WEEKLY

N°1

08 -

Feb

ruary

16,

2007 FREE

Published by “Le Journal de Saint-Barth” 05 90 27 65 19 - stbarthweekly@wanadoo.fr

Local News in EnglishSt-BarthWEEKLY

A New Taste of the Caribbean

FOOD FESTIVAL FEBRUARY 19 - 26

A New Taste of the Caribbean

FOOD FESTIVAL FEBRUARY 19 - 26

LLiimmeess,, ppaappaayyaa,, rreedd ssnnaappppeerr,, oorr ““ccaabbrrii..”” PPiinneeaaLLiimmeess,, ppaappaayyaa,, rreedd ssnnaappppeerr,, oorr ““ccaabbrrii..”” PPiinneeaappppllee oorr bbppppllee oorr bbrreeaaddffrruuiitt.. TTaammaarriinndd,, cchhiicckkeenn,, oorr mmaahhii--mmaahhii.. rreeaaddffrruuiitt.. TTaammaarriinndd,, cchhiicckkeenn,, oorr mmaahhii--mmaahhii.. FFrroomm FFeebbrruuaarryyFFrroomm FFeebbrruuaarryy 1199 ttoo 2266,, tthhee mmaajjoorriittyy ooff1199 ttoo 2266,, tthhee mmaajjoorriittyy ooff tthhee iitthhee ii ssllaanndd’’ss rreessttaauurraannttss iinnvviittee yyoouu ttoo ddiissccoovveerr ssllaanndd’’ss rreessttaauurraannttss iinnvviittee yyoouu ttoo ddiissccoovveerr

CCaarriibbbbeeaann ssppeecciiaallttiieess.. IInn aaddddiittiioonn ttoo tthheeiirr rreeggCCaarriibbbbeeaann ssppeecciiaallttiieess.. IInn aaddddiittiioonn ttoo tthheeiirr rreegguuuullaarr mmeennuuss,, cchheeffss aarree iinnvveennttiinngg ssppeecciiaall ddiisshheess llaarr mmeennuuss,, cchheeffss aarree iinnvveennttiinngg ssppeecciiaall ddiisshheess mmaaddee eexxcclluussiivveellyy wwiitthh tthhee rreeggiioonnaall pprroodduuccttss tthhaatt pprroommoottee tthhee ffllaavvoorrss ooff tthhee CCaarriibbbbeeaann.. mmaaddee eexxcclluussiivveellyy wwiitthh tthhee rreeggiioonnaall pprroodduuccttss tthhaatt pprroommoottee tthhee ffllaavvoorrss ooff tthhee CCaarriibbbbeeaann..

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22 St Barth Weekly n°108

WELCOME!The St. Barth Weekly ishappy to be back for itsfourth season. The Weeklyis designed to help you putyour finger on the pulse ofthe local community. Fea-turing an English résumé ofthe top stories in ourFrench newspaper, Le Jour-nal de Saint Barth, as wellas original articles inEnglish, The St. Barth Wee-kly is the only completelyEnglish-language newspa-per on the island. It is dis-tributed on the island everyweek from Novemberthrough the end of July.Our most exciting news isthat each Friday, The Wee-kly is also available onlineat Saint Barth Online(www.st-barths.com), thewonderful web site laun-ched in 1996, and now runby our friends Bruno andGéraldine Colletas. Thanksto them, you can downloadevery edition of The St.Barth Weekly, so that nomatter where you are in theworld, you can stay intouch with your favoriteisland.

"... the food, especially the fish, is fresh and reliably excellent."Town & Country

"The food is excellent, the ambiance ultra hip, and the decor out ofparadise. No wonder that L’esprit is the restaurant on the island whereeverybody goes." Vogue Paris

The "Hot Tables" Condé Nast Traveler

L’ESPRIT SALINES RESTAURANT7:00pm to 10:00 pm - Tel: 05 90 52 46 10 - Near Saline Beach

On February 7 of this year,the French Parliamentadopted the law grantingSaint Barthelemy theStatute of an Overseas Col-lectivity. The text has beensubmitted to the Constitu-tional Council who mustapprove it prior to its offi-cial proclamation by thePresident of the Republic.

This is a historical step forour island and we shouldtherefore rejoice. The lawconfers on the new Collec-tivity important mattersover which territorial pow-ers are exercised. Among

the same are matters con-cerning the issues of taxa-tion: The Territorial Councilto be elected by the voterswill be free to determine thetaxes applicable to thosepersons having attained thestatus of a tax resident inSaint Barthelemy. For boththe elected representativesand the island populationthis represents the outcomeof a long battle for therecognition of our historicalrights and the obligationsundertaken at the time ofour adhering to the FrenchRepublic.

