U.S. Consul welcomes students
I want to congratulate all students in the Dutch Caribbean who have received offers of admission from one of the over 4,700 accredited institutions of higher learning in the United States. Graduates of U.S. universities have gone on to become leaders and innovators in many fields around the world, and you should be proud of the invitation to join this special and select group of young people whose lives will be changed forever by the dynamism, openness, and quality of campuses across the United States.
Offers of admission are the product of much careful thought and hard work, both by the students who apply and by American colleges and universities that conduct a rigorous review of these applications. We recognize the energy and creativity you poured into essays about your dreams and ideas, the hard work it took to prepare for English language and other examinations, and the commitments you fulfilled to community service and extra-curricular interests.
Over one million international students are now in U.S. higher education institutions, maintaining the United States’ long-standing position as the world’s top host nation for international students. This is a testament to the unmatched quality of American higher education in the eyes of international students and their families.
International students strengthen ties between the United States and countries around the world, developing the relationships between people and communities that are necessary to solve global challenges. We value inclusion, and actively support students from diverse backgrounds on our campuses. Colleges and universities across the United States value international students for the unique and diverse perspectives you provide both in and out of the classroom. American universities and communities benefit from the knowledge and talents of international students, which helps prepare all of us for shared, successful futures in an interconnected world.
U.S. colleges and universities take pride in providing safe, welcoming environments for all their students, and I want to stress how welcome you are in the United States. Many U.S. universities have sent messages of welcome to students around the world through the #YouAreWelcomeHere Campaign
(https://www.youarewelcomehereusa.org). I join them in welcoming you to the United States, where our colleges and universities offer valuable educational opportunities to help you meet your life and career goals.
Consular officials at the United State Consulate General Curacao and at American embassies and consulates around the world continue to work diligently to process student visa requests, and information about the visa process is available at
https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html or at
https://cw.usconsulate.gov.
EducationUSA advisers worldwide stand ready to answer questions about studying in the United States. You can find an advising center at
https://educationusa.state.gov/find-advisingcenter. For those still considering study in the United States, EducationUSA advisers can provide valuable resources to help inform your decision. With over 4,700 accredited institutions in all 50 U.S. states, there’s an American college or university that’s right for everyone. There are study options at many price points, including community colleges and “2 plus 2” models that combine study at a community college and a four-year institution to earn a bachelor’s degree.
American colleges and universities welcome you, as do the American people and communities throughout our country.
As the U.S. Consul General to the Dutch Caribbean, I personally congratulate and encourage those of you who have received offers of admission to accept this life-changing opportunity and join your peers in experiencing the unique value of an American higher education.
Margaret D. Hawthorne
U.S. Consul General in Willemstad
Dear Editor,
To understand the relationship between the Netherlands and Country Sint Maarten today, it is important to understand some recent history. Some crucial parts of this history are seldom exposed in the local press.
In the 1970s and after, the Netherlands was highly involved with the issue of development in third-world countries. The efforts to stimulate development in many third-world countries did not go smoothly. Much was written and much regret about poorly-spent funds was expressed.
Some crucial lessons stood out. Countries that did not have strong administrative institutions were unable to effectively handle development funds. Countries that took on debt in order to build infrastructure without limitation often ended up with debt they could not repay, and their available funds were consumed by interest payments that made no contribution to their development.
When it came to the further development of their Kingdom partners, the Dutch tried to be creative and learn from the failures they experienced. So, in the Antillean restructuring prior to 2010, they included the establishment of extensive institutions in their treaties (Parliament, Council of Advice, SER, audit chamber, integrity chamber, etc.) and to avoid the build-up of debt the CFT. In the case of Sint Maarten, the rapid development of the ’80s and ’90s seemed to suggest the possibility of a very small but healthy economy and if the institutions were to be in place, the optimist would have concluded that there was a great potential for a casebook successful development strategy.
As we all know, the various institutions, even though they have been created with all the necessary budgets, staffing, infrastructure and statutes, have not functioned in an optimal manner. In many cases there have been results, but not on the most critical outcomes needed in the country from a developmental perspective.
Now let’s look at the picture from Sint Maarten.
The slave-descended Sint Maartener, who lived in what was effectively a village in the first part of the 19th century, observes rapid economic growth from the 1950s base. Instead of benefitting directly from this, the opportunities are quickly snapped up by foreign operators. The small village community sense is heavily impacted by US television, extraordinary gambling access, development of assertive black thinking and consumerism. In the civil service many of the top jobs are taken by light-skinned consultants with high salaries whose presence is justified by the need to make the agreed abovementioned institutions work. Unfortunately, they don’t.
Use of debt, very common on the much-viewed US media that dominated Sint Maarten, is limited by the institution dominated by the Dutch known as the CFT. It seems to the Sint Maartener as if the Dutch do not want Sint Maarten to “move forward”. The word “colonialism” is heard in reference to this mechanism without there being necessarily a colonial analysis.
