Honorable Minister Samuel,
Going towards the end of this summer holiday, we were happy to read that schools in St. Maarten would reopen on (or around) August 10. This was confirmed during the live virtual Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, July 29. The Minister assured that schools would reopen as “education has to continue”. The ministry would focus on ensuring that schools and the community would adhere to three key prevention measures, including wearing masks and/or face shields, proper hand-washing etiquette and maintaining social distancing. The Minister made note of the fact that each school facility is different, and that the ministry would – together with school boards and school managers – determine all school schedules.
As a lot of other schools on the island, our school board and teachers worked for the bigger part of their holidays to be ready for the reopening at the beginning of August. The schools provided us with detailed (practical) procedures, as well as the way they would provide the education. The schools would be opening up for “live” education, but would also provide (some) online learning for children whose parents are not yet comfortable coming to school.
We couldn’t be more surprised after reading the letter of the Minister of July 31, only 2 days after the press briefing and one day before opening the country to US tourism, stating that all schools will start with online learning until further notice. Without any good arguments, the Minister turns his view 180 degrees. We cannot help the feeling that this decision is based on comments on social media and without consultation with the schools of St. Maarten or consideration of the needs of families.
In-person education is an essential service for a nation that expects to thrive. The Honorable Prime Minister has stated that it is critical for St Maarten to become financially independent and economically strong. This will require an investment in children and education that is equal to the investment we have made in tourism. We must invest in our children’s knowledge, skills, as well as their overall mental health and social development.
However, experts (i.e. American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association) agree that isolation from peers during online teaching is a necessity in some cases during the pandemic, but can have long-term negative impacts on the overall well-being of children. The consequences can include social skills deficits, anxiety, depressed mood and a decline in academic skills. This is especially severe for children with disabilities and special needs, who cannot function with an online platform. More importantly, access to the Internet in St Maarten is not equally distributed, meaning many students were lost to follow-up during the last academic year.
Aside from the wellbeing of our children, there’s the practical aspect. School closures also have a negative impact on the workforce in St Maarten. We need the economy to start up again, little by little, and therefore we – parents – need to go back to work. Parents who are providing home schooling to children have also suffered economic and professional hardship as they balance these demands. Women in particular have been expected to carry the burden of home schooling at the expense of their careers. In short, schools are an essential service for a nation that expects to thrive.
For these reasons, schools are opening up all over the world. Scientific studies have proven that there is no specific danger or health risk to children, when proper hygiene steps are followed. Day-cares on the island (with children until the age of 6) already have been reopened for months, without resulting in any (known) new COVID-19 transmission. Without problems, children have been together the whole summer on summer camps, while playing sports and on playdates. But now the Minister decides to keep schools closed; while nightclubs, casinos, hotels and adult entertainment can stay open!
Within the ‘framework’ set by the ministry, we feel it should be up to the schools, parents and teachers collaboratively to decide how the education is given (live, online, or hybrid). We do understand that not everyone feels safe enough yet to send their children to school and that the resources for social distancing are not the same for all schools in St. Maarten. However, it should be everyone’s own choice, and schools should have an opportunity to use the resources they have to find solutions. Now a choice has been made for us, which will weaken one of the most essential fabrics of our society, to not even being able to bring our kids back to school.
We feel confident and safe to start the new school year in person. We therefore kindly ask you to amend the letter of July 31, in line with our request above.
A group of concerned parents of St Maarten.
Dear Editor,
St. Maarten is faced with a new and seemingly more severe outbreak of the COVID-19 respiratory virus. This time, however, more and more people and businesses are prepared, and have already implemented safety measures to prevent infection and to minimize the spread of the virus. Nevertheless, a prevention and mitigation system is as strong as its weakest link. The key element of a successful safety management system is to create a culture whereby the entire society shares the same safety values, upholds the measures and the commits to individual responsibilities.
Global successes, or failures, of safety management systems are becoming more and more clear, whereby we have seen in the United States how inconsistent policies and messages (a broken chain), affect an entire society.
In stark contrast to the latter, East Asian countries like Taiwan have successfully stopped the spread of the virus. Their society proactively protect one another from disease and understand the value of the overall safety management system. It also helps that cultures in most Asian countries, are collectivist in orientation, and although the virus in Taiwan is under control and there are no signs of new community outbreaks, most people are still wearing face masks in public. Their mentality is that the society must protect each other, it’s not only to protect yourself but also to protect others in case you are carrying the virus.
