Dear Editor,
The happenings in November 2016 are somewhat disturbing. Well known businessman’s detention extended, border partition personally investigated by the Prime Minister, Members of Parliament boycotting of St. Maarten Day celebration and load-shedding causing all kind of damage to the whole island.
Before I continue permit to call attention to the health department to go out there and inspect produce which has to be kept frozen – current, no current, frozen, defrosted, refrozen etc. I am not any kind of engineer, so this would be speculative.
Because we know that for instance maintenance will cause load-shedding, which as it is now for instance three times a day two hours long for several days, could not a schedule be made and publicized for which area there would be load-shedding once a day for six hours straight? So that everyone could prepare for that particular day in that period when there will be no current? Baring emergencies of course.
To continue with my intro, transparency of government has always been my concern, because the police have always been the department scrutinized by everyone and believe it or not it is the only department where there are no secrets. Because ninety five per cent of what is done by the police, people who are not police people are involved. And, the police work is always judged.
But there where it is said that there should be transparency of government there are the least visible and publicized happenings, deals, meetings etc. One of the things that I have been trying to make clear in several ways was said to me this week of which I made a note and in doing so I have come up with the definition of a Minster of government of St. Maarten: A person who is being supervised by 15 people who know much less than him/her.
Since 10-10-‘10 there have been about five new Members of Parliament. I stand to be corrected. The rest change in membership in the parties was due to ship-jumping, not new members. We have had even more Ministers and every time the question is asked, why can’t we get professionals in the field to occupy the concerned Ministry, it boils down to the same thing. Either the professional’s level is far above that of Members of Parliament which makes communication difficult or the Members of Parliament demand what is their rights – whether qualified or not to hold the position.
I finally got that definition and that is so true here in St. Maarten, because any time the level of education is not even a criteria to become either a Member of Parliament or even a Minister of government then that is the cause of exactly what we have now. Any Dick and Harry who has that kind of courage can become a member of government. And the party leaders do not show any discretion as long as that person could bring in the votes.
So because the people ought to know I am asking, why is the Prime Minister spending sleepless nights on the Captain Oliver Border dispute? Going so far as to even boycott the St. Maarten day event. Why did those Members of Parliament attend that celebration even though it was decided that the Dutch side would not attend the official part of the celebration? And what is the reason for Tochi’s detention to be extended?
A few years back I asked questions similar about the head of the VDSM case and never got an answer and then all of sudden a few years after the Dutch came up with some new law and arrested that young man. What are the real reasons? Reporters do your job. Ask the tough questions and keep asking.
Russell A.Simmons
