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

Dear Editor,

  Recently I read a ‘Dear Queenie’ post, dated May 7, titled “Impatient patient” Now, I never respond to these; I normally shake my head in shock and disgust or laugh off the nonsense.  However, this time it struck a nerve. Actually, it was utmost disgust towards the individual who wrote the post and to the individual behind Queenie giving an “opinion”.

  Opinion: “An opinion is the lowest form of knowledge”. I’ll leave that “down” there with you.

  It’s so easy to sit back, observe others, gossip, and nit pic. “He said, she said” and judge a parent trying to do her or his best, when you are not in their shoes or paying their bills, isn’t it? Fun times, eh? Here’s a shout out to all the religious, judgmental, hypocritical fanatics (notice I said religious, not spiritual … big difference) On Sunday, when you’re all pretending to be perfect, (hence my sarcasm), let’s remember this: Luke 6:37 and John 8:7.

  None of you are Jesus, that I know as a fact. (And that’s a special shout out to all my neighbours.) Take care of what’s behind your wall before you throw stones. Be careful, sometimes stones bounce … I believe they are bouncing now!!

  Back to the issue at hand. Firstly, to the person who wrote the question to Queenie. How dare you sit there and judge this mother. This female who sounds like she was having a hard day, sitting in a doctor’s office with two children? One is enough for me. I feel for this mother.

  This is exactly what I recently wrote about … mother shaming. Solo parent shaming. The person wrote about a child kicking a water bottle around a doctor’s office. Was it a bomb? A Molotov cocktail? You, the writer, stated it was water … let’s read this together, water … well, I pray everyone in that doctor’s office survived being splashed by water. Water, not juice, again. Together let’s say it, water.

  She, the mother, apparently then gave it to her other child to drink the water. Ok, did the child lick the water off the floor in a puddle form like a dog? If so, yes, unsanitary. I admit, at that point even I would have an issue with it, but writing to Queenie about it would not have helped.

  To the writer: who gave you the right to judge this mother? Do you know if she was a solo parent just trying to keep her children alive, at the same time sitting in a doctor’s office trying to get service for either herself or her children? Did this mother sleep the night before? Does this mother have sufficient food, clothing and housing for her and her children? None of that crossed your judgemental mind, right? Goodness,  you were so worried about being splashed by water.

  Curious, was the writer a mother? A mother with a husband or a baby daddy doing everything for her? Ha! Or a man, a man with no children or a man who abandoned his own children leaving it easy to judge? Double Ha, Ha! No solo parent would ever judge another parent (man or woman) for something so frivolous.

  Furthermore,  what exactly was the writer’s question? I am still searching for the question in her or his post? What exactly was this person trying to achieve by writing to a newspaper therapist after the event passed?  Obvious, to shame a woman, a mother.

Suggestion:

  To the writer, who sat there in a doctor’s office and your life was  turned upside down over a water bottle; I hope you get therapy.

  To the individual behind Queenie; I will leave this blank.

  To the entire population of SXM who actually cares, Here’s my advice. Should you find yourself in a situation with a “wild toddler” and a mama or father who looks tired and ready to give up, it’s simple. Ask them if they need help. Do not be condescending . Do not judge them. I promise you; they are exhausted. Make a joke, lighten the mood or just make conversation. Talk to them. You never know, maybe you will be the first adult they make contact with that day. You have the ability to change the entire situation for parent, child and yourself. Instead of gossiping , or writing to Queenie, try helping instead. You will make a friend for life instead of an enemy for life.

  I am a solo mother to a high-energy toddler. To anyone out there who has an opinion about our life, please, I dare you to share it with me. After the sharing moment, I will be asking for donations towards our life. Keep that in mind.

  I would like to extend a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers struggling, and trying to keep it together. Stay strong. You are not alone!

