Dear Editor,
Do you know what is considered garbage here on Sint Maarten? Coming from me, I believe you would expect me to have an idea. But when cut grass has to be bagged and if not bagged, one is threatened with a fine of NAf.1000 if deposited in those large garbage bins along the road, then I do not know.
All of this I found out because in the week of August 7th to the 12th, after 20 years of depositing cut grass in whatever kind of garbage bin I used over those years, my garbage was not collected. On informing in the neighbourhood, I found out that several other bins were also not emptied which also contained cut grass. Mind you, not branches from trees, just plain old everyday cut grass.
I thought that I was out of touch with the trash business, but more people in the neighbourhood were also not aware of the – what we accept as stipulations concerning garbage collection – if there are any. I know that more and more environmentalists are convincing their governments of the damage the use and not correct disposal of plastic bags is causing to the ecology of the country. Since a few years now legislation has been introduced and dealt with but not completed, to get rid of plastic bags.
When we are obliged to bag our cut grass, what bags are we supposed to use? And then that threat of a fine of one thousand guilders, is this the law? Should we really pay a fine for trying to keep Sint Maarten clean?
Then there is talk about legalizing gypsies. When government cannot place bus stops on government-owned land to help regulate (bus) traffic. When bus permit holders determine which routes they are going to service, creating even more attractive routes for gypsies, what is there to be expected? Should I be surprised if garbage collectors lay down their own laws?
The banana plant is a very useful and a nourishing plant that is why I do not appreciate the term 'banana republic', but this kind of proceeding of government invites these observations. While we are on the topic of garbage, let me state this. I was told on several occasions that I should clean my car. That is because if I did not take a bag along with me in which I can put my garbage, because I do not throw my garbage on the road. I will accept being told that my car is dirty before throwing garbage on the road.
But this is not about me. I am still convinced that Sint Maarten is the only place with plastic-bottle trees, beside fruit trees. I am on the road at least five times a week. I pass those young men either with weed eaters or garbage bags cleaning the side of the road and gathering up the paper and plastic bottles from the side of the road, and promptly the next morning there is the same number of bottles and same amount of paper or sometimes even more.
Since the saying is 'It's raining cats and dogs' those bottles have to be falling off the trees, because I really do not believe there are so many inconsequential people on this piece of rock. By the way, isn't grass biodegradable?
Russell A. Simmons
