Dear Editor,
Please allow me some space in The Daily Herald to voice my gratitude, and, hopefully, that of all St. Martiners, to Mme. Marie-Aimé Gamess Fleming for her long years of devoted and discreet service to the Saint Martin community. Marie-Aimé Fleming spent her entire career serving St. Martiners at the Sous-Préfecture in Marigot. We wish her the best of health and happiness in her ongoing retirement, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, and cherished by all of her relatives and friends in Saint Martin, in Martinique and elsewhere.
When I first met Mme Fleming, back in the early ’60s, I was in my late teens; she was then newlywed and in her mid-20s: the prettiest lady I had ever seen. My cousin Justin had the very good fortune of meeting her in Martinique where, for a time, he lived and worked. As I listened to him relate to my mother (his aunt) how he was smitten with his Marie-Aimé the first time he saw her; how he pursued her until she accepted to befriend him and, eventually, to become his wife; she stood quietly, with a big smile on her face.
She seemed oblivious to the conversation, and for a very good reason: Marie-Aimé did not understand a word of English. But her love for my cousin was written all over her demeanor, and in her face – in her eyes – more than anywhere else. She was slim to perfection with the waist of a wasp and the sweetest of smiles; her hair was long, very long, and the color of her eyes: ebony – jet black – astonishing! I was captivated by her elegance, by her charm; as Ruby Bute might put it, by “all the love in her eyes,” and by the beauty of her name: Marie-Aimé! What a pity such a name has fallen into disesteem.
After serious studies in Martinique that had prepared Marie-Aimé Gamess for a career in the “Trésorerie de la Martinique” (Public Finances and Management), she followed her husband back to Saint Martin where she began a career at the newly installed Sous-Préfecture in Marigot. And it is there, “on the Fort Hill,” at a stone’s throw from where would become her home, in Galisbay, that Marie-Aimé Fleming spent her entire career working at the Sous-Préfecture, managing the Sous-Préfet’s office, serving all St. Martiners.
Though married to a Fleming, Marie-Aimé never once succumbed to partisanship; never once did Mme. Fleming intentionally misfile the documents of anyone – no matter the person’s social status, no matter their political affiliation. Over the years, the Sous-Préfets came and they departed; so did, at a slower rate, the Mayors and some other officials. And they all left Mme. Fleming at her desk organizing the arrivals, and the departures and everything else in between.
Over the years I visited with Marie-Aimé and Cousin Justin at their home in Galisbay. I looked forward to the hour or two I spent in their company, usually in the afternoon, on their back balcony. The most gracious of hostesses, Mémé always insisted that I have something to eat, and that I drink some of her freshly made lemonade while we chatted and reminisced. From the balcony, I admired an amazing number of their more regular visitors: Sucriers, Sugar Birds or Yellow Breasts that Cousin Justin used to feed, somewhat in atonement for having slain some of their kind when he was a boy.
Some years after the passing of my cousin, on one of my visits, as I gazed in wonder at Marie-Aimé’s frantic feathered guests, she explained that they were Justin’s friends, the whole lot of them; that they had forgiven him everything. Tu sais, ce sont les amis de Justin, ils sont nombreux; ils lui ont tout pardonné. She was smiling jokingly, almost laughing; and I was jolted back to that very first time I had met her.
Dedicated and discreet, Marie-Aimé Fléming remains the person she has always been: that lady “on the Fort-Hill, in the Sous-Préfet’s office,” always patient, always kind and courteous. She was always there – eager to help St. Martiners as best she could, no matter their political leaning. In that office, during some 40 years or more, Mme. Fleming served all St. Martiners with devotion, with dedication, with fairness and integrity.
Like most West Indian mothers of her generation and of later times, Marie-Aimé Fleming is also the solid sturdy hand that helped to keep her family ship afloat and on course; she made it unsinkable even during the worst of storms, none of them more trying, I presume, than when my cousin, her Justin, suffered a severe stroke and was cared for, at home, until his passing several years later.
