Dear Editor,
If an elected official cannot represent the people’s interest, then it’s time for him to step down and quit blocking the growth of this country! For far too long, we are being forced to endure the nonchalant behaviour of this minister, who feels like he has no obligation to the community in which he was mandated to serve. Every issue that warranties his support is either pushed aside or shrouded with excessive speech, only to highlight his inept and selfish attitude.
There are no more questions to determine if his real personality is the one that emerged during the election campaign, or what is being displayed at present. The pretence has been shattered by his inability to handle the social and labour issues that are plaguing the country. Then it calls to mind: Why do Parliamentarians and the population continue to tolerate the incompetence of Minister Emil Lee? Can’t they see that this Minister has no interest in tackling the labour and social situations on St. Maarten? Then why keep him in his current position? This is a total waste of tax payers’ money and a consistent black eye to the economy.
Speaking of labour, some time ago Minister Emil Lee had a discussion with the personnel of that department. The main purpose was to have a name change. When the staff came up with an alternative, even though reluctant to do so, the Minister chose to disregard their efforts by erasing the name from his phone and offered, “Office of Opportunity” instead. How ridiculous! Then the nagging question is, opportunity for whom? All over the world the office is named exactly what it is. But as usual, everything the Minister does is about boosting his ego.
To add insult to injury, all of a sudden Minister Lee realized that the signing of work permits must be halted to accommodate locals. It would be interesting to know who he refers to as being locals. The ineffectiveness of the Labour and Justice Ministries is what has caused the island to plunge into total bankruptcy.
Besides the hot pursuit of a new hospital, this Minister tends to focus on petty things that his subordinates at the Health Department can handle. First it was the bats, now the mosquitoes. What’s next? Is he going to teach the kindergarteners how to tie their shoes? Minister Lee needs to man up to the Justice Minister and demand immediate collaboration to bring back stability to the labour industry.
It was so intriguing to hear Minister Lee confirm that the new hospital is just a
building. He had to go to St. Lucia to learn this fact - a reality that was conveyed to him repeatedly by journalists and conscious minds within the community. Why is this minister so hell bent on building a new hospital, when there is no money available for such an elaborate project? Would his construction company be involved in the building process? A Health Minister, who cares about this community, would make it a priority to invest time and money to research what is causing this health situation to deteriorate so badly.
Something is not kosher. To view the new hospital as a means of alleviating the hefty cost to fly patients abroad, or even to accommodate the surrounding islands is just a fallacy. The reality is: the others Caribbean islands lay wait to capitalize on ideas that will propel them as the leading destination. So by the time the hospital is finished, the broader vision would have become obsolete. My biggest contention is: What is the real trade off of this mission? Is it to set up another empire like the Harbour or to invest in prevention, which will lead to a robust SZV reserve?
Nothing is surprising anymore. Imagine Minister Emil Lee recently announced that he was unable to fix the roof of a senior citizen because the gentleman did not have the title for the land. What lack of empathy and cruelty to the highest degree! Then Minister Lee proceeded by saying that someone from another political party repaired the house. The Minister lamented further that shortly after the man’s roof was fixed, he sported a T-shirt in support of the party that aided him, and that the gentleman compromised his integrity by selling his vote.
This is very strange! How does the Minister know that the senior sold his vote, and if he is so certain, why didn’t he come forward when the prosecutor was asking for assistance in the vote-buying case that involved members of that same party?
Besides, why does the Minister think that he is so squeaky clean in the eyes of the public, when it was rumoured throughout the campaign that he too was engaged in the same thing. And, when it became known that his votes were tripled from that of 2014, the rumour was intensified. Why didn’t he refute this?
The performance of any politician is an accurate reflection of his or her philosophy. It is very clear that Minister Emil Lee is a reactive politician. This further demonstrates that he is not the appropriate person for the position of Social and Labour Affairs. Therefore, he needs to do the honourable thing and make his position available!
Joslyn Morton
