Dear Editor,
I read the article on page 10 of the June 26-27 paper and at once I thought of 'crisis exploitation' and disaster politics'. My thoughts came there because it was not so long ago that MP.LEWIS was involved in or orchestrated the shifting of two prominent police officers from their positions as a result of what the school children call revenge.
Mp. Lewis is requesting an urgent public meeting of Parliament in connection with the rising traffic accidents. Really? With what we have experienced since this coalition is in office, why should we expect positive results?
We do not need any more empty rhetoric from Parliament. "We need action." Almost all of those infractions which are committed by those motorbike riders, are covered in the traffic ordinance. In addition to this, those bikes can be confiscated and destroyed. If this government is ready to throw its hands in the air, then they should go home.
As far as I know, there is a government control unit which was very much involved in controlling the traffic and public transportation in the past.
And it was showing good results until some of those in charge retired. Statistics can prove this. Whoever remained in charge, I can candidly say, let it go down the drain. Parliament meetings are not the solution.
Just as they jumped on the VROMI Minister, they should also jump on the Minister of Justice for not making sure that the youth on St. Maarten held St. Maarten hostage. The solution is action, rigorous traffic control on all divers, including but not exclusive myself. Use the tow truck to tow away drivers who don't have a driver's licence with them.
Literally make them an example. Stop using that bullhorn. Get out of the police car and control whoever is in violation of any traffic law. It might sound harsh, but the drivers are the ones who are, as I see it, go around nonchalantly committing the infractions, because they are not adequately corrected. If they don't want to pay the fine, then they should abide by the law. We don't need to waste any money on useless Parliament meetings.
We need the prosecutor and the Chief of police getting serious so that the police can go to work in the right way. I will repeat: "Directing with a bullhorn is not effective." Drivers drive off while laughing at the police. That article appeared on Friday and on Saturday midday another young man fell off his motorbike while hopping it.
We do not need to reinvent the wheel, the traffic ordinance comprises of laws governing the island's as well as international laws. We need for Mp LEWIS, who ought to know about traffic and traffic signs, to do two things; organise a meeting with the VROMI minister concerning the layout of the bus stops.
And once these bus stops are laid out in the right way and provided with the appropriate bus stop signs, petition the Ministry of Justice to have the police and whichever other entity is authorised to control the behaviour of buses on the public roads, to do so. The controls can start by cleaning up the bus stops and obliging the bus drivers to ONLY stop at bus stops in order to pick up or drop off passengers.
This should continue awaiting the arrival of a bus depot in Philipsburg. Hopefully, this can soon come to fruition, then at least we can see that this government (Ministers as well as Members of Parliament) has accomplished at least something.
This does not take money, it takes adequate governing and policing. The second thing, there are punishments which the prosecutor can apply which do not require direct incarceration. I am sure if applied will be a deterrent.
In ending, I want to reiterate a few things that I know, and I have mentioned in the past. It starts from the very first day. I believe that accepting that: "That child has a mind of it's own" is wrong.
Taking the Bible out of schools is atrocious. The lack of Civics education is disempowering (probably a conversation for Mp. Lewis to start among his colleagues?) Eveytime those who continue to support this look in the mirror, they should remember the ending of this letter and pause. Yes, pause and ask themselves
If I had been treated this way (deprived of this) in my youth, what would I have been today? Or was it a piggyback ride?
Russell A Simmons