The life and career of Marie-Aimé Gamess Fleming are exemplary in every sense of the word and she is worthy of the highest of praises. In praising her, I praise my own long deceased mother, who loved Marie-Aimé dearly, as well as all the departed, and all of the living, breathing mothers of this land, without whom St. Martiners – we, male St. Martiners, in particular – would be an even sorrier bunch of misfits.
Some months ago, I had planned a visit with Mme. Fleming; I had not seen her for a good while, and she had had some serious health issues which she had managed to overcome, thanks to her indomitable will, to the loving care of her family, and of her doctors in St. Martin and in Martinique. The scheduled meeting was not possible: COVID-19 made it too dangerous. But I look forward to visiting with Mme. Fleming and her sugar birds as soon as she is able to see me.
Gérard M. Hunt
Dear Editor,
Almighty Father, on this celebration of St. Martin Day we humbly lift up to You our country and our leaders. We beseech You, dear Lord, to bestow your blessing on our country so that it may be bountiful and productive, free from unemployment, hunger, and poverty. Protect us from natural disasters and crime. Bless our leaders so that they may administer the affairs of our country with integrity, honesty, free from lust of power and money; free from partisanship and partiality.
May our leaders abide in You as You abide in us, dear Lord, so that they may conduct our affairs in accordance to Your will for us. We pray, dear Lord, that our citizens, especially our young people, may grow to know You and serve You. We pray that they may reject all negative influences on their lives.
Spread Your Holy Spirit across the land so that this nation St. Martin may be one which lives to the honour and glory of Your name. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
While decolonization can be viewed from many varying perspectives, it is important to define what decolonization means for St. Maarten. In 1955, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) did an assessment of The Kingdom Charter, and stated exactly how the Netherlands could fully decolonize St. Maarten, and by extension, its sister islands of the former Netherlands Antilles.
Firstly, UNGA pointed out that the appointment of governors by the Netherlands, and the powers they exercise, was in conflict with a “full measure of self-government”. The same applies to Articles 43, 44, 50, and 51 of the Kingdom Charter. Once those articles are struck from the Kingdom Charter, St. Maarten will be fully decolonized.
Making the Kingdom Charter UN compliant does not require a referendum or complicated and lengthy negotiations. St. Maarten would then become an independent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with a “full measure of self-government” meaning that the Kingdom will no longer exercise any authority in any way, shape, or form in St. Maarten.
An immediate benefit of finalizing our decolonization is that St. Maarten will be able to join the East Caribbean Court of Justice system. Our legal system will then be in English which is the spoken language of St. Maarten. All of our students would then be able to become judges and lawyers, because the legal system will be in English, the language they speak.
It is worth mentioning that only 21 of the 76 members (28 per cent) of the UNGA voted in favor of the Kingdom Charter as presented in 1955. The primary reason for such a low approval rate was that the UNGA did not believe that the Kingdom Charter gave the former Netherlands Antilles a full measure of self-governance or a right to self-determination.
Lastly, United Nations Resolution 945X states that only the UNGA has the competency to determine whether a territory has been fully decolonized.
Pro Soualiga Foundation
Dear Editor,
The United Democratic Party of St. Maarten extends congratulations to President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris of the United States of America.
To all the American people for massively exercising their fundamental democratic right to elect their President and Senate and House representatives: “You have demonstrated that the power of the people is by the ballot.”
History has been made showing that regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity, barriers have been broken. Imagine, how many girls and women have been inspired around the world by seeing Kamala Harris as VP-Elect.
Locally in our own country, we can stand proud of all the barriers broken in our political environment over the years. You truly can be anyone you want to be, even in the highest office in St. Maarten.
We wish you wisdom as you prepare for the transition to a new administration and we look forward with great anticipation to the new White House term and good relations with the Caribbean Region.
While the global challenges are daunting and magnified in small island developing states such as ours, the outcome of the US election gives us hope.
