Sharon - thanks for info for us inquiring minds.

Not that I expect you to have any necessary interest in responding - but for the still inquiring minds - so, is the head tax now $10? And, does it still go completely to Port not Government? And, does Port also get other direct payments from cruise lines for other services? Theo (what a surprise to know he was and is involved!) got the original head tax going back in or about 1997 (?) for $5 and arranged to have it go to Port (I think) instead of Government. I think it went to $7 at some point - ? Now $10 - ? In fairness to those involved, at least at the time, I think the port took on huge debt to finance new pier and get the "new" system set up that involved most if not all of the stakeholders.

The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Conference and the Caribbean Tourist Organization put out all kinds of statistics online, but I no longer have much interest in these numbers and just to me it seems harder to easily get at simple numbers such as a table of head taxes, other direct payments from cruise lines, and information about where that money goes.

For me, Sint Maarten has always been a fascinating place politically. I grew up in a town slightly larger than the current legal population of Sint Maarten and can only imagine what the powers to be that were in my old town would have got up to with millions sloshing through the town. When you look back decades and consider the challenges that Sint Maarten and Saint Martin have faced and continue to face, the place really runs pretty well. Well enough for us to love going there anyway.