During the last few weeks, American Express has been rapidly and unexpectedly reducing the credit lines on many of its accounts, for no apparent real reason. We've received phone calls and emails from several members who were affected by this while on vacation in St. Maarten.
If you depend on American Express or, for that matter, any other credit cards while you're vacationing, we suggest you consider two alternatives. The first is the old fashioned one of travelers checks, which can't be rescinded after being issued. The javascript:void(0)second is a debit card, though we have always been leery of handing a debit card to a stranger. We do use debit cards in St. Maarten, but only to withdraw enough money from an ATM to meet expenses for a couple of days.
In any case, be aware of what American Express and some other card issuers are doing. Many of you use Citibank cards associated with the American Airlines AAdvantage program; reportedly, they too are cutting credit lines --- seemingly arbitrarily.
We just wanted members to be aware of this when they travel.
We sent this warning to our members early last Friday. Member Kim Dennison responded with further advice:
"One way your readers can avoid this situation while on vacation is to call your credit card company before you leave the country. Let them know that you will be traveling abroad and that you will (or will not) be using your card. The credit card companies will flag the account and watch the activity more closely than you would expect. They ensure that you have the credit limit needed (or extended) for your time of travel. This also makes sure that they don't close down your credit line due to 'unusual activity'. Chase and Bank of America are really great about this.
"More importantly, readers might like to know that credit card companies are now charging a 3% fee for using the card internationally. This fee is above and beyond the amount of purchase, service, etc. Bank of America just sent out an addendum to their agreements making card holders aware of this new fee. This is becoming standard. Cash (travelers checks) may be the way to go if card holders don't want to incur additional fees.
"One more comment, not sure if travelers are aware but in the island, they do not only list only the last 4 digits of your card number on receipts. They actually retain all credit card information on your receipts (including expiration date) so if they are lost or misplaced while on the island, it is very easy for someone to get your credit card information and use it to make their own purchases. I don't have to tell you that theft is a huge issue. While we are safe from a lot of crime and corruption we see daily here in the states, many travelers let their guard down while there."
Related stories are in this week's edition of St. Maarten and St. Martin Weekly News, to which you can subscribe free at www.everythingstmaarten.com.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
St. Maarten Timeshare Owners Association Forming
If you are interested in St. Maarten timesharing, please visit the "St. Maarten and St. Martin Travelers" group on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) and join it, free. Not only does this 500+ person group share island info, it is also actively involved in the formation of the St. Maarten Timeshare Owners Association. Learn more at www.linkedin.com -- look for the "St. Maarten and St. Martin Travelers" group. You will be admitted if you ask to join.
Monday, March 31, 2008
St. Maarten Weekly News "Crime Special Issue"
Daylight holdups at four different Philipsburg jewelry stores over the last few weeks and a renewal of car break-ins at Pic Paradis moved us to do a "crime special issue" of St. Maarten and St. Martin Weekly news this week.
You can see the newsletter in our rss news feed at http://www.jmbcommunications.com/sxm/pages/affiliate/newsletter.rss or by clicking the rss news feed link just under the main headline at http://www.everythingstmaarten.com/.
You can see the newsletter in our rss news feed at http://www.jmbcommunications.com/sxm/pages/affiliate/newsletter.rss or by clicking the rss news feed link just under the main headline at http://www.everythingstmaarten.com/.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
St. Maarten Timeshare Owners Alert....
Note to Readers:
The following letter from Rowie and Pat Percoco will be of serious interest to ALL SXM timeshare owners since it could have grave repercussions on their timeshare contracts. It is being emailed to our "Timesharing in St. Maarten Email Forum" and "St. Maarten Weekly News" readers.
Dear Timeshare Owners,
As many of you know in December Festiva Resorts/Atrium NV filed suit against 3 owners in the Sint Maarten courts. The "Summoned Parties" are Roaldo & Patricia Percoco and two other owners.
