Dear Editor,
Normal teenager sitting between gangsters, intelligent, thieves, smokers and drug dealers; the spoil, the needy, less fortunate and the greedy. I love and appreciate my island St. Maarten, but to see the things that are happening right now, is very ridiculous. To start off my list of concerns is: the Government that fell. Everyone's complaining about Minister Theo Heyliger, about the roads, the schools on St.Maarten, teachers and numerous more to mention. The saying " Everyone wants change, but no one is willing to change" is so true.
Everyone wants a lot of things to change on St. Maarten, yet, no one wants to gather themselves to make a plan or start changing their neighbourhood to bring the change. Everyone is blaming the government on the numerous conflicts that are taking place at the moment on St. Maarten. Have any of you ever sat and really think about what is going on and why it is happening? Numerous times we've seen in the newspapers politicians saying " They'll help the youths, they'll try to create jobs on the island for the youths and they'll invest in the youths. Yes, some of these things have come to pass, but only for a short period of time.
The conflicts that are taking place on St. Maarten are caused by hungry citizens (hungry for a better way of living, hungry to help support their families). They're so hungry that they watch the various types of movies and collect ideas on how to make money. Since the "government fall" they see this as a chance to do whatever they want to do. I am not on the side of the robberies and murders that are happening, but yes, youths, you have the brain, collecting the knowledge from the schools we're going to, why not use it to make a better living?
Stop looking and saying you want to become a druglord, or the most expensive Marijuana dealer. What happened to becoming a businessman or woman of a company, a fire fighter? What happened to all the dreams you dreamt as little kids, until society and your role models, parents changed it all? Ignorance is being built into so many, that you all block out the things you can accomplish. The most popular one: My parents can’t afford it. Work for a little while and save and ask for help from "Studie Financiering".
Life's not easy and we all know it! But why not sit and think and stop being ignorant towards certain things and analyze situations, and think of positive/better solutions to all these problems? Change begins when it sees progress being done by the human race.
My next concern is: Parents think that teachers are a piece of crap. Numerous parents look down on teachers and even question their existence on earth. But have any of you looked at yourself and questioned your existence on earth? Teachers are here to help the kids grow and develop the next missing piece to their puzzle to complete their picture.
Many ignorant parents come to schools and bully or even have bad tempers towards the teachers if their child/children is/are not doing well. Wait pause? Why should you do that to a teacher? Have you as a parent analyzed your child’s/children’s behaviour and school work and even try to make time for them? I guess the answer to that is No, because many of you have spared the rod and spoiled the child. Teachers are amazing and have the biggest war in schools. They teach the smokers, innocent ones, gang members, students with weapons, killers, robbers, geniuses and masterminds, yet so many of them might look like they haven't done nothing, but you'll be surprised on what students are capable of doing and the qualification being hidden inside.
Parents, each and every one of you needs to sit the hell down and make time for your kids, even though at times you can be a pain-in-the-butt and show them compassion. The way you carry yourself and do things are a reflection when you stand and look at your kids.
Last but not least, my concern about the Police on St.Maarten. Police were placed to have order on each and every island or country. But the police system is very bad and as the saying goes, "Cash rules everything". You all need to stop doing what you're doing either secretly or publicly taking money and/or covering up stuff or even telling the public an investigation is taking place. We all well know that if something happens on St. Maarten, it's either a lost case, or not even a touched case. Police, you are more than that and should be Police and stick to the "Wetten en Regels". Police should have a rule that no money is accepted under the table, and if caught, should be thrown into prison.
The immigration system is terrible and all of a sudden you all want to raid the island. Yes, maybe the island is getting overpopulated with illegals, but raid in such a way that you aren't doing harm to the innocent and hard-working ones. I've seen people stay in their house for days and they're very scared to even go to the shop to make a daily bread for their kids/families. Rush after work just to get home and be safe. What happened to the hard- working people, who come here to make a better/positive living and dealing with fake/ reasonable money pulling, asking people to get valid papers to stay on this Paradise. You all should check who you're picking up more properly. You let the thieves and so-called well- known people that you all are good with get away and the hard-working ones leave here to go back to a state that they were trying to get out of.
Police of St.Maarten, I respect and stick to the rules, but don't let an intelligent, not having nothing much, enthusiast, hungry-for-change person ever step foot in the Police force, Government or any other organization that can help bring change, because they'll become so eager for change and accomplishment not even to the bribery will change their mind, they'll be married to the change that only death will do them part.
Stop the one-minded mentality and crab-bucket mentality and let your peers shine so that they can help make a way for you to shine and everything will change.
Parents stop being donkeys and have some respect for the teachers; they are the only ones who see potential in your kids, while you are busy shunning them or paying them no mind. The good always withstand, no matter how much evil or ugly there is. Good Always withstands.
An MPC student
Name withheld at author's request.
