Dear Editor,
It will not stop to amaze me when the same instances which have been instrumental in creating situations are the same which want to know why is there such a situation.
My question in return is: I wonder what motivate those who have come to the Caribbean, let me use the term “buy out” government in order to be able to get government to look the other way, control salaries and circumvent immigration and employment laws, to still want to know, after having profited in all kind of ways from being in the Caribbean, why Caribbean people want so much from government.
Because we boast about people of more than 100 different nationalities living on St. Maarten, I think we can use St. Maarten as an example. Investors begin by urging to get a tax holiday, a privilege which many investors have abused. The books, Chamber of Commerce and the Tax Department can show that . They change the name of companies every ten years and umpteen directors and managers per company. Abuse of the tax system, minimum wage system and the pension fund system.
I can go on but I really do not believe that my answer to the reason will be what one would like to hear.
What I will say though is that we should look at who are the ones involved in the permits of the investors and that is not only on St. Maarten.
The other vital thing is the lack of adequate price control. Every time the goods come out of the same container when they are put on the shelves the prices go up. If one uses the identical shopping list from the week before this week, the total this week is at least two dollars more. Because of this kind of practices and no salary increase many Caribbean people find themselves obliged to work long hours or more than one job to be able to make ends meet.
I don't intend to write a book on this subject, only voice my opinion, but if there was enough control over the above-mentioned then the people in the Caribbean would not have to depend on government, because they would be treated fairly and would be getting their fair share.
In light of this should the people of the Caribbean ask the question: “Why do investors see the Caribbean people as pawns?”
Because I have been vocal on similar issues I was told that I must ask my government the same question. If I pay 35 per cent of my income in taxes, and one who makes 10 million a year pays one million a year in taxes, is that person paying his/her fair share?
Sometimes I ask myself how is it really in other countries; for instance, South Africa, etc.
Russell A. Simmons
