Dear Editor,
Thank you for some space in your paper. I just want to address this situation on vote buying among politicians. I have been following the news that made headlines in our newspapers, about Matser, as Member of Parliament being suspected and incarcerated for vote buying. Now I do understand that the National Detectives, the judge and Prosecutor, are all doing their job. Their duty is to maintain law and order on the island. Therefore, law breakers will be punished, or will be brought to justice.
But, dear editor, I believe when it comes to vote buying, we should start not from the present, but go all the way back to the beginning. We all would agree that vote buying on St. Maarten has been going on as the old people would say, “Since Noah was a boy.”
Dear editor, I am not here to defend Matser, because right is right, and wrong is wrong. And if you are wrong, and have broken the law, then you ought to be punished, so that others would not dare try the same stunt. This vote-buying thing is nothing else but old news. Going back to the good old days of political campaigns, many citizens on this island benefitted from the wheel and deal of vote buying by receiving gifts or money in exchange for giving politicians their votes. This was done by some vote-greedy politicians, who would go to any extent to do anything to rake or scrape in whatever vote they could get.
Political positions are sweet, and the salaries are damn good, so, who wouldn’t want to become a Commissioner, Parliamentarian, or Minister? So could it be that this law on vote buying, has only now been put in place, and therefore not applicable to others, who may have done it in the past? But one thing I believe is sure, and that is that there may be others out there, who may be spending sleepless nights wondering if the National Detectives would also come knocking at their doors.
Dear editor, the people of this little island St. Maarten are tired and concerned of the political games, as well as the future of this island. Since St. Maarten received its separate status on 10-10-10, the people of St. Maarten are still asking the question, “When are we going to finally see a stable government?” When are we going to see some seriousness, integrity, commitment, confidence, and trust in our politicians? This past election alone we have experienced more than enough ship-jumping among our politicians like never before.
I believe in St. Maarten’s political history, (and by the way, you are free to correct me if I am wrong.) Furthermore, St. Maarten is more and more becoming like a wandering child in need of good parental care. Just to mention a few examples. Back Street is now sinking deeper and deeper, with every rain fall, and the dirty mud-pools, big enough to breed fishes, are getting bigger. They damage your vehicle, and create an ugly sight for pedestrians and tourists. (I wonder how many of our politicians ever drive through Back Street in their nice cars).
Our round-abouts are filled with dried-up grass, and rocks, and lack maintenance. Our smelly dumpsite on Pond Island is getting bigger and rising higher as if to reach the clouds like the tower of Babel. The so-called Ring Road is still there like a forgotten, unfulfilled political dream, and has become a natural man-made haven for wild birds that have taken up residence in the trees. Many of the newly-installed lights in the lower part of Back Street are not on at night time, making the area dark and unsafe.
Many investors are still watching the financial and governmental instability before investing in this island. So in the end you need to still pay your taxes, but what are we seeing in return for it? About the new government building, like a historic monument, oh yes, sorry, the decision has been finally made that it will be soon be put to use.
Dear editor, the Prosecutor in the meantime is awaiting those, who have accepted presents, money or gifts in exchange for their votes. But I believe that their response would be: “I got my money (or gift/gifts), the politicians got their votes, so, as for me, who should give a damn? My case is already closed!”
A concerned citizen
Name withheld at author's request.