This change in statute, longanticipated, puts an end to along period of judicialuncertainty; it will permitthe island to enjoy the taxregulations tailored for theisland and to guaranty itseconomic development.

Notwithstanding, I under-stand that as all change, thesame generates questionsand concerns, and I thoughtit useful to personally sharewith you the evolution thatwill follow.

The Collectivity of SaintBarthelemy will determine

Some people are pleased, somequestioning, and other perhapsfrankly worried by the recent

adoption of laws by the French Parlia-ment concerning the evolution of SaintBarth into an Overseas Collectivity.The primary issue is taxation— orwhich taxes will be applicable underthe new political institution. In his

letter addressed to “residents and non-residents, French and foreign, of SaintBarthélemy,” mayor Bruno Magrasclarifies some of the articles of the lawconcerning fiscal matters, but alsoraises the curtain on what couldbecome the main sources of local taxesin the future. (Letter as translated bythe mayor’s office) :

What are the fiscal ramifications of the COM?

Letter of Information from the Mayorto the residents and non-residents, to the French and to the foreigners,

of Saint Barthelemy

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itself the applicable taxes onisland, which will permit toboth conserve, and perhapsadopt, the indirect taxesnecessary to its operationsand investments (port duty,tourist tax, gas tax…). Like-wise, the Collectivity alonewill have the power to setdirect taxes payable by itsresidents, both physical per-sons and legal entities. It isobviously the role of thefuture Territorial Collectivi-ty to define the preciserules, but it appears obviousthat the logic of our battleand the economic success ofour island exclude a generalsystem of taxation ofincome, assets and estates.We will have to ask our-selves whether our Collec-tivity should not legitimate-ly benefit from a contribu-tion of the capital gains inreal estate and of a lumpsum, minor contribution bythe companies developingon island. In my perspec-tive, this last contributioncould be useful for thefinancing of professionaltraining for our youth.

The only national taxes thatwill continue to be appliedon island are those relatingto matters of social protec-tion (social charges, socialsecurity…): It is the normalcounterpart of the nationalSocial Security System thatwill continue to benefit allthe island’s inhabitants.

The law that was votedprovides that persons (legalentities and physical per-sons) will benefit from thelocal tax regime- and there-by no longer be subject tothe national income tax,profits and assets- afterhaving resided on islandfor a minimum period offive years. It is after thelapse of this time periodthat a person, otherwise

subject to French law or theinternational tax treatieswith France, benefits as a“tax resident” of SaintBarthelemy.

This time period is normaland it is, above all, con-ceived to protect our com-munity from the risks ofpurely financially motivatedinterests. Our island is notpurposed by serving as arefuge for financial oppor-tunists. Being a tax residentin Saint Barthelemy mustresult from a durable stay inthe Collectivity. We haveconvinced the French Par-liament that the numerousconstraints endured by ourfamilies justifies a specialregime; these constraintsexist only for those whohave set root here and thetransient residents or thoseof short duration are clearlyin a very different situation.It was also inconceivablethat the French Govern-ment entertains having acenter for tax evasion here.

French or foreign nationalsresiding in Saint Barthele-my for less than five yearswill not be subject to mod-ification in their legal sta-tus until such time as theyhave reached the period offive years.

The laws that will be appli-cable to these persons until

they become residents arethose that exist today: TheFrench rules and thosedetermined pursuant tointernational tax treaties.The only difference will bepositive: After the period offive years, the local taxrules will apply.

A modification of the lawthat was made at the lastminute indicates that non-residents will be subject tothe rules in effect in Metro-politan France, but this issimply a clerical error in thedrafting: it is simply a mat-ter of specifying that theNational laws are applicableto non-residents, but theyobviously will be, togetherwith all the particular geo-graphic considerationsresulting therefrom. Non-residents residing in SaintBarthelemy will continue,as is the case today, to besubject to the rules appliedin Guadeloupe. This pointwill be specified in the fis-cal treaty to be signedbetween the Collectivityand the State.

I know that certain personsfear that the new statute willinduce the French adminis-tration to apply the Statetaxes on the non-residents.If such is the price to pay inorder to remove ourselvesfrom the illegal situation inwhich we enclosed our-

selves, it does not appearexcessive to me, especiallyif we compare the same tothe enormous benefit thatSaint Barthelemy will drawfrom its new statute. Forthose who are already onthe island and who wish tostay, attaining the status ofa resident will only be amatter of time: three yearsfor those who are alreadyresiding here for two andone year for those whohave already been herefour…let us not dramatizethat which is little morethan a transitory period.