We look towards a renewed impetus in relations overall and in the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) for our micro island state in particular and look forward to the new year and new Administration with much hope and anticipation.
God bless the USA and Sint Maarten.
United Democratic Party of St. Maarten
Dear Editor,
Chained dogs are neglected or abused dogs. Most of times since they are puppies, they are permanently chained, for life. Typically this means the dog is rarely provided water; unlikely to have suitable shelter; inadequately fed proper food; infested with fleas or worms; unregistered nor micro-chipped; timid or aggressive around people due to limited human interaction; never exercised, groomed or bathed.
Dogs need to mate at least once every 6 months, if not they become frustrated and nerved, leading in aggressiveness and frustration. Owners refuse to have them neutered or spayed. They live in the 15th century where population needed to be naturally extended. Actually there is an “overpopulation” in a contrast of human “poor education”.
A friend told me that one day there was a children’s party in the neighborhood where no fenced walls were built as yet. The neighbors next door left a small chained dog for the first time; it was desperately crying, barking louder, could be hear 200 meters or more. Even with the children’s joyful noise, the dog kept on crying. Nobody – anybody went to help the desperate dog!
There was easy access at dog location; owners were off island, a family member left to take care of the small dog but decided to chain it outside, locked doors and windows, no way to contact the caretaker. The small dog’s suffering lasted all night, it was totally ignored from start to end until the party was over! All night, small dog was crying, it was almost impossible to sleep thinking what to do. Next day a volunteer decided to take the little dog for a walk violating the property privacy, and returned it a couple of hours later. The education parents could transfer to their kids “not to ignore animal suffering”!
This is the very sad situation with chained pit-bulls. People have to be carefully cautious, it could be dangerous to confront dog’s owner on this circumstance. Families that adopted these dogs and have kids, it’s generally a dangerous combination. Their frustration could be bigger for the dogs, simply because kids must have preference. Parents don’t find the time to teach their kids to be compassionate and create a good environment between dogs and family.
In order to raise awareness of these “forgotten” dogs, public awareness and persistent “education” on this issue is extremely “urgent” and important. There should be a time declared as “Unchain a Dog” Month. It is urgently needed to help all lonely, neglected dogs in your neighborhood.
To call an authority if a dog’s life is in immediate danger is an ordeal, still we can try. Authorities are busy with many other issues. If chaining could be declared illegal there could be hope for the suffering of all dogs within torturing circumstances in all Caribbean islands. It is important to analyze if European ordinances related to the protection of animal life could be applied. We need to look up if those laws exist and could be applied locally.
Educate your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers about the suffering that chained dogs endure. Pit-bull dogs are given in adoption to non-compassionate or low level sensitivity people who do not care for animal suffering, not remorse not signs of caring of their loneliness and tormentors chains.
Given in adoption to low level or uneducated people that do not care about hot tiny uncomfortable improvised house without shade, not if the dog is almost burning into this small house being a terrible torment that seems to be interminable.
Many neglected dogs’ lives could have been forever changed if someone cared enough to offer to take them for a walk or give them toys and treats and some much-needed love! You could be that someone and make a world of difference.
The best way to help chained dogs is to work with country legislators to ban chaining. How to get the resources to help someone.
Dog fights, although illegal, still organized on clandestine places. Unfortunately, before these fights, dogs have to be trained within a bloody environment. And the other victims were small dogs or other species. Dog-fight trainers and trainees can live without any remorse or compassion.
Encourage our family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers to call, write, and meet with their local associations or foundations dedicated to defend animals. Request the creation of a dog-chaining ordinance.
Need for chaining laws: For example, a ban on chaining is preferable to a time limit on chaining and the surrounded conditions.
People can’t imagine how healthy is to walk their dogs. Families with kids should share this activity, especially if dogs are in a close small cage or space where they can barely move or feel lonely. Teach kids to improve our environment.
Name withheld at author's request.