The suit by Festiva asks the Sint Maarten courts to change the terms and conditions of our Atrium lease contract. Festiva wants to remove or change a condition of our contract which pertains to the limitation of the increase in maintenance fees to the CPI of the Netherland Antilies and to implement the 10% increase in maintenance fees for the year 2007 and collection of 2 times the 2007 maintenance fee plus legal interest on the uncollected funds until the day of collection. Festiva also requests the court to change the contract so as to allow Festiva/Atrium to collect increased annual maintenance fees based on projected budgeted expenses to be based on "Real Figures" and to have an "independent accountant" check this budgeted amount each year.
In other words the increasing of our maintenance fees and or the charging of Special Assessments would be at the whim and demand of Festiva/Atrium and the current contractual controls and limitations on increases per the current contract would be null and void. This would give the Festiva/Atrium "Carte Blanche" to increase fees each and every year left in the remaining term of the contract with no oversight or recourse for the leaseholders. All of the leaseholders would be responsible for every expense past and future incurred by the Festiva/Atrium Resort operations. Any and all approved budgets would be passed on to the owners as an increase in maintenance fees or Special Assessment.
If the court rules in Festiva/Atrium favor on this proposed change to the contract the precedent would affect all owners at the Atrium and have repercussions on the entire timeshare industry in Sint Maarten.
If this suit prevails it would forever change the Festiva/Atrium contract. There is no provision in the suit for the lease-holders to have any input or controls on any expenditures or to audit or review the financial reports of the Atrium expenses or collections.
In most timeshare contracts provisions are made for the Owners Association to review and for the owners to vote Democratically on major expenses above and beyond the normal maintenance operations of the Resort. The Atrium contract clearly states the obligations of the lessor and the lessee. The lessor has to maintain the Atrium in certain conditions and has to meet the obligations of the contract.
Our obligations are clear, as lessee's we are to pay the required yearly maintenance fees linked to the CPI of the NA. Festiva bought the Atrium Resort in September 2005. The previous owners stated in previous newsletters that the Atrium was on sound financial footing and during the 2005 year had replaced all the stoves on the rear side of the building, replaced over 50% of the Kitchen and Bathroom cabinetry and extended the pool deck. The proposed 2006 improvements were to be the replacement of soft goods, replacement of bed mattresses, more sofa beds and refrigerators. In prior years the previous owner upgraded all the Ocean side stoves, over 100 AC units, Hurricane shutters for all sliding glass doors, remodeled the lobby, re finished the pool, replaced the kitchens in the studio apartments, painted the building, developed the area adjacent to the Atrium for the Buccaneer Beach bar, added the new Dock, replaced the generator in 2002, replaced the tile floors in the bathrooms, etc.
As you can see the previous owner was able to maintain and actually improve the conditions at the resort with the available funds from the maintenance fees and rentals. Festiva in 2006 published the annual newsletter to all the owners with the statement "
As you are no doubt aware, Festiva Resorts purchased the Atrium resorts and assumed management in October 2005. In the past year we have found that the resort is in need of many things and foremost the resort needs to operate on its own financially. In 2005 The Atrium resort lost more than $150,000 and is forecast to lose at least that much in 2006. Festiva has subsidized that loss to date, but we cannot continue to do so." They continue, " The overall condition of the resort is another critical area of need. Room Furnishings, exterior, electrical wiring, generators, and many other areas are in need of full refurbishment as the resort goes into its 14th year. Finally there is the issue of a reserve fund. The resort has never operated at a surplus and therefore has never been able to establish a reserve fund. A reserve fund should be set aside to provide for financial shortfalls, major renovation projects and emergency funds in case of natural disasters. As the operating budget cannot afford hurricane insurance, it is of the utmost importance that a reserve fund be established to insure that there are repair funds in case of a disaster."
This is where Festiva announces the increase in maintenance fees for 2007 of 10% plus in addition a 2 times the annual maintenance fee, Special Assessment. As the previous owner was able to maintain the Atrium in a condition to warrant RCI Gold Crown status for the past 10 years, perform many up grades to the resort and made available annually the financial reports of the resort to the owners it is difficult to comprehend the dire financial conditions described by the new owners. Festiva Resorts has stated that the financial statements would be made available to the owners on a quarterly basis, to date no documents have been made publicly available since 2006.
