Dear Editor,
I am not sure how to initiate this topic. Not because people would assume it is ticklish, because a topic being ticklish does not deter me. I believe in telling it like I see it, but I also definitely believe that everyone has a right to their opinion, though many years ago my father explained to me that exercising a bit of caution while expressing my opinion cannot hurt, because not everybody can deal with the truth. My question is: what is the relationship between the Immigration Office and the security companies on Sint Maarten?
On Friday last I went to the supermarket and while in there for about 10 minutes four different people, three females and one male, walked in with four different security uniforms. Each one of them spoke with a foreign accent so again they are likely not from here. One might ask: why is not being from here a problem? I know what a whole lot of people think about this because that is one of the most frequent requests I get from people who would like for me to write to you about. But like I always say, I am not going to put someone else's opinion on paper for them, because it is their opinion, not mine.
My issue with all these foreign security guards is that they do not know Sint Maarten nor its people. Because of this I pay keen attention. I will not pinpoint anyone, because I do not think that those people brought themselves to Sint Maarten and put themselves in those positions.
On several occasions I have heard them, in talking to people, speak about not killing themselves for that kind of money. I have seen them misuse the number system by GEBE, a simple system which they can easily claim that there was a mix-up. On a busy day when the security permits someone who just reached to pay a bill, and does not have a number, to enter before those waiting with numbers, that is not a mix-up, that is intentional.
I have witnessed a lady make a serious face and ask three people who she had noticed came after her but were permitted to enter before her, what number they had and told them that her number gave her the right to go before them and took up her rightful place just behind me.
From experience I know that the amount of different security uniforms visible in the country causes more confusion than order. The tourist will quicker seek information from a person in uniform and I know that a whole lot of those people in uniform do not know anything about our country. I would like for the Immigration, which is again part of the Police Force, to check how many police officers are on the Sint Maarten Police Force compared to the constantly growing amount of Security officers on the island.
While on the topic of security let me ask this. Why do the banks continue to demand that no cell phones be used in the banks when in promoting online banking the bank personnel self assist their clients in downloading that app on their phone, so that they can have the information handy when doing their banking? How perfect is our internet system? Is it not that because of hacking possibilities and other glitches in the system, clients still find themselves obliged to go personally to the banks with their information in their phones? So, when are the banks going to have their security use a little more tact when approaching a client who is using the phone to get information for the teller?
In closing. I was asked if those security guards don't have to take an oath. I do not think so. I think it is exacted of people employed by government or for government, but because of so many inconsistencies i cannot give an affirmative answer.
Russell A. Simmons
