Dear Editor,
History and experience go hand in hand if one is willing to listen and learn from those who have had that experience. Which reminds me of the reason why one would say: “I told you so.”
At a very young age in school we were taught “verbeter de wereld, begin met jezelf” (if you want to better the world, you should begin with yourself). At home I told my mother what I had learned, but I did not know that my father who was a seaman was present. I told my mother if what I had learned was so then the teacher had to start with himself.
This was said because I could not deal with his cigarette smoke and I thought that the teacher was taking advantage because the children dared not tell him anything about his smoking. That is when my father came out of the bedroom and told me not to say anything to the teacher about his smoking in the classroom and that I should not even dare to tell him that if he wanted to better the world that he should begin with himself.
My mother gave me a letter to take to the teacher. He did not stop smoking during the lesson, but he stood by the door and blew the smoke outside. There was neither a confrontation with the teacher, nor parents going to the school to curse the teacher in front of the children. There were just a few words on a nicely folded piece of paper - not even in an envelope.
As I grew older and understood the importance of teachers in my life, Meneer Bruce is one which stands out in my mind, I came to appreciate them even more. No matter how much self-control one has, there is something in everybody’s life which gets at them.
I read in the paper that “education would work to curb the negative behaviour of our youngsters in a system where ‘teachers are capable to handle such situations' and where teachers are provided with the right tools."
The article goes on to mention that we know that Sint Maarten falls short of this department, in spite of the best efforts of those few teachers who are up to the task. Every time I read that kind of rhetoric which comes from a person who from the time I know him writing has always seen a half empty glass when it pertains to education and educators, “malicious” comes to mind.
I am asking myself if there is lingering trauma from school days. Then, what I stated at the beginning of this piece would be adequate personally and in general. Now, this when I read "I thought we would not have to worry" I said, I told you so. Emphasis on I.
If Mr. Ferrier could recall during my tenure in which we had our regular Monday morning staff meetings I made a joke saying that there is an article in 'Strafrecht' which could get them locked up. That topic was not part of the agenda, but something was said concerning the behaviour of certain individuals and I responded with that.
But I have stated it before and I will state it here again. If our MPs do not know where to find work, let them go back to the APK and APV (MP Janchie Leonard knows). Dust them off. The laws may sound antiquated, but all they need is a little adjusting to fit the times. Put them to work, inform our people about them and we do not need to be accused of being a lawless country.
If the MPs do this they can also have the relevant ministers’ departments carry out those updated laws in the correct manner. Do we really need experts and consultants from abroad, costing thousands of dollars to tell us what we already have? Give it to me for coining my ideas. I am not going anyplace, and my taxes will come out of it also.
No right thinking community can blame anyone for doing the right thing. If one goes back to the last interview MP Theo Heyliger had on Oral Gibbes live, when he was asked what he thought about the crime situation in the country, he could not get out of his words for whatever reason, but what he finally said made it appear as if he wished it would be possible to get retired policemen, because of their experience and knowledge of the country and its people.
But, he too is not doing anything for the safety of the community. Did anyone take the time to ask themselves why? Does anyone in law enforcement invite some of the young men on the 'block' to have a talk to find out what’s on their minds? If we continue to talk about the negative things that the 'youngsters' are doing, shouldn’t there be some kind of dialogue in which they can speak out and when necessary explain why things are done in a certain manner and not only in the way they think? Does it always have to be so that “what's in it for me” has to be a factor to get anything started?
We do not need the Jaycees, Kiwanis or Lions for that. There are conference rooms in the police station where these guys could have a mature conversation concerning the negative consequences of crime. The answer to “Why is it necessary to commit crime” should come out of these suggested meetings. We need the crimes to stop.
When are we going to consider this critical? Maybe I should suggest we get the homo movement behind this, they know how to get things done for themselves, or with the help of Holland.
I will repeat, if Holland is committed to send help for the judicial department, send authentic police people not Marechaussees. We do not have border disputes and let the marines take care of the waters.
Russell A. SIMMONS
