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 15^th 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.

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,

  I believe that lack of transparency could be among others the cause for assumption and speculation. It is a while now that we have not heard much about the kingdom relations between St. Maarten and Holland and about the financial regulations. The term is “when you put two and two together” so because I, as a citizen of the Dutch kingdom, am curious to know why the silence? I did not write “hush hush”. I wrote “silence”. So yes, why the silence?

  I put two and two together and then I did like we all do, I asked questions and one person suggested that it could be possible because they closed down the phone in each other’s ear. That was news to me, but it made sense even though it is petty and childish, if that is so.

  I am writing this because I am inclined to believe that it is something personal. Why would Curaçao get all that and more to come, whereas the rest of the equal partners are not talking about each other? Could this be a way of paying back and showing each other who is who because of that phone-in-ear-closing, while making use of the CFT?

  Again I’m thinking is this really that deep? Was the urgency to “get back at you” so strong? There is no way anyone could convince me that all of this was not already prepared, and that hardball was not played? Even though I know that such an act is clearly the lack of professionalism, I believe that that phone-in-ear-closing unleashed the tiger and the urgency to pay back was too strong.

  At least now we have an idea of what we can get. But I would be cautious, because there are many roads which lead to Rome. Good boxers do not close the phone in each other’s ear, they continue fighting while keeping their guards up.

  By the way I read something about A.O.W. [old age pension – Ed.] and one of the reactions in the social media was that the Dutch are going to stall its execution until all eligible pensioners are dead and then they will not have to pay anyone, anymore.

Russell A. Simmons