Dear Editor,
I am not an Editor, nor am I familiar with the pains of running a newspaper. I write letters to you concerning the happenings in my country, leaving the prerogative with you to print or not to print. I have gathered over the years that bad/negative news sells, and brings in the bucks, so I will not venture to dispute that.
But here is the thing. Even though we continuously frown at the bad news, we repeat it for days, giving it a life. When corrections are made in the papers after a faulty article, one can hardly find the corrections.
My father, who was premier mentor, was very strong on first impressions. I can still vividly remember the lesson I got on tying my shoelaces. “The teacher will always remember you as the little boy who came to school on the first day with his shoelaces untied.” He said the first impression is a lasting impression.
Contrary to “negative news sells” I have always asked myself ”if the editorial is an avenue to improve, why is that same person, who I am sure is aware that the first impression is a lasting impression, giving priority to negative news instead of trying to make a good and lasting impression on the community by putting the good news on the front page?” I read the article of the installation of officer Robelto Hodge as new Chief of Basic Police Care on Statia in the Tuesday newspaper and asked myself why all the way on page 13.
I know that theologians will have themselves a field day adding the different passage but my mind started racing through the passages of the Bible which we confront in our daily living. Mark 6:4; Romans 3;23 ; Romans 13:7 etc.
I might be from the old school but I still grimace when I see police officers out in the open, in uniform without a cap on. When it is a high-ranking officer it is bad enough and to salute without a cap makes it even worse. (If your uniform is not complete, wear a suit and stand at attention.) I stand to be corrected, but I am still waiting for someone to show me a picture of a member of the VKS in uniform, in the public without head gear.
Chief Robelto Hodge was a pupil of mine many years ago, who I knew would make it far in the force, so permit me via this media to publicly congratulate him and his family and, of course, the Police Force of Sint Eustatius. May the good Lord continue to bless them and guide him in his further endeavour.
Russell A. Simmons
