Dear Editor,
A few years ago I suggested that the Council of Churches approach the government to have at least three meetings a year to speak about the things that are prevalent in the country.
By now we should know that the priest, pastors and elders of the churches on St. Maarten see an average of 100 people at least once a week. I do not know how many churches there are on St. Maarten, but I dare state that 85 to 90 percent of the streets in St. Maarten have at least three churches. This is clearly an indication that those members of the clergy could have a very in-depth picture of life on St. Maarten.
Beyond the control of the people those in government found out a way to shun their responsibility by toppling government (even in the disaster caused by Irma) and blaming not being able to govern so that the execution of whatever was necessary for the betterment of life on St. Maarten had to be postponed. The new one would come up with a new governing accord and continuation of government (except their personal deals) would be stagnated or even dismissed.
That single-use-plastic-bag saga cannot leave my mind. We continue to say that everything happens for a reason and nothing happens before its time. I hope the time is here, now that we have at least one person who understands the concept of having God in the midst, for the Council of Churches to be able to meet with government on a frequent basis to outline the reality of life on St. Maarten.
I am not referring to post Irma-Maria, because this has been going on for a while. I did not produce statistics stating that more than 70 percent of the population of St. Maarten is living just on or below the poverty line. Neither did I state the we have a four-billion-dollar economy. So yes, it is time for us to get the real picture and do the right thing.
Let us look at what is happening in the rest of the world and know that we are still favored. Let us not disregard our blessing, and as usual the churches will continue to pray for our leaders of government.
Now this: I read a letter to you from someone who seems to be bitter. Words like “cowards” and “melee people,” etc., were used and I thought right away of my teachings growing up. “You will catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” and “it is not what you do, it is the way that you do it.”
What I have learned in the course of life is that “it is important to play the game well, but it is also important how you leave the arena.” I would appreciate if people would give this a thought: “Just because something is legal, that does not make it right.” While writing that last one I remembered something that I saw on Facebook that resulted in being useful for me. I would love to share it. “A mother beat up her daughter because she was drunk.” The question is who was drunk.
Russell A. Simmons