The village type communications insist that there is an abundance of money (example: high number of Dutch consultants, slow-moving Hurricane recovery, but it is not going to the majority of the electorate to the degree that matches their expectations.
The village-type media in Sint Maarten does not deal with the possible creative development strategy that was developed in the Netherlands after their experience in
third-world settings. The man in the street is not looking at the many sovereignties, many in the Caribbean, who did get trapped by debt and inadequate institutions: the eyes are on the standard of living on US TV and in the Netherlands. Neither the strategy nor the goal is on the local political radar.
What might be a well-thought-out strategy is not appreciated by the parties who are the target beneficiaries and worse still, interpreted negatively instead of positively.
Robbie Ferron
Dear Editor,
Amidst the present atmosphere of negative news, l recently woke up to the news that our very own from St. Maarten Imran Amjad McSood has been appointed Independent Director of West Indies Cricket. Big news indeed and here’s why!
Mc Sood is Guyanese by birth, but a true St. Maarten patriot. Locally where our news has been a constant barrage of negatives stories, Mr. McSood’s appointment was a huge and timely reminder that in spite of all the negatives, we have some talented people in our midst – people who have given so much of themselves and are able to contribute significantly to this island’s development and who make a difference.
Imran McSood is one such person. Over the years he has contributed in so many areas – in business, in sports, and in other areas he has been there. Mc Sood’s imprint and contributions are on many sports tournaments throughout the island and throughout the Caribbean. For years he has singlehandedly sponsored the cricket tournament at Caribe Lumber Ballpark on St Maarten.
One remembers years ago he proposed his own money to partner with stakeholders, government and business to build a multi-million-dollar multipurpose sports stadium where the present unsightly and unhealthy dump is located.
This multi-purpose facility would not only host international and local cricket matches, but also international soccer matches and other sports. In spite of much work and money put into this venture, his efforts were not followed up on.
One can only wonder what would this area where the dump is located would be like today had it been transformed into a sports stadium.
Even more importantly from an economic standpoint, the news of his appointment is welcomed by many of us who want to see St. Maarten take that all very important step to get into sports tourism and bring big time sports to our shores.
His legacy in sports and business in St. Maarten/St. Martin is well documented. He not only talks sports, but studies and inspires with his sports rhetoric which brings us to his present appointment.
Mc Sood will bring fresh inspirational and workable ideas to West Indies Cricket, albeit, he is not the director of CWI. In time we will see his input. The President of CWI Mr. Skeritt knows him well and thus at this point when West Indies cricket needs inspiration, this mammoth little man and his ideas are what make this appointment intriguing and interesting.
What can we, on St. Maarten, take from Mr. McSood’s appointment? I firmly believe that over the years we, the people and the authorities who talk economic diversification, are being given another chance. We have spoken of diversification of the economy from as far as I can remember, my hairs were jet-black then. Today they are silver grey, but the same people who spoke diversification then are still in authoritative positions and the economy is the same.
McSood’s appointment gives us another opportunity to bring big time sports to the “Friendly Island”. Ever wonder what 8,000 travelling English Cricket supporters would do for the economy of St. Maarten? Or what the Indian cricket team coming to St. Maarten would mean to the millions of Indians in the US? Ask McSood or Barbados, ask Antigua, ask St. Kitts.
We were left behind through politics and sheer ignorance, but his appointment can help change that. Let’s ask Mac to work with us. I am certain what he will do for West Indies cricket, he will do for St. Maarten.
Clayton J. Felix
Dear Editor,
I write as someone who was (until Hurricane Irma) an owner on the French side and someone who admired many of the things Heyliger did for the Island – in particular the causeway.
Clearly the charges brought against him need to be tested by the country’s justice system.
But, I was astonished to read in a report in your newspaper last week that his medical condition has worsened while he has been detained in St. Maarten because he did not have access to the drugs he required more than once a day.
As I understand your reporting, he is being held in the hospital wing of a prison (in a first-world country) and you report he cannot be given the drugs he needs when he needs them.
That ought to be shocking!
Paul Flaherty
Dear Editor,
Dr. Mercelina has shown outstanding dedication to our country and the people. He has proven his love for the people by his relentless dedication to each and every one of us who have been his patient and even those with emergencies, at all hours.
He has shown the same honour and unwavering commitment to us as a parliamentarian, his concern is truly for the people. He is a man honouring his responsibility as a fine doctor while at the same time serving as a parliamentarian with only one thing in mind: His people…. us…. you and me.
He is not a businessman, he is totally independent of the business community, being a doctor. His job is to heal and what we need right now on Sint Maarten is a healer who owes no favours, has no need to do any favours, because he is a professional doctor, whose income comes as a result of his hard-earned profession.
His moral character cannot be challenged…. his commitment to us cannot be doubted…. his motive cannot be challenged. He has proved that over and over again, putting his personal life aside to help those in need.
These are the God-given gifts of a true leader.
Cheri Batson