Mary De Francesco

Effects of the worsening crisis in Venezuela can be felt throughout the region. As reported in Saturday’s paper, Statia Terminals is being sold for US $250 million. Immediate reason was the US sanctions in January forcing outgoing owner NuStar Energy LP to wind down its contracts with “Petroleos de Venezuela” PDVSA by the end of February.

Management reported that despite “diligently” looking for ways to make up this “significant loss” it soon became clear that a new business model was needed. Investment firm Prostar now intends to make use of its acquisition’s strategic location to take advantage of changing global crude oil trade patterns.

This is no doubt a big deal for St. Eustatius. The transhipment and storage facility remains the island’s biggest private-sector employer and income-earner.

NuStar said the new owners will be required to keep all employees in their current positions with comparable pay and benefits. That sounds like good news, but the reality is that all ultimately depends on the future results.

The deteriorating situation in Venezuela obviously has a huge impact on the so-called ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) directly off its coast, in terms of not just their respective oil industries and related shipping activities, but also tourism, food imports and illegal migration. The embattled Maduro regime in Caracas seemingly tried to divide the three Dutch Caribbean territories by announcing it would reopen the closed border with Aruba but not the other two.

Aruban Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes quickly declined the offer, mainly because it could spark a new flow of refugees the country can’t handle. However, her government also expressed solidarity with Aruba’s “sister islands.”

Besides, she correctly argued, there is in fact only one single border between them and the troubled South American nation: That of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Dear Editor,

  Company can be dated back to 1613 – the most famous was the Dutch East India Company. It is important to share information with the public about companies, because they enjoy limited liability, and are legal entities separated from their owners. They are also protected by law.

  A company is a legal entity – meaning it is an incorporated body separated from the people owning it. It is referred to as an artificial person, possessing only the rights granted to it by its charter. It is a legal person, and an entity in its own right. Situations can arise between who is a natural and an artificial person in event of citizenship. These terms are clearly defined in the constitution of the land.

  A company can own property, contract in its own name, sue or be sued in its own name. The shareholders of private and public companies enjoy limited liability, whereas, sole trader and partnership businesses enjoyed unlimited liability.

  Companies and corporations are protected by law. A public company is required to have two shareholders. A private company may have one shareholder. A private company is usually controlled by family members, where a sole shareholder is the only director, will make contract with other organizations. It is illegal for a private company to advertise its shares to the public.

  A public company usually has an authorized share capital fixed at about $50,000, and must have the words “Plc” at the end of it. A company can wind-up, if the shareholders sell their shares and another shareholder buys them out. Companies limited by guarantee are formed for non-profit-making purposes, and are not required to file their accounts at the Register of Company.

  Holding and Subsidiary companies: A holding company is the parent company. It is the one with the majority of shares in the other company. A holding company may have more than one subsidiary company. When a company finds interest in another company, and decides to buy out most of the shares in the outside one, the company with the majority of shares is the holding company. The holding company must prepare the group consolidated balance sheet and the profit and loss accounts of it and its subsidiary undertakings.

  A subsidiary company is the one with the minority shares or the “Minority interest”. The subsidiary must provide on their balance sheet the amount owing to fellow subsidiaries and for the holding company. Nowadays companies find interest in other companies, and decided to purchase the majority of shares in the other company. This is quite legal.

  Similarly, public corporations may also find interest in other organizations, and become the majority shareholders as well.

  There is always the possibility that a public corporation owned by the population will be privatized. Privatization can be done if the state corporation wants to be privatized, Telecommunication and Cable TV Services is a good example. One is public and the other is private.

  The problem is that the holding company in this case will have to follow the accounting principles of the private sector businesses, as private or public limited liability company. They must follow the legal requirements set by parliament if they are public corporation, or the statutes laid down in the company Act for private sector businesses. This is a complicated process, and students should research these organizations’ objectives before deciding to go into one of these businesses.

  Other types of company available to the general public are: Unit Trust, Investment Trust, Insurance, Factoring, and Cooperatives.

Joseph Harvey