We are entering a new erawhere the political and eco-nomic leaders of SaintBarthelemy will dispose ofacute tools to assure theprosperity of the island andof all those who visit. Themunicipal team has workedhard to arrive at this result.In the coming weeks, wewill strive to respond to allthe questions of the popula-tion regarding the applica-tion and consequences ofthe new statute. Our soleobjective remains, as in thepast, to make our Collectivi-ty an example of economicsuccess benefiting all,French and Foreigner alike,who contribute their work,their talent, or their wealth.

Bruno MAGRAS,Mayor of St-Barthelemy

Stay in touch WHEREVER YOU ARE EVERY FRIDAY AT

www.s t -bar ths .comSt Barth Weekly n°108 0033

0044 St Barth Weekly n°108

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Afew years ago,Saint Barth wasconsidered the high

point of French cuisine inthe Caribbean. Times havechanged: competitive desti-nations have developed,and in St. Barth, the use ofprivate chefs—a new luxu-ry— has multiplied, takingclients away from restau-rants. Aware of this shift,the island’s restaurant asso-ciation—whose currentpresident is Didier Bensa—is launching a series ofevents to win back theirclientele. After joining with theisland’s hotel associationand ASCOM (a new busi-ness association) —and

going on a promotionalroad show in Brazil— theassociation has announcedan event that will takeplace in many of theisland’s restaurants fromFebruary 16-26. Entitled “Caribbean Week,New Cuisine,” the event isdesigned to promote theinventiveness of chefs at

various restaurants. Theyhave been asked to exclu-sively use regional prod-ucts to create somethingnew—an appetizer, maindish, or dessert— to add totheir existing menu. Thelist of ingredients, as wellas the recipe, will beoffered to clients. The goalis for the chefs to use their

imaginations freely yetremain within the geo-graphic gastronomy of theregion. A second edition ofthis event is planned forThanksgiving. In April, a second projectwill help promote the cui-sine of Saint Barth. Thistime, chefs from certainhotels will create two din-ners for a “blind” taste testby a jury composed of spe-cialized food journalistsand chefs of internationalrenown. The goal is to getpositive press about thefood in Saint Barth in pub-lications in all of the coun-tries represented by thejournalists who are invitedto participate.

Restaurant Association To Promote Caribbean Products and the Cuisine of Saint Barth

0066 St Barth Weekly n°108

Au Port 05.90.27 62 36Bête à Z’Ailes 05 90 29 74 09Carl Gustaf (Le) 05.90.29 79 00Café Victoire 05.90.29.02.39CCaavviiaarr IIssllaanndd 0099 9900 5522 4466 1111Do Brazil 05.90.29 06 66Eddy’s Restaurant 05.90.27 54 17Jao 05.90.29 52 24L’Entracte 05 90 27 70 11La Crêperie 05 90 27 84 07La Gamelle 05 90 29 89 70La Mandala 05.90.27 96 96La Marine 05.90.27 68 91La Route des Boucaniers 05.90.27 73 00La Vella 05.90.27 51 51La Saladerie 05 90 27 52 48Le Sapotiller 05.90.27 60 28O’Coorner 05.90.51.00.05Le Vietnam 05 90 27 81 37Pipiri Palace 05.90.27 53 20Repaire des Rebelles 05.90.27 72 48The Strand 05 90 27 63 77Ti Zouk K’fé 05 90 27 90 60Wall House 05.90.27 71 83

Maya’s 05.90.27 75 73

Le Régal 05.90.29 85 26

Hostellerie des 3 Forces 05 90 27 61 25

Le Gaïac (Hôtel Le Toiny) 05.90.27 88 88

K’fé Massaï 05.90.29 76 78Le Wok 05 90 27 52 52Le Portugal à St Barth 05 90 27 68 59

Bacardi Café 05 90 27 68 09Eden Rock 05.90.29 79 99Hideaway 05.90.27.63.62Nikki Beach 05.90.27.64.64Le Diamant 05 90 29 21 97Le Jardin 05 90 27 73 62Le Glacier 05 90 27 71 30Le Piment 05.90.27.53.88Le Terraza 05.90.27 70 67Zanzibarth 05 90 27 53 00

Le Mango (Hôtel Le Christopher) 05.90.27 63 63Le Taïno (Hôtel Le Christopher) 05.90.27 63 63Ti St-Barth 05.90.27 97 71

