Dear Editor,
Again because of lack of transparency of government there are normal things which could be made known, are not. Reason mentioned is the complicated and secretive way in which the moneys involved with the projects are handled.
I do not know if there is anything complicated about the public transportation. What I assume is that the permits were not issued in accordance with the conditions of the law, but that should be the easiest part of the solution. If one was not entitled to a permit, revoke it. The ongoing infraction has to be stopped.
I touched on the public transportation again because I am convinced that if the public transportation is regulated and supervised along with the strategically implementing of routes and laying out the bus stops, the traffic congestion will decrease about 50 percent. The gypsies would go back to doing what they got residency to do and, best of all, the crime rate, believe it or not, will decrease.
But as I picked up the paper from Wednesday, February 20, 2019, the first thing I read that Toyota’s CEO visited St. Maarten. My first reaction was, “Oh no, not more cars!”
It was as if St. Angelo was pinched, because he was careful to say that they won’t go crazy and try to grow too fast. But fact remains that they are here to grow. We also know that there is not much space left to enhance the road infrastructure.
What I have heard is also not encouraging, because it was said by someone who could know that no one in government wants to touch public transportation. This again is proof that we are dealing with a set of insecure people who are getting government money without doing anything for it.
I also am looking at the Prime Minister for not engaging the Dutch in a conversation concerning assisting us with regulating our public transportation. They have been number one in the world.
Government has to be ready to deal with the difficulties. Every journey begins with the first step. A transition period, when necessary, should also be implemented and, if necessary, all permits which were issued not in accordance with the public traffic ordinance should be revoked. Clean up and reorganize the whole system.
If they start by doing things the right way, I am sure that that will help decrease those talks about St. Maarten politicians being corrupt.
By the way, during the last campaign that was my cry: “Out with the old and in with the new.”
The record will also show that since 10-10-’10 very little to nothing has been done to improve life for the people of Sint Maarten. So, the politicians themselves have to do it right to help themselves because the Dutch are not hesitating to accuse them and even lay waiting to arrest them. This did not come from me, the proof is in the newspaper to read.
Someone told me that the amount of old, secondhand and new cars which are in the car lots to be sold would take up about one-tenth of the paved roads of St. Maarten, not counting the school buses, the dump trucks and the backhoes and excavators, etc. Do we really need more cars?
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
What is it all about? What part of the Bible do not we understand? I often find myself in discussion with people who lean more towards science than the Word of God. This letter, however, is not about the controversy, but I’m just wondering why when over and over we see things happening as predicted, we blatantly ignore them or even do contrary to what is predicted?
We then want to blame others or want others to side with us. I was explained that that is logical. It stems from the way you are, you expect others to be. Titus 1:7 says: For since a church leader is in charge of God 's work, he should be without fault; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunk or greedy for money.
I Timothy 3:3 adds that he should not be a violent man but gentle and peaceful, he must be able to manage his own family well and make his children obey him with respect and also, he must not love money.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 continues to say: What did we bring into this world? Nothing! What can we take out of this world? Nothing! So then if we have food and clothes that should be enough for us (A livable wage). But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which will pull them down to ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered astray from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows. I am writing this because on Wednesday morning, I got a call from Aruba and was told: "We are fighting Maduro down here and all you are fighting the RST. The person went on to say: "But that is nothing new for Sint Maarten".
And that got to me. When I paused to respond, the person continued: “By now one would think that they have learned, but that has become a way of life for Sint Maarten politicians. My response to that was to explain what I had heard a popular reporter in the USA, Willard Scott, who was well versed in American politics and was asked if he was interested in vying for office, answered " I am too straight for that".
If we are going to continue referring to the behavior of our young people, we will have to behave ourselves in a manner for which we will not be arrested, in order to be a different kind of example for them.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
In November 2017 our constitution has been amended whereby the status of Public Entities for the three islands Saba, Bonaire and St. Eustatius has been embedded in the constitution. (art 132a)
This embedding made another important change possible, which has eliminated an important democratic deficit. It makes it possible that after eight years of public entity status the Dutch inhabitants on the islands finally can vote (indirectly) for the members of the First Chamber like our European Dutch counterparts. The first time in history!
In the Netherlands the voting for the First Chamber is done by the members of the 12 so-called “Provincial Councils”. Their election is on March 20th. Since the three islands do not fall under a province, for each island an Electoral College will be elected. The first time ever that voters on Statia can go to the polls for this is the same as for the elections of the “Provincial Councils”, also on March 20th.
