Dear Editor,
Twice there has been a semblance of transparency of government within days. What is happening?
M.C.W. Haynes wrote to you concerning taking children into consideration when setting up immigration policies on both Dutch and French side of the island. I believe what Minister Lee confirmed concerning those 3,000 undocumented persons who are on the SZV list is part of the problem of Haynes’s concern. This is how I look at it.
Three thousand undocumented but on SZV list, there is a strong possibility of their children being born here (my average 1,500 children); and because of compulsory education 1,500 children with a problematic immigration status. Could this also contribute to the financial burden – CFT?
Next, GEBE has been paying NAf. 1,500,000 since 2012 to Seven Seas without getting anything in return for it. I grew up in Aruba seeing water tanks on the few hills that are there and at that time we were already told that those tanks were put there in case of emergency. Being on the hills gravity would help with the pressure to reach areas the furthest from the water plant.
Knowing the deceased Julius Lambert from school and remembering those water tanks, I brought up that point to him many years ago. The topographical layout of St. Maarten would be ideal for reserve water tanks or for the real reason for my suggestion, catch rainwater in those tanks, filter it and distribute it with the help of gravity. All this would reduce the price of water and that dreaded word “brandstof clausule” or “fuel clause.”
It never happened and even more bizarre some Minister did something unheard of…that Minister signed a contract which is “water tight.” That is like getting away with murder, because RST is going after persons who have defrauded government of far less than that. Now it seems like nothing can be done concerning the fact that government will still have to pay a million and a half guilders yearly for the next four years to Seven Seas and associates, for getting nothing in return.
If you are wondering why I insist on mentioning “for getting nothing in return” that is because that water cannot be expended. This reminded me of my suggestion of many years ago. Over the years new laws have been added to the law books because of criminal deeds that were not absorbed in the law. I believe what is being done here with the people’s money is some kind of criminal manipulation and government should not leave this go untouched.
There are many different, positive ways for which that money can be used. For the youth, after school programmes, sports etc. If not build a water park, but Seven Seas should not continue to get that kind of money just because of a strange contract. Could this be considered lack of integrity? Questions – what is the cost to build a water tank? What did CFT approve for 2018?
By the way, I was explained that sending our recruits to the Police Academy in Curaçao is not possible right now.
Russell A. Simmons