Esprit Saline 05.90.52 46 10Grain de Sel 05.90.52 46 05Le Tamarin 05 90 27 72 12Pacri 05.90.29.35.63

Bartoloméo (Hôtel Guanahani) 05.90.27 66 60Indigo (Hôtel Guanahani) 05 90 27 66 60La Gloriette (La) 05.90.27 75 66Restaurant des pêcheurs (Hôtel Le Sereno) 05.90.29.83.00

François Plantation 05.90.29 80 22Les Bananiers 05.90.27.93.48

Santa Fé 05.90.27 61 04

Chez Rolande 05.90.29 76 78La Case de l’Ile 05.90.27 61 81La Langouste 05.90.27.63.61Taïwana 05.90.27 65 01

Chez Ginette 05.90.27.66.11Chez Yvon 05.90.29 86 81Fellini Ristorante (Hôtel Le Manapany) 05.90.27.66.55New Born 05.90.27.67.07

Anse des Cayes

Flamands

Lurin

Colombier

Grand Cul de Sac

Saline

Pointe Milou

Saint Jean

Lorient

Toiny

Vitet

Corossol

Public

Gustavia

GGAASSTTRROONNOOMMYY■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Live Music◗◗ Every Evening- Lounge mix, 7:30pm-midnight, Bar’tô, Hôtel Guanahani Grand Cul de Sac - Papagayo, Mr Dean, &Krisse 9pm, except Mondayat La Plage, St. Jean, ◗◗ Until March 3Adam Falcon Quartet,Alternative Jazz Soul8:30pm-midnight, BAZ, Gustavia ◗◗ Every Saturday & SundayStephane, Sunset Concert at5:30pm, Hotel Carl Gustav◗◗ From Wednesday-FridayAlan Landry on piano, 8pm,Le Gaïac, Hotel Le Toiny◗◗ From Tuesday-SaturdayPhil on piano, 7pm, HotelChristopher, Pointe Milou, ◗◗ From Tuesday-Friday- Nadège, Sunset Concert,5:30pm, Hotel Carl Gustav

Let’s Party ◗◗ Saturday, February 17

- Grand Zouk contest, at Ti Zouk K’Fé, Gustavia- Costume evening with a Venice theme, La Plage, St Jean◗◗ Sunday, February 18- Carnival Celebration from10pm to midnight at Ti ZoukK’Fé, Gustavia- Creole BBQ with acousticmusic, La MarineRestaurant, Gustavia - Brunch at Manapany withChristine Gordon noon to3:00pm, Anse des Cayes◗◗ Monday, February 19-Pajama evening with DJ at Ti Zouk K’Fé, Gustavia- Marrakech evening, mint tea and belly dancing, Ti St Barth, Pointe Milou ◗◗ Tuesday, February 20

- Lunch with Live Music bySelecta Chaya- Pirate Night, at Ti St Barth,Pointe Milou ◗◗ Wednesday, February 21-Ti Brother Party: A bottleof Moet & Chandon for the

best costume. Fashion showand dancing. Ti St Barth◗◗ Thursday, February 15Night of the angels, Ti St Barth, Pointe Milou◗◗ Friday & Saturday Crazy Week end& Fashion Show Ti St Barth, Pointe Milou

Night Club◗◗ Every evening:- Casa Nikki, Gustavia - Yacht Club, Gustavia - Bubbles Club, Gustavia- Hot Spot café, Lurin- Sexy pole dancing everynight after 1am, Yacht Club◗◗ Monday- Studio 54, Casa Nikki◗◗ WednesdayBling Bling Please, CasaNikki

Exhibitions:◗◗ Alain le Chatelier, LesArtisans, Gustavia ◗◗ Manuela Bosio, Porta 34,Gustavia. ◗◗ Basile, Haitian painter,Galerie Asie, Gustavia ◗◗ Until March 5Scott Cassidy, Angels andGhosts Eat Skeletons, gallery Me.di.um, Gustavia◗◗ Until February 28Dominique Rousserie at To b.art Gallery, Carré d’Or, Gustavia◗◗ February 14-March 4Photographer CyrilleMargarit “Digital Evidence” at Nikki Beach◗◗ “Ethereal,” an exhibit bystudents from the New YorkAcademy of Art, Jane’sGallery, Eden Rock◗◗ Permanent exhibits- Michelle Marie (paintngs),Hôtel Carl Gustaf, Gustavia - Philippe Defruit (sculptu-res), Hôtel Carl Gustaf, - Alain le Chatelier, LesArtisans, Gustavia - Pompi, Petit Cul de Sac - Hannah Moser, Cul de Sac - Antoine Heckly, GalerieIndochine, Gustavia

