Dear Editor,
it is not my intention to make this a long letter. but sometimes when I say A I'm obliged to say B also so here we go.
As I was getting into my car after leaving church on Sunday morning, A gentleman in a pickup wanted a word with me. His accent sounded local and he asked me if I am still proud to be a Sint Maartener. I assume that that came from the fact that I am always advocating for government to determine who is a Sint Maartener.
I answered him "Are you?" and asked him if that question was well thought out before asking me. There are a whole lot of factors and thoughts which could have ignited that question, and why would he feel justified to ask me that question?
So I asked myself “why now?” Yes, why now that question. I do not think I should answer that question, so I am thanking that person for asking me that question and I am asking it to whoever reads this letter and feels him/herself entitled to answer it. “Do you still feel proud to be a Sint Maartener?” That is a loaded one.
But for discussion sake let me ask it this way. How would you feel about yourself as a voter to know that you were instrumental in providing your country with seven governments in seven years with the same people heading those political party lists?
But it is the following anser that I got from also a gentleman which really got to me. After looking for some advice from me, I referred him to the police. His answer floored me. "Boy I don't even call they no more, they don't come out of the car. It don’ matter whether you old or not, they don’t know how to address you” and he continued. He must have noticed the change in my demeanor, because he said “thank you” and left.
But when I have to read that Alegria ignores court case and demolishes restaurant I have to ask “Whose fault is it?” Let me put it this way. I have mentioned this several times before and I will repeat it: Everything that happens in the country, good or bad, is the responsibility of government. What I know is that “follow the leader” could either lead to good or to bad.
What I also know is that for the last seven years the leaders have only shown us bad things. When I see the last and one of the biggest disappointments on the side of government I say anything can be expected because people in government are the foremost demonstrators how to form and execute a coup. They make the East people look like amateurs. And they have the guts to fight the law on integrity.
I said that before and someone said to me, “But Russell, you self told us that if a donkey kicks you that is normal because that comes natural to the donkey. So why not expect they in there to fight the law on integrity?”
Granted, someone has to come to their senses and start somewhere, but Mr. Maurice Lake has strange timing. Apart from what he said about the University, nothing is new, but there is an election looming. Until these politicians and people in government start doing the right thing, if the Luis’ and the Irmas don't finish us government will.
Hopefully this throwing down of government work against them and the people get rid of them including Brownbill because he just reach there and is proving to be one of those kind also. I said 13 of the 15 and six of the seven.
I intended to spend a relaxed Sunday, but that question about still being proud to be a Sint Maartener did not sit well with me.
Since we are questioning, I would like to ask all of those politicians who have been in government for a while now to look in the mirror and ask themselves: What have I done for the people of Sint Maarten who have kept me in government so many years? And then I would like for them to look in the mirror again and ask: What will my legacy be?
I am sure that there are whole lot of people who were not born on Sint Maarten but can look in that mirror without being ashamed to ask themselves that question. And you know that they will come up with positive answers.
Should not government extend a helping hand to people who are down as opposed to kicking them when they are down?
Russell A. Simmons