We urge all Atrium lease-holders to now join the litigation efforts to preserve the existing contracts. Our group of 360 lease-holders representing over 560 unit weeks are defending your rights under the current contract and we wish to expand our numbers and include you in the defense. We are now able to act as one group to defend the terms and conditions of the contract. If you need further information on this contract dispute please do not hesitate to contact me. Rowiep@aol.com If you wish to join the effort to defend the contract I need the following: A fee of $50 per unit week is requested. An email request to join the litigation, include your names, address, phone number, unit number and weeks. You will then be represented by our counsel in Sint Maarten, Ms. Monique Hofman. You will then become a litigant and be presented to the court. You will be protected by any and all court proceedings and agreements between Festiva/Atrium and the litigation group in the future. We will also place you on our email update list.
Again I urge you to contact me immediately and join the litigation group and defend your contract. If the proposed changes are ruled on by the court in favor of Festiva/Atrium you may not have any recourse in the future to protest any increases in your annual maintenance charges or demands for Special Assessments or additional fees requested by Festiva/Atrium for operations. If you know of any other Atrium owners please ask them to also get in touch with me.
Every litigant wants the Atrium to succeed as the resort we purchased. We have proposed the forming of the Atrium Owners Association with the powers all timeshare owners should have in the operations of their primary resort. Festiva and Atrium NV have refused over the past 10 years to form this association and have formed an "advisory board" with no powers but to advise. A full fledged empowered Owners Association with voting rights for all the owners would have the desire, power and means to maintain the resort to the conditions we all expect. Rowie Percoco rowiep@aol.com www.atriumowners.com
The following letter from Rowie and Pat Percoco will be of serious interest to ALL SXM timeshare owners since it could have grave repercussions on their timeshare contracts. It is being emailed to our "Timesharing in St. Maarten Email Forum" and "St. Maarten Weekly News" readers.
Dear Timeshare Owners,
As many of you know in December Festiva Resorts/Atrium NV filed suit against 3 owners in the Sint Maarten courts. The "Summoned Parties" are Roaldo & Patricia Percoco and two other owners.
The suit by Festiva asks the Sint Maarten courts to change the terms and conditions of our Atrium lease contract. Festiva wants to remove or change a condition of our contract which pertains to the limitation of the increase in maintenance fees to the CPI of the Netherland Antilies and to implement the 10% increase in maintenance fees for the year 2007 and collection of 2 times the 2007 maintenance fee plus legal interest on the uncollected funds until the day of collection. Festiva also requests the court to change the contract so as to allow Festiva/Atrium to collect increased annual maintenance fees based on projected budgeted expenses to be based on "Real Figures" and to have an "independent accountant" check this budgeted amount each year.
In other words the increasing of our maintenance fees and or the charging of Special Assessments would be at the whim and demand of Festiva/Atrium and the current contractual controls and limitations on increases per the current contract would be null and void. This would give the Festiva/Atrium "Carte Blanche" to increase fees each and every year left in the remaining term of the contract with no oversight or recourse for the leaseholders. All of the leaseholders would be responsible for every expense past and future incurred by the Festiva/Atrium Resort operations. Any and all approved budgets would be passed on to the owners as an increase in maintenance fees or Special Assessment.
If the court rules in Festiva/Atrium favor on this proposed change to the contract the precedent would affect all owners at the Atrium and have repercussions on the entire timeshare industry in Sint Maarten.
If this suit prevails it would forever change the Festiva/Atrium contract. There is no provision in the suit for the lease-holders to have any input or controls on any expenditures or to audit or review the financial reports of the Atrium expenses or collections.
In most timeshare contracts provisions are made for the Owners Association to review and for the owners to vote Democratically on major expenses above and beyond the normal maintenance operations of the Resort. The Atrium contract clearly states the obligations of the lessor and the lessee. The lessor has to maintain the Atrium in certain conditions and has to meet the obligations of the contract.
