Dear Editor,
In the paper of October 6, 2020, I read two articles concerning the police, one from Statia and one from St. Maarten.
I have to congratulate Chief Robelto Hodge for the candid and professional manner in which he responded to the allegations against Statia’s police officers.
Chief Hodge mentioned that “one of the benefits of working on Statia is that everyone knows everyone.” I had the pleasure of working as acting chief of police on Statia on several occasions and I would have had added what I thought Chief Hodge tactically omitted: “and everybody is aware of the activities of everyone.”
I dare mention this because during my tenure on Statia I always expressed that the crime rate on Statia could become nihil if everybody would use that knowledge and police each other, for the good of Statia. I used to tell them that if you see wrongdoing and do not do anything about it, it is just as if you yourself are promoting wrongdoing.
I believe that we are all aware of the interpretation of Proverbs 13:24.
Chief Hodge outlined precisely what policing is about. The people of Statia should save that article and visit it regularly.
The other article concerning the police is the departure of the National Police. I do not understand why all this explanation. Did we really not expect this? I can really see the lack of the knowledge of the Dutch language and their sayings. What happened to “Ik ken mijn pappenheimers”? Do we really not know who we are dealing with? If you empty the glass of its content and do not replenish it, what do you expect?
Do we really believe that COVID-19 is the sole reason for not being able to adapt to the numbers anticipated? I was sixteen years old and had an indelible experience in school with Dutch teachers. So, I am automatically alerted with whom I’m dealing. I grew up and even though I believe in forgiveness, there is always that alert signal when dealing with certain situations. I was a police officer recruited and trained by the Dutch and was taught to always have a “back-up plan” in case the original plan did not work out. So, I do not believe that there was no “what if” question.in the deliberation concerning the period of time that the National Police would be here.
And why leave in August without replacement knowing that the hurricane season is not predictable Would I be wrong in assuming that the Dutch are using this tactic to cover up abuse of power? And then I ask myself, do they really have the people of St. Maarten at heart? Why should 60,000 people have to pay for the deeds of 50 people?
There is a saying in Dutch “Boontje komt om zijn loontje”. I was sitting among some people when the news broke that Donald Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus. My first reaction was “Oh no”. One of the people there said to me, “How you mean ‘oh no’, that is Donald Trump. He got what he deserved.” This made me think of that Dutch saying.
I looked up the meaning of the word “empathy” in the Dutch dictionary and it explains “De vermogen zich in te leven in de gevoelens van anderen” (the ability to understand and share the feelings of others). This kind of behavior reminds me of Genesis 4 (Cain and Abel), and that Dutch saying again comes to mind.
When I was small I was always taught “Do what I say, don’t do what I do”. Later we hear that children become what they see and not what you tell them. If this is so, then why should the Dutch think that we are the ones who are not following the rules? I know that I will never condone wrongdoing, but is this not confusing?
Russell A. Simmons
