Dear Editor,
Every journey starts with the first step. Because I know of the following I have I know that a whole lot of people read the opinion page of The Daily Herald, because that is where conscientious and responsible people express themselves openly. Some are open enough and do not mind adding their name to their letter, others request the editor to withold their name for which ever reason, but the paper is read worldwide and as usual everybody interprets what is written in their way.
I read a letter written to you by Jim and Judy Quai from Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. I have read tons of articles written by people from all over the world, some of which more interesting than others, some pleasant, some troubling, but when I have to read that “this is concerning for future tourism” from a police officer and his wife, tourists from Canada who need to know that Sint Maarten is not a high crime area, that does not sit well with me.
It does not sit well with me because that is something that i hear constantly. Lack of police presence, the police are not keeping order like in your days and some more. I know that i have written to you in the past about the fact that the then head comnmissioner Peter de Witte shrugged his shoulders when it was made known that no statistics of police activity were compiled of 2014 and it remained at that.
I am sure when people in government read this they are going to want to know what is Russell talking about. The headline of the Quais’ letter is: Not a lot of arrests. Logic would tell me that if there is no crime there is no need for arrests, but statistical facts speak volumes. In this age of computer and other technology, please show some statistics to erase the doubt. We do not need a snowball effect of that letter.
Russell A. Simmons
