Dear Editor,
I believe that the editor of a renowned newspaper is one of the most accurately informed people in a community, because the letters to the editor are usually based on the true sentiments of the writer, even though the writer is aware that it is the prerogative of the editor to print or not to print. The Editor of this newspaper should know by now that I am an advocate of fairness and doing things right. My people are my people, but they can be wrong also, as well as people may not share my opinion. My assessment may not be always correct, but then again, I am big enough to accept my shortcomings.
Because of circumstances sometimes I hold back in order to let others in the community comment on situations. Along with that, I believe that the government is responsible for whatever happens in the country, whether good or bad. There are a few more things that I do not think should be taking place, and I maintain that it is because leaders of political parties chose party members they could manipulate, and that for me is robbing the people of good governance and lining their own pockets on behalf of the people.
This has manifested itself in the community in such a way that because of lack of adequate controls there is no price control in the different places of business. What irks me most is the daily changes in the prices in the supermarkets.
Every time a few cases of, for example, whole kernel corn are taken out of the original container where the rest came from the price is raised at least ten cents per tin and put on the shelf. But who cares?
We just had elections and the data on the voting cards was a combination of both English and Dutch (Name .....Adres....,...Zitting:8:00 A.M.-8:00 P.M.). but my real reason for choosing to write this letter to you is because on several occasions people (primarily foreigners) have written magazines with information about St. Maarten of which the information was not always accurate. I would always ask myself, “Should not there be someone from the Tourist Bureau going over this information before these books, leaflets or magazines are published?”
I’m thinking of the word “sue”. I doubt that there is anyone who doing this. And if they are doing it they are doing a very bad job. This happens. It is as if whoever gets the idea about it feels free to come to St. Maarten and publishes magazine(s) about St. Maarten and what happens here, because no one from here checks to see whether what is written and published about us is good, bad or indifferent.
On page 16 of a magazine WHERE’S, WHERE published by Robert D. Espitia it depicts most common traffic signs and emergency telephone numbers. There are 34 traffic signs with the meaning written below each sign. Of these 34 signs the explanation under five of them is wrong. The explanation is not only wrong, but can easily create dangerous situations. “Bicycle crossing” is written under the sign that means “prohibited for bicycles”; “speed limit” is written under the “minimum speed” sign; “no turn” is written under the “one way road” sign; “road broken or speed bump” is written under the “speed bump” sign.
Believe it or not, under the warning sign which means “be careful, you are approaching a playground, where children could be enjoying themselves”, yes, “local preference crossing” is written. Local preference crossing tells the driver that he/she has the right of way at that intersection. What would we do to our tourists who adhere to that explanation of the meaning of that sign and as a consequence knock down a child?
This magazine was published since September 2019, but I ran across it on Monday last, so I am hoping that my friends in the area of Lee’s restaurant do let me know that I missed the boat. But I believe that it is never too late to point out danger.
My people told me that I should add some of those sayings from the old people to my letters to you, so here we go. “The only people you should get even with are those who helped you”, which should disqualify “Revenge is a dish served cold”.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
If there is not enough money on the budget created by the road tax, most likely the roads will not be repaired adequately. And the way things look, if the right steps are not taken to collect the road tax this would not be fair to those vehicle owners who faithfully and yearly comply with the laws governing motor vehicle taxes.
To sum it up correctly let me begin by stating that I strongly believe that public transportation belongs in the hands of the public (government); government does not oblige anyone to buy a motor vehicle, even though government facilitates the use of the motor vehicle by providing roads for the owners and also lays down laws and stipulates rules and regulations for the motor vehicle owners and users.
One of those laws is the motor vehicle taxes which includes the license plates which distinguish the motor vehicles from each other.
In addition to that there is a law governing the illegal use of the number plates and conditions under which the number plates should be returned to the Receiver. The number plates belong to government.
We who complied and paid for motor vehicle taxes for the year 2019 were short-changed by government for giving in to the demands of those ignorant people who protested against putting “50 years of Carnival” on the number plates, which are not theirs. Fact is, St. Maarten did celebrate 50 years of Carnival and those same people who protested against that number plate were front and possibly center during the Carnival celebrations I know this because some of their cars were parked along the Carnival route with their number plates from 2018.
Because of the unprofessional manner in which government handled the matter by providing stickers for the protesters, millions of guilders in revenue was not collected, because of delinquency of both protesters and others. No money in the coffers, no roads maintained, the law-abiding citizens short-changed.
Thousands of numbers were not paid for, but also no reason for not returning the plates that were not paid for was given. So, by rights no payments in 2020 for 2020 if payment for 2019 was not done without a valid reason should be accepted. In other words pay for 2019 and 2020. Ignorance of the law is no excuse If one knows how to make illegal use of the flaw in the law created by that protest against the 50 years of Carnival, one should also know of the law under which circumstances one should return the plates.
If these steps are not taken by government, then government will be responsible for creating tax-evasion and tax-dodgers. We need that money to put back the signboards in the right places. I am constantly turning back tourists from going up Back Street (L’Escargot alley), driving in the wrong direction by Hong Kong restaurant, straight through again to Back Street. Maybe some of that money used to put down those bus stop huts and the bushalte signboards could be used for “One way” signs that would help guarantee road safety..
Russell A. Simmons
Partnerships – between governments and between the public and private sectors – are key to delivering the quality infrastructure that populations across the hemisphere are seeking. The U.S. government is working to strengthen these linkages through a newly expanded initiative called Growth in the Americas.
Latin American and Caribbean countries are partnering with the United States under this initiative to improve transparency, combat corruption, and strengthen governance. Through these partnerships, we will develop enabling environments for private sector investments in infrastructure that are sustainable, transparent, competitive, and in line with international best practices. The goal is to help the private sector create high-quality infrastructure of all types – energy, airports, seaports, roads, telecommunication and digital networks.
