TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Still no electric

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Come on GEBE!! Four months to wait for electric is long enough!

GEBE claims residents are not cooperating--link here

To me, sounds like BS from GEBE.

agreed!!!!

I don't understand the statement that the residents don't want to have lamp posts erected on their property then they say the residents don't want the digging for underground wires. Seems to me that if the residents didn't have underground utilities before Irma then they would had to have above ground utilities which mean lamp posts. Wouldn't this just be a replacement of an existing power pole? Contradictions like this don't help their case at all.

this company is so bad... We have spent many a times without elec. and water in no hurricane time... They have not a clue how to service or run an electrical company, and residents put up with this... Know what its like having no elec. or water at times of the day????? It does get hot, and you could melt from the heat... we have spent many many years spending time in our home on Island, and know first hand how bad this is... Welcome to the carribean??? thing will not change for sure... This is not due to irma, this is due to idiots... sorry. hope it only offended workers a gebe, need to get educated on how to supply to the Island... Spent many hours waiting for electric, while melting..

The powe went out twice in half an hour at Carrefour in Philipsburg yesterday around 5. My husband stayed in car. Pitch black couldn't see anything. I was fumbling for cell phone flashlight. It was a little unnerving.

Once upon a time I worked for a public electric utility. My first real job after college and the Navy.
I was Public Information Coordinator for the Three Mile Island project (nuclear power plant in PA that had some problems, for some of the younger viewers) How about that for a cushy job?
Actually it was before the accident (incident) so it was a pretty good job. Nuclear power cheap, safe, clean.............NOT but who knew?
Electric companies get a lot of criticism some warranted some not. But GEBE is pushing the envelope in SXM.
We've been going to SXM for a long time (30+) and spent our share of time in the dark. Yes and sometimes melting hot. But where else can you love the positives (food, beaches, naturalism) and tolerate the negatives ( traffic, Island time, travel madness).

We have never had a power outage on SXM prior to Irma.

We have had many outages in Florida, Jamaica, Bahamas, Dominican Republic and USVI.

Puerto Rico gets the Gold Star.

Anyway, island power needs to go underground wherever possible.

Not sure when or how long you stay, but we have suffered with 1 to 2 hour power outs every time we are there... We have stayed for 3 monthes, but this has gone on way before this hurricane... They seem to just shut it down on different parts of Island.. Very upsetting as its always the hottest time of day... This has been on going for years and years... and they give the same stupid excuse every time... Ask anyone that resides there, and they will tell the same story...

Always so negative. Sad.

We’ve been visiting this island for over forty years and I doubt there’s ever been a trip we didn’t lose power at least once or twice. The unit we used to stay in at old Mullet Bay Resort even had candles in it back in the day - granted they were citronella, but they worked in a pinch. Over all our Towers years we’ve noted recurrent outages but we have a back-up generator system so the only inconvenience is resetting the clocks and once or twice we had to use the stairs to and from the seventh or eighth floors.

It is a bit silly the residents have to put up with these constant outages but I guess as long as it’s a government owned and operated entity, the situation probably won’t change much for the better. As a vacationer we were always able to cope but I’m not so sure as a resident I would/could be as patient between the regular inconvenience along with the oft destroyed appliances because if the outages.

We are French Siders, usually 12-14 days. We did stay at Divi once. Maybe there is a difference between sides. Maybe it always goes out when were at the beach or roaming but always comes on before we return and nicely cools stuff down. We either go at New Years or June.

French side has much less problems with power outages than the Dutch side.

We hope that Club Orient begins rebuilding in the near future. When they do, I hope they begin by getting their power plant generators operational and at the same time repair the infrastruction of the distribution system so that when they start rebuilding the units they have all the power they need to do the rebuild, AND can bring rebuilt / replaced buildings online as they are completed.