In the beginning of the outbreak health officials were against public use of face masks, because scientists did not yet know how easily COVID-19 spreads between people without symptoms, and how long the virus can linger in the air. Further to that, there was a shortage of respiratory masks among health care workers, which caused a pushback from health officials towards public use.
Today, most scientists and health officials are emphasizing that we must wear masks if we want to save lives and the economy. The Director of the Center for Control and Disease and Prevention (CDC) has stated that “if all wore face coverings for the next 12 weeks across the nation, this virus transmission would stop.”
The main reason face masks are so effective is that they protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected and doesn’t have symptoms, which happens about 80 per cent of the time.
Recent studies also indicate that wearing a mask also protects you as an individual. The less virus load you get in, the less sick you are likely to get, and you get what is called an asymptomatic infection. In some cases you may not have any symptoms at all, or very mildly.
To mask or not to mask? PJIAE’s COVID-19 prevention and Mitigation Taskforce is very clear about this question. Early face mask policies in many East-Asian countries curbed the spread of COVID-19 and saved many lives.
Early in March, PJIAE committed to a $300k investment in upgrading its safety measures, protecting staff, the airport community and St. Maarten’s visitors. A considerable amount of investment has gone to different types of face masks. Today, it can be concluded as undoubtedly proven that face masks are the most effective personal protective equipment. PJIAE also made it mandatory that all airport users must wear a mask once entering the airport. PJIAE also received backing on the enforcement of this rule by formal instruction of the VSA [Public Health, Social Development and Labour – Ed.] Minister, Richard Panneflek, based on article 44 section 1 of the Public Health Ordinance (Lv0 Publieke Gezondheid AB 2016 no. 42), and further supports the Minister’s decision to make it mandatory for persons to wear masks in public places.
Other than the investments PJIAE made in face masks, PJIAE also trained all its staff and its airport community members with proper usage guidelines. It is important that everyone educate themselves on the importance of wearing face masks and how to use them. For those who are interested in the proper usage of face masks and other safety measures, as well as PJIAE’s prevention and mitigation measures, please follow PJIAE’s online training at
https://youtu.be/v5pjK3D2FJ8
Research shows that the face masks, when used, can filter particles smaller than the virus.
Princess Juliana International Operating Company PJIAE N.V.
Dear Editor,
The border conflict involving Oyster Pond has been lasting for more than four years and the end does not seem in sight for a good while. During Hurricane Irma in September 2017, Maggi Shurtleff lost the Captain Oliver’s restaurant. Since then, she has been trying to rebuild. But that is being hindered because of fear for arrests by the French side Gendarmes. France no longer acknowledges the border. Minister Stef Blok of Foreign Affairs fails in helping Maggi. I have asked Minister Blok for clarity, but he keeps dodging the French.
Upon the inception of Captain Oliver’s in 1983, the French considered this area as a part of the Kingdom, but that changed when in 1996 France started to claim the land. French police did several raids and subjected the owner to nasty questioning. Maggi did not receive much protection. Not from the St. Maarten government and not from the Dutch government, which is responsible for guarding the borders of the Kingdom.
Maggi Shurtleff cannot rebuild her restaurant as long as it is unclear in which country her property is located. From written questions that I submitted last year, it became clear that France and the Netherlands in 2014 agreed on a status quo as long as there was no definite decision with regard to the border. France violated that agreement in 2016 by arresting the owner and workers of Captain Oliver’s and subjecting them to interrogations. This French action “went against the agreement,” the Dutch government recognised. Blok acknowledged that Maggi’s fear is rightful. The minister stated that “it cannot be excluded” that the French will again intervene when the restaurant is rebuilt.
From the reply of Minister Blok to my recent request to provide an update, it also became clear that in 2016 preparations started for negotiations with the French, but that these have yielded no results so far. France send a “technical mission” to Oyster Pond in September 2019 – three years after the start of the preparations! We don’t know what this has yielded, because the French still have not shared the findings with the Kingdom. That means that after four years the negotiations still haven’t started. The Netherlands earlier asked the French to come with a practical solution for Captain Oliver’s so Maggi can still rebuild her restaurant. However, France has so far put this request aside.
