Dear Editor,
I read a letter to you “Put the people of St. Maarten first” and it took me back many years. Of late I realise that more and more, people, even if they don’t write to you, are reacting to different happenings in the country.
Many years ago when people on St. Maarten were still sceptical in voicing their opinion, I approached the head of the Census office and suggested that they come with legislation making DNA testing obligatory by birth. The first response was “Who going pay for it?” I read Achken Richardson’s letter to you and It took me right back to that visit. Because I believe that from then already it would have been established who were the real parents and consequently real St. Maarteners.
Now this. Who should literally help to maintain St. Maarten? I do not know anything about St. Maarten’s finances, but for years now I have been hearing about “tax holiday”. What I also know is that if you give me a print out of only the total of what I purchased and not an itemised print out then there is no control on the sales.
And that also tells me that those business people are working with more than one set of books. So I am suggesting that government should come to an agreement with each one of those businesses which are enjoying that “tax holiday”, supply the paint for the for the necessary markings on the roads and possibly other material for the maintenance of the roads.
I believe that those delivery trucks contribute to the wear and tear of the roads. Fair exchange is not robbery.
Russell A. Simmons