We are focusing expertise and resources from across the US government to help the region identify and address barriers to investment. We know that many companies hesitate to invest for a variety of concerns, which leaves our regional partners with fewer options to bridge the significant infrastructure investment gap.
Barriers can include lengthy permitting processes, opaque procurement processes, and burdensome regulations. The United States’ growing collaboration with the region on digital economy and cybersecurity priorities is just one example of the great opportunities for shared growth around shared values. I am proud to say we are expanding the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership (DCCP) to the Western Hemisphere, helping us leverage public-private partnerships and technical assistance to support the digital infrastructure development that the region and its people need.
Other examples of our partnership at work include our cooperation with Panama to improve its credit rating by two grades, resulting in more affordable energy infrastructure for the Panamanian people. In Argentina, OPIC announced in September more than $1 billion in loan guarantees to support energy and road infrastructure. Other resources include USAID’s Caribbean Energy Initiative, which aims to help the region create an enabling environment that promotes investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Additionally, the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative (CESI) Loan Guarantee program aims to mobilize $25 million in private finance for non-oil energy projects and small-scale renewable energy projects, improving access to capital for businesses to reduce energy cost and improve clean energy production, as well as promoting small- and medium sized enterprise growth and competitiveness.
The U.S. government recognizes that more needs to be done together with regional governments and the private sector to promote growth in the region’s infrastructure. We share strong ties and similar values. Fundamental to those shared values are a belief in democratic government and peaceful self-expression, and fairness and equality for all.
We look forward to working with you to expand economic growth and jobs by paving the way to quality infrastructure.
Allen S. Greenberg
Consul General and Chief of Mission to the Dutch Caribbean
Curaçao on the shirt of Ajax. Good for many interesting discussions, but also good for the most absurd discussions. However! The phenomenon Curaçao on the shirt of a Dutch professional club is not new.
From 2014 to 2017, Curaçao was on the NEC shirt. There was no discussion then. Or would it be because at NEC the multi-millionaire Gregory Elias paid the bill and now the CTB?
The point is that shirt advertising is an investment. Ajax attracts a lot of publicity, much more than NEC. And that’s what matters.
Ajax will soon be coming to the training camp here in the sun. All football gods who take photos on Knip Bay and post it on their Instagram.
That’s what it’s about. It’s not all that difficult. The only thing I would like to see is that the word “Visit” is embroidered. That would make it perfect!
Steven Walroud
Member of Parliament for PAR
Dear Editor,
“A Layman Speaks Out” – a title I like, and the name of a book by my husband’s great uncle, the late Frederick Reissman.
Fueled by the somewhat degrading article in Friday’s Daily Herald by Eugene Robinson, “Trump’s Obsession with Obama Spurred Iranian Crisis”, I too am alarmed but for a different reason, which I will so note.
First, I notice not mentioned was the correct title when referring to a past president, or current president, which I believe is a bit disrespectful of the office held by either president.
Differing from your opinion, I believe President Trump used tremendous restraint by not taking action sooner than he did, considering past atrocities that
have been committed.
I prefer not to use name-calling, or direct self-identifying quotes that have
been used in recent times. I also believe President Trump’s speech following the most recent attack was well done, without regard to any political parties, nor personal associations. I too, am alarmed about the threat of further division of USA, by people using politics to create even more division, which I believe is at least part of their motivation.
As a legal, tax-paying citizen of the US, I always wanted an explanation from a knowledgeable source, the purpose of a tremendous amount of money (so large in quantity that it had to be placed on brick pallets packed in a large airplane). It has been reported that the money was in small currencies, and in different countries’ legal tenders. I was not close enough to identify the origin of an abundant amount of this cash, whether pounds, euros or whatever. I did see with my own eyes it being loaded on plane, bound for Iran. Please don’t tell me this was frozen bank account money, nor interest due from such accounts, from a bank or banks in North America. It was more than millions for sure. I would be happy to hear of the purpose of this money from a reliable, authenticated source. My email is available at The Daily Herald in St. Maarten.
Also mentioned was a racial issue. There was nothing racial about this cash.
I am not racist now for many years, although honestly I admit many years ago, I did have an undercurrent of a form of racism, which I rid myself of with education, advancing years, and life’s experiences.
I personally had great expectations for Past President Obama, in spite of some of his remarks, especially being our first man of color to be our President. However, I was more than disappointed.
As for Obamacare health insurance, it proved to be too expensive for those it was created for. I am fortunate enough to purchase my own insurance. I also know from my background that everyone gets taken care of. Unfortunately, it does sometimes require a lot of effort though. Most level 1 trauma center hospitals in the US budget a sizable amount each year for free care. I am not going to get into specifics of fiscal budgets, which I personally have experience with, as they are lengthy, complex, and hard for many to understand.
Also realize teaching hospitals most often need to give an amount of free care, not only for society, but for their residents’ experience, under credible and authenticated supervision of private staff physicians, always assigned to individual or appropriate groups of interns and residents. It’s a two-way street, even though, at times in the past, it has been somewhat one-sided. Having personally experienced this situation, I feel qualified to address it, and am pleased to report it has improved in recent years. Nonetheless, there is still much that can be done to improve the present health coverage, although it is present in many forms, often too complex for some elderly to comprehend.
I am happy to have a strong military force to back up our country, which makes me feel safe; hopefully never to be used to its maximum capacity.
Differences of opinions are always good, providing an educational forum as long as they are always kept in a respectful form.
Isn’t that what we are all about – learning from each other, and exchanging ideas, for the betterment of all people regardless of religion, color, or political agendas?
Respectfully,
Ruth Macdonald