I don’t know what has gotten into the French to make so much fuss about such a small piece of land. I also don’t understand why the Dutch government allows itself to be bullied in such a manner. How would the French respond when we would suddenly demand a piece of France and arrest French citizens? France is not an enemy state, but an ally in the NATO. We are in the European Union together. But in Saint Martin, Paris behaves as if we are still living in the 17th century.
France has violated the 2014 agreement to maintain a status quo about the borders and has kept the Kingdom waiting for four years to even discuss the matter. I don’t understand why Minister Blok is allowing himself to be fooled like this. Let the French know that we have had it with these political games. Give Maggi Shurtleff the opportunity to finally rebuild her restaurant.
Ronald van Raak,
Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament for the Socialist Party (SP)
Dear Editor,
The Dutch-side economy is what has St. Maarten/St. Martin alive. I must say it, our government has a bunch of weak people. We should also close our border to protect our St. Maarten people from those Europeans bringing COVID-19 on the Dutch side. Furthermore, we should block Air France and let them know they have to use the Grand Case airport to fulfill the French-side requirement because passing through the Dutch side, according to the prefet, presents a major risk.
Sorry for all the French people that work on the Dutch side, you should not come on the Dutch side to work because you present a risk also when going back to the French side, according to your prefet.
Our government in Dutch St. Maarten is a waste to let a European woman control and dictate for us all from her side. Quite frankly you all are a bunch of [weaklings – Ed.].
Her behavior is unacceptable. If the Franco-Dutch treaty does not benefit the St. Maarteners/St. Martiners with Dutch and French nationality the time to abolish it is now.
People in French St. Maarten, your side is the problem. You have to stand up to that woman to defend your relationship with the Dutch side. We must never let a French European foreigner tell us how to run our business. Slavery days are long over.
Our government on the Dutch side, now is the time I want to see strength in defending us. You all want to be independent, you all cannot represent yourself so how can you do it for us. If I was in charge, my response to her would be doing the same thing on my side. We will see who needs whom the most.
I am The Patriot Miguel Arrindell and approve this message.
The Patriot Miguel Arrindell
Dear Editor,
In reference to the governing of an island or country, St. Maarten could have accepted Incapables who were appointed Ministers, or Ministers who turned out to be ineffectuals for personal, political, family, neighborly, economic, and other types of reasons. Understandable to a certain degree.
Now we cannot do so. And should not anymore in the future. Why? Too much is at stake and it has gone on for too long, coupled with the unfortunate and fortuitous corruption factor.
Yes, St Maarten is so-called blessed. But the time has ended to take such labels and situations for granted. The stakes are too high. People’s lives are at risk and the people need to be able to breathe, live decently, and enjoy life without our worrying about tomorrow. Anyone, and I mean any Incapable, can govern in half-decent times. But it takes a crisis to demonstrate if someone can govern well or not.
So far, it has not gone good. Memories are short so we tend to forget. But not those persons and families who have lost someone during this pandemic. In light of this drastic time, it is essential we get it right on many fronts.
We seem to be always two or three steps behind, not thinking ahead nor through, providing inept news or updates, while at the same time thinking of ourselves as the opposite – brilliant, on top of things, transparent.
Only a fool, and an existentialist, has no sense of reality and surrounds him or herself with fungibles. And the current increase in COVID-19 cases proves the point.
We should have begun tightening our belts progressively and congruently the moment the borders were being opened. Now we are in this mess again, heightened vigilance, uber careful, and on edge.
Fathers, mothers, children, aunts, brothers, sisters, grandparents, uncles, cousins, guardians, etc. – all are at risk and some could die. Yes, we need to open. But we needed to protect and to mitigate (note the use of “mitigate” instead of “prevent”) as best as we can.
Only a blind man could not have foreseen the current situation, from the party boat to the large gatherings whether in clubs or the lax attitudes in wearing face masks and not social distancing. In addition, with the opening to the region and rest of world it doesn’t take a genius to see that we needed to start tightening the belt, to withdraw from gatherings, and reduce our social privileges.
Why measures weren’t taken is not a mystery; it’s pure lack of minimal competence. I resign.
Pedro de Weever
