Dear Editor,
Once again I have to react to what I consider incompetence in our government. I do not know when permission was requested, but I know it is the government who gives permission, so it is incompetence of government and I believe it is the Prime Minister who should take the blame for the following.
I have always said it and maintain these principles that no nation should parade the streets of my country independently, demonstrating the colours and flags of their country. A consulate or designated private venue should be the place. Even though our Carnival for me has deteriorated in quality and calibre (excess drunkenness and vulgarity), and we have disregarded all the rules and laws governing dress code in public, we still take the Lenten season into consideration and have the minimum number of activities during Lent.
On Sunday last, however, the annual Dominican Republic Independence Day celebration took to the streets of Sint Maarten again in the form of a Carnival celebration, both with load music and dress in the middle of Lent.
Our Carnival was looked down upon in the past for that, so what do we stand for? Who have we become? Are we going to permit every country to organize a Carnival of their own here? Are we obliged to the Dominican Republic or any other country that we have to permit them to do things in our country, which we do not permit our own people to do?
Ironically, our governor just completed a working visit to MPC in which he underscored the importance of education and civics to the students, and here is our government contributing to diminish our value as a people.
Russell A. Simmons