Others say the same thing but its not negative!!! I spend lots of time there having a home, Do You???? and yes we have suffered many outages, many... and many calls and more calls to get no where... We do not have a generator, resorts do, so you probably do not live the life of residents or folks that have to have water shut while in the shower, or electric shut while cooling, or in the heat of the day... Not happy with your words, but I understand you have not suffered this as most do...

No, I don't live on the island, but I know many people who do; some who own resorts, restaurants, and homes, that have been devastated. Most are very positive about their recovery efforts. I've seen you post nothing but negativity. I find that sad.

Just curious, are you EVER happy with anything?

It is not just resorts that have generators. Evan a place as small as The Horny Toad had a generator.

Your choice not to have a generator. I live in OH and guess what, I made the decision to install a whole house generator to have heat, lights, refrigeration and to save my basement in the event of a power outage. it has been installed less than a year and has been used 3 times so far.

You have not suffered as the residents have but you sure make it sound like you have.

I live in the Northeast (Southern MA) and have we have occasional storm related power outages that have lasted up to five days but most are a day or less. A "day or less" when the temp is near zero outside is significant so we bought a generator around five years ago. Not a major expense (here) and WELL worth the price. Works great.

If I owned a home in a location that is as bad with power stability as you describe I would have that genny ready to go at all times. Condo ownership is different and not a consideration

Edit: sorry..posted before seeing RC's post and meant it as a reply to Sasasal.

If you were actually HERE you would understand that your view is in the minority. Yes, the power goes out, yes the dump is burning, yes there are many struggles. But the majority who are actually living with it are upbeat and hopeful. I know folks living in a container with no roof, no electricity, a hose from a neighbor for water and they are living and loving life, giving back to the community every day.

And yes I do live here, full time. No other home to run to when the going gets tough. Come here and see the reality.

No problem on the reply.

If I had the significant investment of owning property anywhere that was known for power outages, I would spend just a little more $$ and protect it with a generator. It would make it more comfortable for anyone using the property and also protect the investment in many cases. A good selling or renting feature also.

I guess in life it is much easier for some to just complain, be negative and feel sorry for themselves.

There are homes that do not have air conditioning at all, or it is too expensive to run during the day, or only the bedroom has a/c at night.

It is our choice to go to a Caribbean island. However we cannot expect to force our climate expectations or North American reliance upon a/c to be the norm. I'm from Florida. We went to school with no a/c....open the windows. Breeze comes through.

My friend sells generators on Anguilla, Nevis, etc. If you would like the company's contact information I can hook you up. Even after Irma they were swamped with orders. They are reasonably priced. Some units $500. Funny, these same friends visited where I was staying on Mead's Bay...and commented how I was running the air co. It shocked them!
They live in a nice home near Island Harbor...and do not run a/c.

Elaine,

For the first time I really wish there was a ‘like’ button here. Your attitude (and yes, I fully realize you are a transplant...) and that of so many others is just a small part of what is so good about SXM and it’s people. Kudos to you and to them!

Nay-sayers will always find something to be negative about and in the end it’s not helpful to anyone. Some posters really need to think about what they say and how they say it, and then they need to take a deep breath and think about the people who actually live on the island day in and day out and all the things they’re coping with and still managing to be positive and upbeat.

The ‘poor me’ approach helps no one.

I guess its ok for others to call gebe [censored], and pat to spat her experience, but not me??? ok. We all know that gebe is a very bad utility company, not sure how to say this. guess Its me... ok glad I know who I am, means little.Best I can do is not post so no one has a person to pick on. Sad as I have much more info than most...

How about you posting just one positive comment instead of something negative that reverts back to you being a property owner on the island and the hardships you have encountered due to the hurricane and the related damage?

sounds like bull [censored] from gebe. that was from carol hill. thats not negative. this is a closed forum. I will certainly pass the word around so others do not get verbal abuse like us... byyyyyyyyyyye

Everyone gets pissed and frustrated OCCASIONALLY and OCCASIONALLY that's appropriate. The world is not angels and unicorns all the time but we are here to discuss and help...and, yes, sometime release.....