Dear Editor,

  Every time I read anything about taxes, I get uneasy. I have mentioned this to several people to get their opinion and everybody agrees with my point of view. I started to work for the government of the Netherlands  Antilles in 1965, was transferred to Sint Maarten in 1975, and have worked here until I retired in 2006. All I did over those years was to literally work for the communities in which I lived, I swore to protect and serve and that is what I did.

  Because what I did was teamwork I will continue with “we”. Besides combating crime, we had to combat fires. Yes, we were firemen, besides our regular hours on the job. Fire trucks were stationed in every area where there was a compound of police houses and we were expected to man those fire trucks and go fight those fires whenever and wherever it was requested.

  When we got to the Windward Islands, it became more interesting. Along with firefighting we were ambulance attendees and were called upon and expected to assist the nurses during the night shift at Sint Rose Hospital. I do not know who they are, but I was told there are one or two people in government who were born in the hands of policemen who assisted the nurses during their delivery. I know this to be the case with a young man who lives in the Netherlands.

  There was no army in the Windward Islands, so in case of pending riots (thankfully these were at a minimum) we held the fort. I am not writing this to – as we would say – “big up” ourselves, but to point out that we literally served the community. So, when I hear that approximately only 35 per cent of the working population pay taxes, and that I and so many like me are still paying taxes, then there is a whole lot more of the working population who are not paying taxes. And to paraphrase what someone told me, “Why should I be paying for politicians’ clothes?”

  I dedicated 41 years of my life paying taxes and 13 years later I am still paying taxes. I earnestly believe that our tax collecting system has to be urgently revisited. 

Russell A. Simmons

Dear Editor,

  Oh yes, wow wow, it is the truth – St. Maarten Opposition’s performance is the worst in the past. It is the truth. They are not creative in the past, if someone got a problem they are nowhere to assist the public.

  Wow, l am feeling something. Lenny heading for leadership of NA party. Well, what Jacob will do if it happens? Sarah will always get a job.

  DP, UP, UD parties and their supporters have done and are doing great developing St. Maarten. All UD party government got to do right now is to focus on the poor people’s needs (and listen to its people at all times).

 Such as the pensioners and Irma victims

Bus service for the east side of the Island.

Lower ministers’ and parliamentarians’ salary.

 Increase minimum wage early next year.

 Adjust the house rents payments, it’s too high.

 Adjust cost of living on St Maarten.

 Focus on the dump problems.

 Build ball parks and community centres.

 Help the youth and citizens of St Maarten.

 Cut more roads on the Island.

 Give the post office a MoneyGram licence.

 Build low income houses for your people.

 Give the people back their light meters.

 Uplift our justice systems at all times.

 We need more locals’ businesses.

 All hands on deck towards recovery of the Island for its people.

Cuthbert Bannis

Dear Editor,

  Recently there were discussions in parliament about lease land that housed a boatyard (St. Maarten Shipyard) and the press also covered the matter of the major marina in Oyster Pond (Captain Oliver’s) where legislation matters prevented reinvestment after Hurricane Irma.

  In all that was said on these matters by public decision-makers, there was nothing that referred to the impact that these non-functioning entities are having on the marine industry. This is in contrast to the airport where the link between its functioning and other industries is central.

  The marine industry was measured at being 15 per cent of the economy pre-Irma. A significant number of employees work in this industry and there is the potential for more, including high-paid positions.

  The industry does not receive any tax breaks, unlike the stayover industry.

  The industry has to date not required public investment, unlike the cruise industry where public funds investment has to date not resulted in acceptable dividends for the investor, the St. Maarten taxpayer.

  Every single planning report by external consultants has pointed to the suitability of the development for the future of St. Maarten when compared by criteria like employment, investment, returns, sustainability and growth to other existing or potential industries.

  In spite of this, public representatives seem only to view the two problematic properties from angles other than their contribution to this important and high-potential industry.