It is important to understand that when, as a voter, you cast your vote on a candidate on the list for the electoral college, you will not elect this individual in the First Chamber. However, once this local candidate is elected he or she is the one who will vote, on your behalf, for his or her candidate of choice for the First Chamber.
How important is this?
I think it is important. First and foremost, it gives us, the people of Statia, exactly the same right to vote as the people in any other part of the Netherlands. Secondly, with our right to vote we will have representation in the First Chamber.
I guess you might have noticed that there are people who downgrade this right and call this election a waste of time. This, they are basing on the fact that the impact of the voters of the three islands combined is a little bit more than one-tenth of a seat. For Statia alone it is one percent. It seems small, for true, but it still can also make the difference. If you, however, calculate this impact based on the number of inhabitants then it is the same and equal to the impact of any other voter in the Netherlands.
It is unrealistic to think that our people will be allowed a greater influence in the elections of the First Chamber than any other voter in the Netherlands.
Remember, those who claim that your democratic right to vote has been taken away after the intervention by The Hague are the same ones now who are saying not to make use of your democratic right to vote in this election.
Come out to vote March 20th.
Koos Sneek
Democratic Party St. Eustatius
Dear Editor,
Statia has always produced great storytellers like the late Charlie Arnaud, the late Clifford Gibbs, now retired politician Eric Henriquez and the owner of Lyn’s Dream Bakery, Lynette Anson-Leerdam.
Storytelling is used to teach important lessons of life, to hold on to one’s culture and traditions, for the purpose of healing and the upliftment of a people.
Nowadays, media houses serve as storytelling agencies. Many, many stories are published about the political, social, cultural and economic ‘reality’ in Statia. But unlike our true storytellers, the stories told about my island of birth are one-sided, hence incomplete stories.
It is important for our children to know that there are many different stories about Statia. True storytellers always create a balance of stories. They never tell just one story about a place or a people.
It is important for Statian storytelling to become more visible in order to weaken the one-sided storytelling told by the media.
So, I challenge my Statian storytellers to tell all of our stories, not just some of our stories. When we do this, we give our people, those who have passed on, those living and those not yet born, the dignity we deserve.
Xiomara Balentina
Dear Editor,
It’s hard to imagine how some people cherish life without going to a library and enjoying reading good books, magazines, newspapers, and other periodicals. This is essentially important to an affluent society. A library reflects the educational qualities of great leaders. We shouldn’t play politics with this public access educational institution, because it helps to develop excellent reading habits, independent research, and bring people together in the community.
A public library is a treasure for community reading, and a piece of history to society. Public Jubilee Library has served the citizens of St. Maarten for over 75 years. It’s sad to see the public access centre close its door to teachers, students, adults, tourists, and the general public at large. The area has now become a parking lot for automobiles. Hurricane Irma destroyed the building one year and few months ago.
The structure is still in a state of shock. Saddened by the disappearance! Its parking lot is overrun by cars, and children sitting on the entrance side wall, hoping that one day, it will reopen. I cannot understand why a library should be in so much political tensions. It’s a sad and dismal day for children, parents, teachers, tourists, and other readers. If our elected officials are interested in the future of our children, a library would be a priority choice to them. Negligence will have serious reading defects among the youths in the community, and will lead to a delinquent society.
Hard-working and struggling parents who are trying to make ends meet, would like to have the library open to host their children in the afternoon school programme. If the officials are educationally conscious, a library will be a high priority. Some can afford to purchase a cell phone, and go online to access reading and materials, while others cannot afford to do so. This is why a public library is important to the community for children to access free or affordable reading materials. This public access centre should not have anything to do with politics.
If members of the operational board are not functioning, get rid of them and install a new board. The public desperately needs to have the library reopened or rebuilt soon. I cannot understand why a library should be caught up in politics. The children are in need of a place to study quietly for their tests, examinations, home work, and general reading. Teachers depend on it for research and knowledge purposes. We need a state-of-the-art public library where students could access help in their homework, get world news online, do research, and access reading materials online.
The establishment of the new institution would be of great benefit for students, teachers, and adults. A public library is the ideal choice for everyone in search of historical events and information. It is a symbol of a cultural icon, and a place of knowledge acquisition and a research centre, and also a place for learning, and an attraction for visitors. Without a library, is like going back to the days of cave men searching for information for future development.
The purpose of a library: It is a place to access reading materials, and enjoy reading quietly. Reading develops mental effectiveness. Our education system requires reading and writing, and a place to study these skills in a quiet setting, such as a library. I am appealing to the general public at large to help finance a state-of-the-art public library on St. Maarten for the students, teachers, parents and visitors.
In summary; I will be happy to see everyone involved in getting the library project off the ground.
Joseph Harvey
