Dear Editor,
Believe it or not, I was strongly reprimanded but had to agree that cars don’t drive themselves, it is people who drive them. I was told to look around the Caribbean and compare the ratio of inhabitants per square mile on St. Maarten to several of the other islands. I had to agree that several of the islands are bigger than St. Maarten and less populated. Definitely no malice intended, but if I reacted with, it is time for the immigration to start tightening up, would that be considered offensive or would that be making sure that the natives of St. Maarten are given priority?
I must add that I am not ready to hear that St. Maarten people don’t like to work. Let me add this. During the elections in 2024, I approached a member of Parliament who was on a political list and asked him where are those men who are working cleaning the roads from? I was told that the majority of them are from St. Maarten. Then I suggested to that MP to get together with the Minister of Education, and offer to help those men (financially) get a GED diploma. They will not be able to say they don't have money because they are working.
I was congratulated for that idea but as far as I know nothing like that was even suggested.
So I decided to write to you hoping that government will realize that there are more people than myself who would like for government to adjust their priorities to accommodate the citizens of the county.
Tourism always, overpopulation controlled.
Russell A. Simmons
