Dear Editor,
The following is a factual summary of what took place during the construction of Rollocks Sr. and Rollocks Jr. house in Pointe Blanche, born St. Maarteners.
445m2 of Government land was issued to the Rollocks family 2012. To note is that all the people in the area have lots over 1,000m2 that was issued by government.
Fact: From the very first day we broke ground for construction, one of the female neighbors of the opposite side of the road came to me (Rollocks Jr) and asked “what am I doing here”. This same lady called the police on several occasions against our legal activity.
Fact: We have a legal government resolution for the land.
Fact: We have a legal notarial deed for the property.
Fact: We have a legal approved building permit.
Fact: Not withstanding having a legal building permit, this lady went to the Prosecutor’s Office to have me jailed for building our home.
Fact: It is recorded on video on the 7th of April 2021, time 12:30pm, this lady crossed the road, started an argument and kicked me because I would not stop constructing our home. My response was not to hurt an elderly lady but to go to the police station, show them the video and made a report.
Fact: We had a mortgage at Banco de Caribe with whom we did a successful construction before.
One of the gentlemen from the same street got our personal letter illegally leaked out from the Ministry of VROMI.
Fact: This gentleman took our personal letter to Banco de Caribe. A Banco de Caribe employee sat down and discussed our private business with this gentleman.
Fact: As a result of this discussion Banco de Caribe stopped our financing.
We are thankful to another financial institution that granted us a mortgage.
Fact: Banco de Caribe unjustifiably charged us all fees and fines for this transfer mounting to almost $ 30,000.
Fact: We are not blocking no one’s view, we have no neighbors in our immediate surrounding while one of the objectors lives far from us but close to the water just like us.
The only fact of the front page article Thursday, November 18, 2021, contained is the fact that the judge wanted the minister to adequately respond to the objections within 8 weeks.
The rest of that article is pure public relations and advertising for Lexwell law firm.
In a letter of March 3, 2021, Minister Doran stated the following: “I also cannot rule out the possibility that there was not any/or some bias by the chairperson (Mr. Kolthof) of the advisory committee displayed in favor of the persons filing the objections. Important in this regard is the fact that Mr. Rollocks commenced building after receipt of his building permit and that the building permit is for him to build on the property he already has a right of long lease for. I will not be revoking the previously granted building permit to Mr Rollocks.”
Finally: We are happily living in the house as a family for the last months, obstructing nor molesting no one. It is a shame what we as local people have to go through to build our home in our own country, while others from all over the world may come here work, live and do as they please. But we as St. Maarteners must persevere and never give up.
J. Rollocks Jr.
J. Rollocks Sr.
Editor’s note:
The article referred to in this letter was entirely based on a court verdict stemming from a court case by several Goldfinch Road, Pointe Blanche, homeowners against the Ministry of VROMI. The article included arguments presented by the legal teams of all sides of the case as well as the judge’s decision. Mr. Rollocks and his son may question the arguments of the claimants, but the article is a factual representation of what was said in court.
