is a personal cash cow for certain politicians to use how they see fit. The government for years has been told by Holland & every integrity report that they need better control of government owned companies but it never happens just a lot of talk....

Actually the port costs the residents more because every time they want to do a project they raise the container fees which in turn makes every item food, clothes, etc. go up in price. Taxis used to make some money but now that government has given out so many licenses as payment for votes they have seen their income decline greatly. The stores in town will tell you that their business is down every year from the year before & I have seen some long time businesses close so I have to believe what I am being told.

I have cruised many times so I have nothing against the people on the ships I blame the government here for putting more pressure on the island & the residents with no real benefits for them. Taxes go up every year, Turnover Tax (supposed to be temp) has increased, road tax going up, price of gas almost twice what it is in Curaçao so I would like to see the benefits the residents get from the port.

32 years ago I first came here & for the first 15 years or so this island, the residents, the restaurants, the bars & Orient all did fairly well without 18,000 extra people on the island a few days a week.

Please know this is my opinion as someone who has.been a visitor first & then basically a resident.. Again I have nothing against the cruisers I have a problem how this has all been & is being handled by the powers that be......

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