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Dec 15th, 2024
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candj
Southport, North Carolina, US
Posts: 2,114
Joined: December 2008
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,123 Likes: 2
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,123 Likes: 2 |
..and the residents are so concerned that they formed a protest and blocked routes to Marigot to make their cause known.... ..oops...they are concerned about zoning not crime...my bad <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,956
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,956 |
I own a villa on the island and think much more about violent crime than I used to. It has recently impacted my decision as to how often I visit. I realize crime can happen everywhere, but over the past couple of years, the murder rate on St. Maarten has hovered around 20/100,000. By comparison, the per capita murder rate in Washington, DC (not thought of as one of the US's safest cities) has been 13.9/100,000.
Like it or not, people choosing where to spend their vacation dollars will accept less in terms of perceived or actual crime risk than they will at home. If the island does not do something concrete to address the issue for its residents and its visitors, those with options will likely choose to go elsewhere at some point.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 61
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 61 |
Dane,I agree. I work in NYC and live there part time. Last year there were 328 murders with over 8.5 million full time residents (the lowest number of murders since 1963). That equates to 3.86 per 100,000 people. That is significantly lower than SXM. I feel safe in NYC but not in SXM. I will easily walk the streets of Manhattan after midnight but I would never do that in SXM. I still go to SXM but long ago stopped doing any late night activities. If not for the friendships developed over the years I probably would have found another travel destination in the Caribbean years ago. And it is not only murders that are on the rise - it is all crime. I can leave things in a parked locked car in NYC and expect them to be there when I return - not so in SXM. I truly hope that the governments of the island find a way to curtail the increase in crime. No matter how much people love a travel destination there is a finite amount of risk to their safety people will tolerate. I have almost reached my limit and I have been coming to SXM since 1985 when my family bought property in Cupecoy. Yes, there is crime everywhere bit it has gotten out of control on SXM IMHO.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,160
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,160 |
Susan - very good post. NYC used to be my 2nd home, and I always felt safer there than SXM, which I first visited in 1987. Here is an interesting look at worldwide murder rates. The US is 4.7 per 100,000. Look at how dangerous (in general) the Caribbean is. Martinique is the lowest at 2.7 and Aruba is 2nd lowest at 3.9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,197
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,197 |
Wow, Canada is only 1.6. No wonder I feel safe here!
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,198
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,198 |
pat said:Gotaluvit, With all due respect, I'm laughing reading your comment. You really need to get out and around the island more. The crime on the island is and has always been on BOTH sides of the island as far back as I can remember, and sadly, given my years of visiting, that's farther back than I want to admit to. The thing is, crime really is not well reported unless it's so big it can't be ignored, and then it's generally sensationalized and theorized with a healthy dose of speculation thrown in too, more often than not. And add to that, back in the days before internet we knew almost nothing about what was going on. Sometimes I think we might have been better off back then. What's really troubling to me is the amount of serious gun related crimes of late across the island, and it has really grown and is definitely not limited to either side. Those who stay buried in one place may not be as aware, but trust me, it's across the tiny island we love and really isn't limited to one side or the other. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Thank you Pat as you are absolutely correct. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
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