◗◗ Art Galleries- Eve Ducharme Art Gallery(appointment only), Toiny- To-b.art galerie, Gustavia - Me.di.um galerie, Gustavia - Didier Spindler galerie,Gustavia - Pipiri Boutique, Gustavia

Fashion shows:◗◗ Everyday:- 1:30-2pm: Hôtel Isle deFrance boutique, Flamands - 3:30-7:30: Geisha Vampire,La Plage, Saint Jean

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WWhheerree ttoo ggoo ddaanncciinngg?? SSeeee aann aarrtt eexxhhiibbiitt??LLiisstteenn ttoo lliivvee mmuussiicc?? TTiimmee OOuutt kkeeeeppss yyoouu uupp ttoo ddaattee oonn llooccaall hhaappppeenniinnggss.. LLeett’’ss ppaarrttyy !!

Viva Carnival !◗◗ Friday, February 162:00 pm Children’s paradethrough the streetsof Gustavia◗◗ Sunday, February 18,Parade in the streets of Gustavia, Theme :“Maasai”◗◗ Monday, February 19,Early evening paradestarting at 6pm in “pajamas”◗◗ Tuesday, February 20The Main Carnivalparade will take place on Mardi Gras at 3:00 pmin Gustavia◗◗ Wednesday February 21Burning of Vaval paradefrom Le Select to ShellBeach, 7pm

Special Events◗◗ February 19-26A new Taste of TheCaribbean - Page 4

Live Music with TransitOrchestra, 7:00 pm atSanté Fé, Lurin

After-Carnival PartyMusic with DJ PatrisGero and costumes!Caviar Island, Gustavia

Photo Art Exhibitionat François Plantation:

Rose Murray,Scenes from Majesty Pen,

Kingston, Jamaica

St Barth Weekly n°108 0077

Eve Ducharme Art Gallerypresents

Richard Litzelmennat Wall House gallery,

Gustavia

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0088 St Barth Weekly n°108

It’s Carnival time in SaintBarth and the island isready to party! The action

gets underway on Friday after-noon, February 16 with a chil-dren’s parade through thestreets of Gustavia. Then onSunday, February 18, La PointeEn Mouvement holds its finalpre-Carnival parade at sunset,with a musical pause in front ofLa Cantina on the waterfront inGustavia. The theme for thisSunday’s costumes is Maasai.Things continue to heat up onMonday, February 19, with anearly evening parade starting at6pm in pajamas as the revelersprepare for the grand parade onFat Tuesday — Mardi Gras—February 20. Numerous groupsare expected to participate inthe big Carnival event, includ-ing Rum and Ginger (in Brazil-ian-inspired costumes) and therock band of the year where ifyou look closely you’ll findAndy Hall from The Hideaway,dentist David Grodberg, andfriends lurking under the wigsand sunglasses. The eventswind down on February 21—Ash Wednesday— with amarch through the streets ofGustavia, starting at 7pm, fromThe Select to Shell Beach for

the burning of Vaval, the Carni-val King, signifying the end ofthe revelry and the start ofLent, the period leading up toEaster Sunday on April 8.

Saint Barth Celebrates Carnival

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1100 St Barth Weekly n°108

Afew years ago—seven to beexact— a new

restaurant opened in SaintBarth: Esprit Saline, anopen, airy space nestled ina lush tropical gardenalongside the salt flats inSaline. The 80-seat restau-rant is furnished with teakfrom Bali for a casualambiance.The partners had allworked in other islandrestaurants and were anx-ious to have a place oftheir own. One of the part-ners, Jean-Charles Guy isalso the top chef, whocame with seven years ofworking at Maya’s underhis belt— his current part-ner is Guillaume Hen-

nequin. “Our menuchanges every day,” saysthe chef, who has lived inSt Barth since 1994, short-ly after the birth of his son,who is now 12 years old.“I was born in a kitchen,”he says, pointing out thathis parents had a restau-rant in Sete in the South ofFrance. “My mother wentback to work three daysafter I was born and I sleptin the kitchen in a dishpan.” Jean-Charles Guy is pas-sionate about food andabout using only the high-est quality ingredients,which he describes as“expensive but important.”His cuisine is also lightand healthy. “I use no