Our obligations are clear, as lessee's we are to pay the required yearly maintenance fees linked to the CPI of the NA. Festiva bought the Atrium Resort in September 2005. The previous owners stated in previous newsletters that the Atrium was on sound financial footing and during the 2005 year had replaced all the stoves on the rear side of the building, replaced over 50% of the Kitchen and Bathroom cabinetry and extended the pool deck. The proposed 2006 improvements were to be the replacement of soft goods, replacement of bed mattresses, more sofa beds and refrigerators. In prior years the previous owner upgraded all the Ocean side stoves, over 100 AC units, Hurricane shutters for all sliding glass doors, remodeled the lobby, re finished the pool, replaced the kitchens in the studio apartments, painted the building, developed the area adjacent to the Atrium for the Buccaneer Beach bar, added the new Dock, replaced the generator in 2002, replaced the tile floors in the bathrooms, etc.
As you can see the previous owner was able to maintain and actually improve the conditions at the resort with the available funds from the maintenance fees and rentals. Festiva in 2006 published the annual newsletter to all the owners with the statement "
As you are no doubt aware, Festiva Resorts purchased the Atrium resorts and assumed management in October 2005. In the past year we have found that the resort is in need of many things and foremost the resort needs to operate on its own financially. In 2005 The Atrium resort lost more than $150,000 and is forecast to lose at least that much in 2006. Festiva has subsidized that loss to date, but we cannot continue to do so." They continue, " The overall condition of the resort is another critical area of need. Room Furnishings, exterior, electrical wiring, generators, and many other areas are in need of full refurbishment as the resort goes into its 14th year. Finally there is the issue of a reserve fund. The resort has never operated at a surplus and therefore has never been able to establish a reserve fund. A reserve fund should be set aside to provide for financial shortfalls, major renovation projects and emergency funds in case of natural disasters. As the operating budget cannot afford hurricane insurance, it is of the utmost importance that a reserve fund be established to insure that there are repair funds in case of a disaster."
This is where Festiva announces the increase in maintenance fees for 2007 of 10% plus in addition a 2 times the annual maintenance fee, Special Assessment. As the previous owner was able to maintain the Atrium in a condition to warrant RCI Gold Crown status for the past 10 years, perform many up grades to the resort and made available annually the financial reports of the resort to the owners it is difficult to comprehend the dire financial conditions described by the new owners. Festiva Resorts has stated that the financial statements would be made available to the owners on a quarterly basis, to date no documents have been made publicly available since 2006.
We urge all Atrium lease-holders to now join the litigation efforts to preserve the existing contracts. Our group of 360 lease-holders representing over 560 unit weeks are defending your rights under the current contract and we wish to expand our numbers and include you in the defense. We are now able to act as one group to defend the terms and conditions of the contract. If you need further information on this contract dispute please do not hesitate to contact me. Rowiep@aol.com If you wish to join the effort to defend the contract I need the following: A fee of $50 per unit week is requested. An email request to join the litigation, include your names, address, phone number, unit number and weeks. You will then be represented by our counsel in Sint Maarten, Ms. Monique Hofman. You will then become a litigant and be presented to the court. You will be protected by any and all court proceedings and agreements between Festiva/Atrium and the litigation group in the future. We will also place you on our email update list.
Again I urge you to contact me immediately and join the litigation group and defend your contract. If the proposed changes are ruled on by the court in favor of Festiva/Atrium you may not have any recourse in the future to protest any increases in your annual maintenance charges or demands for Special Assessments or additional fees requested by Festiva/Atrium for operations. If you know of any other Atrium owners please ask them to also get in touch with me.
Every litigant wants the Atrium to succeed as the resort we purchased. We have proposed the forming of the Atrium Owners Association with the powers all timeshare owners should have in the operations of their primary resort. Festiva and Atrium NV have refused over the past 10 years to form this association and have formed an "advisory board" with no powers but to advise. A full fledged empowered Owners Association with voting rights for all the owners would have the desire, power and means to maintain the resort to the conditions we all expect. Rowie Percoco rowiep@aol.com www.atriumowners.com
St. Maarten Blogosphere: Welcome to Jeff Berger's New "Everything St. Maarten / St. Martin" Weblog
St. Maarten / St. Martin is our favorite island, the reason we set up everythingstmaarten.com years ago. It's also the reason we've changed the name of this island blog ("web log") to one relating to its subject: St. Maarten and St. Martin.
Watch for many "SXM" articles soon right here....
Watch for many "SXM" articles soon right here....
Saturday, March 22, 2008
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