Dear Editor,
I have noticed an important point, this time in a letter dated July 18th signed by Commissioner Charles Woodley. I will ignore for the time being that Woodley signed the letter on behalf of the executive council, as such bypassing the authority of the governor, who by law is the one representing the executive council, and the one to sign the letters on behalf of them, not the commissioner.
In this letter, he states that according to the United Nations Charter, the interests of the people of Statia are paramount. Coincidentally, this sounds almost the same as the title of the DP paper ‘The benefits of the people come first’. And this is the crucial point. And I want the people of Statia to pay keen attention.
Up to now, the coalition has not given one shred of proof how the path to autonomy they envision, and want to force down the people’s throat, will benefit them, and that their interests, that are so paramount, are served by this.
Up to now, not a single effort has been put into informing the people what this autonomy means to them. Up to now, the people have not been explained by the coalition at what cost to them this envisioned status change will come about. Up to now, the coalition has failed to explain to the people how they are going to finance their autonomy dream.
Up to now they have not explained if this will be done through a steep increase of taxes or by cut-backs on services and benefits to the people. Up to now, the coalition has not explained to the people what this proposed status change means for their healthcare, for the education of their children, for the economic development of our island, for their pensions, for the infrastructure, for their financial situation, for their jobs!
Up to now, the coalition has not acknowledged that the mere goal of their desired status change is the increase of their personal power, and the riddance of supervision and control on what they are doing.
And please, don’t say all this does not matter as long as it is so-called “freedom” the people will get in return for it. As Clyde van Putten once said: You cannot eat autonomy!
Koos Sneek