cream or heavyingredients, and liketo make dishes inkeeping with thewarm climate of theisland,” he pointsout. “I use a lot ofgood olive oil fromItaly and bouillons.”Jean-Charles alsoavoids phrases thatsound too much likemarketing tools. “I don’tlike to describe my cook-ing as fusion, but I aminspired by cuisine fromall over the world. African.Caribbean. Asian. I amplanning a trip to Moroccoand have been including alot of Moroccan dishes onthe menu.” His daily menualways includes four appe-tizers— including a soup(perhaps fish soup drawnfrom his home in theSouth of France) and a sal-ad — plus four maincourses with fish, seafood,chicken and beef, but nopork in consideration ofdietary restrictions.Shrimp might be flambéedwith old rum Créole style,while local fish can beserved with a pesto sauce,

and chicken is oftenflavored with lemongrass. “We evenmake our own mixof spices,” saysJean-Charles, whonotes that the cuisine

at Esprit Saline might be“light” but you will notleave hungry. “We believein both quantity and quali-ty,” he says. This is alsoevident in the wine listsupervised by FrançoisLecronier, the restaurant’ssommelier, who is as pas-sionate about wine asJean-Charles is aboutfood. The desserts arefrom the classic Frenchrepertory, from Tart Tatinto the ever-popular prof-iteroles, or the daily spe-cial such as a soft-choco-late tart. “Many countriesare represented on themenu,” says Jean-Charles.“One of our guests said it’slike traveling around theworld when you eat atEsprit Saline.”

Fine Dining In Saline

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Left to right: sommelier FrançoisLecronier and chefJean-Charles Guy at Esprit Saline

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St Barth Weekly n°108 11

Measuring The Air Quality

FIFTY TUBES TO DETERMINETHE LEVEL OF NITROGEN DIOXIDEAt the end of February, Gwad’Air will install 50small tubes as part of an ongoing campaign tomeasure the air quality in Saint Barth. Thesetubes, designed to measure the quantity of nitro-gen dioxide (NO2) in the air, will be installed invarious spots across the island where there is a lotof traffic—such as the industrial zone in Public.With cartridges of active carbon to trap the toxicgas created primarily by combustion from auto-mobiles and industrial installations, these tubeswill be in place for 15 days before being collectedfor analysis. A second campaign to measure nitro-gen dioxide will take place shortly thereafter, plustwo other during the summer. Aside from beingan oxidant, NO2 is also known to cause bronchialirritation. It also has negative effects on the envi-ronment: NO2 contributes to acid rain and aids inthe formation of ozone in the lower atmosphere,thereby augmenting the greenhouse effect.

Michèle Viale is passio-nate about classicalmusic. She wouldn’t missthe St. Barth Music Festi-val for anything in theworld, and this year shesays it was full of nothingbut “good notes,” a playon words in Frenchwhere school grades arealso “notes.” Her tributeis as follows:

“For some time I have beenhearing “has been” kind ofreflections, such as ‘SaintBarth isn’t what it used tobe…’ And yet, the St. BarthMusic Festival just com-pleted a wonderful 23rd edi-tion this year, which is quitea milestone, an entire gener-ation. Residents and tourists(many who come for thefestival every year), as wellas artists, had otherthoughts: “Yes, it’s as greatas ever— Once again amarvelous festival— Howthe island is so beautiful andso welcoming—etc.” Bravo, as this is a culturalevent that St. Barth can be

proud of, and it was in factas good as ever. So there ishope, a lot of hope in theform of this festival… What’s more, this year,Frances DeBroff and hercommittee gave us anexample of perseveranceand boldness. Perseverancein the organization of thefestival and the quality ofthe artists, boldness in theirchoices:

— The rock concert at ZionGarden with the bandNYCO from Chicago: thatwas daring!— The Brazilian concertofor trombone and orchestracomposed by JamesStephenson and performedhere as a world premiere:that was daring! — The opera, I Pagliacci,less known to the public atlarge, yet NO ONE was

caught yawning, in fact itwas just the opposite: thatwas daring!I had the chance (accessibleto everyone in Saint Barth)to chat with some of theextremely talented musi-cians who like to come backto the festival. Eric Ruske(French horn) told me howmuch he enjoyed playing inSaint Barth, for us: “I feelhere that I play for a com-munity, that I am part of theaudience, no matter whopays or not, music can goout through doors and win-dows to reach everyone.You cannot imagine howhappy we are to be here andgive you our music”. WhenI heard that, I can assureyou, that made me HAPPY! Yes, the stars of the dancecouldn’t make it to the festi-val this year, but the musi-cians were brilliant, noteafter note! Until next year, for a SaintBarth that will always be…SAINT BARTH!”