  The success of yachting sectors in the various islands in the Caribbean, all of which I am familiar with, has been connected with investment in yachting infrastructure. The initial investments are typically boatyards and marinas which in turn drive downstream smaller investments. The manner in which the properties are handled will impact how investors will perceive investment in St. Maarten. This investment is very important, but sadly not currently reflected in the conversation about them.

  The yachting industry of St. Maarten developed mainly without public investment. If it is to flourish and contribute to the tax base and provide employment in the future it cannot be ignored in the manner that has recently been identified. Competitive destinations are actively courting investment, facilitating growth and supporting marketing. The experience of the two properties referred to above may well suggest a poor investment climate to potential investors.

Robbie Ferron

Dear Editor,

  Should marijuana be legalized? What are the effects of narcotics use in society today? I’d like to make reference to some important discoveries about marijuana by Dr. Wesley Hall, past president of the American Medical Association, and Dr. Sidney Cohen, a former director of Narcotics Studies at the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, and also careful research done by William F. Damkembring in his article entitled, “Marijuana on Trial”.

  It is important for the public to know of their research findings. According to them, marijuana is harmful and dangerous and should not be legalized. Those who come to lean on marijuana go on to use stronger drugs. Drivers under the influence of marijuana react like drunken drivers. It affects women as well as men and limits sex drive. Ten percent of children born to mothers who use marijuana will be mentally defective.

  Marijuana is dangerous to your heath and causes brain injury in some cases. Blackouts and memory lapses become more frequent among marijuana users, and tend to last longer than people who don’t. Marijuana prolongs the glare in eyes, causing the user to become quickly and completely blinded by oncoming headlights during driving.

  Marijuana smoking can cause mental illness, trigger psychosis and murder. It has become a huge business for smugglers and peddlers. The drug is smuggled into the United States from the Mexican border. The illicit drug can be found in almost many countries across the world. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer for those who smoke marijuana and other drugs.

  Many people try to find happiness by using marijuana when they are depressed. Some think to smoke marijuana is better than to have a beer or a drink of alcohol. Others suffering from pains and using marijuana as a medicinal cure will explain that the pain will go away for a moment, but the pains will come more frequently.

  Marijuana addiction is dangerous and should not be legalized.

  Alcoholism: Just like drugs – it wrecks family, ruins health, kills people in many countries. According to William Dankenbring, drunk drivers are responsible for about half the automobile fatalities in the USA each year. They cause over 25,000 deaths each year on highways. People drink alcohol and use drugs to get rid of their worries and problems.

  Drunk drivers cause more problems in the world than marijuana users.

  Eco-catastrophe is like smoking marijuana – dump fires polluting the atmosphere can produce toxic fumes, also a silent killer if inhaled. Dump fires can produce carbon monoxide and can affect your heath just as marijuana.

  Narcotics smuggling makes manufacturers rich. In 1970 opium had a street value of US $225,000 per kilo in the United States. Opium- and heroin-smuggling is a dangerous business. The Golden Triangle – Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and Red China – profited from the trade for the years. Modern drug-trafficking between countries has become a lucrative business, but now is a world problem today. In March, 1971 vital statistics indicated the number of addicts around the world per country as follows: Red China, 340,000; United States 200,000; Hong Kong 80,000; Iran 40,000; Puerto Rico 10,000. During that time, those figures were alarming and today double by now.

  The problems with drug addicts are they can be treated, but after treatment about 95 per cent of them go back to drugs.

  Hard narcotics: Amphetamine – a drug used as an inhalant or in a solution to relieve nasal congestion and asthma; LSD is a chemical that produces mental sickness and delusions; Morphine – a drug made from opium to dull pain and cause sleep, used in medicine; Cocaine is a drug used to deaden pain and used as a stimulant.

  In summary: Lack of real purpose is largely responsible for causing young people to turn on with drugs as an escape. Solutions to the drug problems: New education for young people, more skills programs should be introduced; build up ghetto areas; build affordable social homes for citizens; pay decent wages and salaries to workers; educate the affluent in a higher value for a better purpose in life; get rid of ghetto areas; What kind of home is home?

Joseph Harvey