The number of homescounted in St Barth lastfall determined that there

are approximately 4,400dwellings (houses and apart-ments combined) on the island.Compared to 3,465 counted in1999, that represents anincrease of 27% in the space ofseven years. However, thisincrease is less than the 40%increase marked from 1990-1999. By extrapolation, if oneapplies the 27% increase inhousing to the size of the popu-lation, there would be slightlymore than 8,700 residents onthe island. But by the end of2003, an estimate based onnumbers provided by the

municipal police and the reg-istry office indicated there werealready close to 8,800 peopleliving on the island. This repre-sents an increase of 28% (andan average of 5.6% annually)compared to the census taken inMarch 1999, which counted6,852 residents in Saint-Barth.If one applies the figure of a5.6% annual increase, the pop-ulation will have exceeded10,000 people in 2007— or anincrease of 45% since 1999. Compared to the increase in thenumber of dwellings built dur-ing the same period, it is easyto understand why there is sucha shortage of housing at thepresent time.

St. Barth Music Festival: Nothing But Good Notes!

10,000 RESIDENTSIN SAINT BARTH?

The cast of I Pagliacci at the St. Barth Music Festival,featuring (left to right) David Small, Anthony DiPaolo,

Walter MacNeil, Jane Thorngren, maestro Richard Buckley,and Grant Youngblood.

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1122 St Barth Weekly n°108

1. Linda and Linda singing at Le Select

2. Herve, Dean, PapaGuyo, Sophie, and Krissie at La Plage

3. A young drummer at Carnival practice

4. Patou and the great waiters at Caviar Island

5. Manu Bosio With “Cactus”, a oil oncanvans, at Porta 34 gallery

6. Janute Booth & Leith Adams at Caviar Island

7. Alain Le Chatelier's bedroom on exhibit at Les Artisans

8. Patricia and Jennifer at Le Select

Photos : Rosemond Gréaux

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1144 St Barth Weekly n°108

■ At your service

Friday Scattered Clouds.High: 82° F. / 28° C.Wind East 17 mph / 28 km/h Night : Scattered CloudsLow: 78° F. / 26° C. Wind East 13 mph / 21 km/h

Saturday Scattered Clouds.High: 82° F. / 28° CWind East 11 mph. / 18 km/h. Night : Scattered Clouds.Low: 75° F. / 24° C. Wind East 15 mph / 25 km/h

SundayChance of RainHigh: 82° F. / 28° C. Wind East 15 mph/ 25km/hNight : Scattered Clouds.Low: 75° F. / 24° C. Wind ENE 15 mph/25km/h

MondayScattered Clouds.High: 80° F. / 27° CWind East 13 mph /21km/hNight : Scattered CloudsLow: 73° F. / 23° C. Wind NE 11mph/18 km/h

■ PuzzleThere's no math involved. The grid has numbers, but noth-ing has to add up to anything else. You solve the puzzlewith reasoning and logic. It's fun. It's challenging. It'saddictive!“Fill in the grid so that every row, every column,and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9."That'sall there is to it.

www.sudokustar.fr

SolutionCheck the solutions

to the Sudoku

■ Local Weather

The traffic circle at LaTourmente (the top of thehill near the airport) hasaltered the traffic patternsfor who has the right-of-way. Now, vehiclesalready engaged in thetraffic circle have priority.Below is a small diagramto help you figure outwhat to do.

=

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

YIELD : You do nothave the

right of way=

■ Driving in St BarthsROUND-ABOUT AT LA TOURMENTE

■ Ashtrays on beachesFounded in 1996,SubProtect is anon-profit organza-tion dedicated tothe protection of theenvironment andthe underwater seabeds. Last year,they provide “Ash-trays on the Beach-es.” The idea is toprovide the installa-tion of cans-as-ash-trays at the entranceto the beaches sothat smokers canuse the cans to col-lect their cigarettebutts. 14 of theisland’s 22 beacheswill be outfitted.Feel free to use them to help us keeping Saint-Barth clean!

■ Classified

RentalShare in Vitet available as ofFebruary 15. House with ter-race, garden, Jacuzzi, parking.Bedroom with bathroom. 1000euros per month including EDF,telephone, water, French satel-lite TV, and WiFi. Non-smokersonly. Call 05 90 51 49 09 ortravel8188@yahoo.com

Exchange beautiful villa nearAix en Provence (5/10 min) forJanuary (or February) andAugust : 2 bedroom 2 bathroomand 2 single bed , 1 spa and gar-den. Call for appointment 05 9029 22 82 or mail tomarc.lacotte@free.fr

Studio with ocean view, kit-chen, shower room, terrace.Available March 28th– Dec.15th, for extended term offeredfurnished for maximum of 2persons. No children No pets2300 Euros per month inclusiveof EDF, EDU. Contact:villala-belleaurore@earthlink.netPhone Owner NYC, USA 1-646-495-1686 - Concierge onSt. Barth (0) 690 227 435

Real EstateFor sale, a brand new 2 bed-room and 1 bath villa set in thepeaceful valley of Saline and

within 10 mn walk to the SalineBeach. The lush tropical sur-roundings offer a delightful set-ting for true island living. Con-tact St. Barth Property/ Sothe-by’s International Realty : 059029 75 05

To sell of exclusiveness : Prop-erty in St Jean Land 0,75 acre,villa with pool, living-kitchenfull equiped, terrace, 3beds, 3bath, Fitness room ContactCMI at 05 90 27 80 88 or claudine.mora@wanadoo.fr

Villa w/ sea view 2 bedrooms,pool Nice natural area, 2 minwalking from the beach Price:€ 3,400,000 Contact: 0690 3428 51 or sprimbarth@yahoo.fr

St Martin Property including a750m2 seven room villa and astudio, tropical gardens and seaview, swimming pool, cistern,garage and 4000m2 of land.Price: € 1.500.000 Contact us:sprimbarth@yahoo.fr or 069034 28 51

For sale, 3 bedroom, 4 bath vil-la tucked into the hillside ofFlamands with wonderful view.This property offer an excep-tional rental history. Beautifulfurnished and meticulous main-tain. Contact St. Barth Proper-ty/Sotheby’s International Real-ty : 0590 29 75 05

For sale, 2 bedroom, 2 bath,beautiful decorated hillside villais set in the heights of desirablePointe Milou with sensationalwestern views. 2 equal bed-rooms are separated for privacyand each offers an ensuite bath.Contact St. Barth Property/Sotheby’s International Realty :0590 29 75 05

LandLand in Flamand, surface 1/3 ofacre with viability (power,water, tel) 1,050,000 euros. Contact CMI 05 90. 27.80.88

St Barth WEEKLYPublished by "Le Journal de Saint-Barth" ISSN-1766-9278

Ph. : 05.90.27.65.19 Fax : 05.90.27.91.60 eemmaa ii ll :: ss ttbbaa rr tthhwweeeekk ll yy@@wwaannaaddoooo.. ff rr www.journaldesaintbarth.com

Director & layout : Avigaël Haddad Chief Editor: Pierrette Guiraute, Translation : Ellen Lampert Greaux, Photographe : Rosemond Greaux

Impression : Daily Herald

St Barth Weekly n°108 1155

Shipping rescue 05 96 70 92 92 Gendarmerie 05 90 27 11 70PAF / airport & port police 05 90 29 76 76Hospital 05 90 27 60 35Fire dept. 18 / 05 90 27 66 13Doctor on duty 05 90 27 76 03Pharmacy Aéroport 05 90 27 66 61

Gustavia 05 90 27 61 82Saint Jean 05 90 29 02 12

Tourism office 05 90 27 87 27Harbour 05 90 27 66 97Boat company Voyager 05 90 87 10 68

Rapid Explorer 05 90 27 60 33Airlines company Winair 05 90 27 61 01

St-Barth Commuter 05 90 27 54 54Air Caraïbes 05 90 27 71 90American Airlines 00 599 54 52040

Taxis Gustavia 05 90 27 66 31Saint-Jean 05 90 27 75 81

St Barth Shuttle (Bus Service) 05 90 29 44 19Town Hall 05 90 29 80 40EDF (electricity company office) 05 90 29 80 81Water system 05 90 27 60 33Post office Gustavia 05 90 27 62 00Marine Reserve 06 90 31 70 73Catholic church Sunday 8:30am Gustavia 05 90 27 95 38Anglican church Sunday 9am. 05 90 29 74 63Evangelical church St Barth Beach Hotel Sunday 9am

■ Emergency numbers

■ Useful numbers

1 acre of land gently sloping with apleasant view over the country andthe sea. A precedent conditionregarding the granting of a buildingpermit is accepted by the owners.

Exclusive listing 1 800 000 €

1/4 acre gently sloping with an easyaccess to St Jean including a buildingpermit for a 3 bedroom villa.Beautiful view over the ocean.

1 650 000 €

Tel. : 05 90 29 88 91www.sibarth.com