Dear Editor,
On Tuesday, December 11, the court has thrown out the claim made by the former coalition members that the government, dismissed on February 7, should be reinstated.
In an issued press release Mr. Clyde van Putten downplays the ruling by stating that complaining the Dutch to the Dutch proves to be futile and that the ruling was one of class justice. This compels me to state that, unlike many others, we are living in a country with a trias politica. This means that there is a strict separation between three independent powers in the nation: for legislation, administration, and jurisdiction. This guarantees the independence of our courts.
Van Putten’s statement furthermore is not very credible, nor is there much consistency seeing the euphory by his group when they won their injunction against the former acting governor in the same court.
At the court case, Van Putten cs. objected against the presence of the state attorney because according to them he was not authorized to represent his client in our jurisdiction. This objection was dismissed by the judge since the state attorney worked together with a lawyer registered by the court.
But what is more noteworthy is the fact that their lawyer, while present in Statia, was not allowed to represent his clients in court. He left the representation of their case against the state to his clients who have no experience in this matter at all. It appeared that their attorney is disbarred.
It is rather incredible that in a case against such a high-profile opponent the plaintiff uses a lawyer who is unable to represent them. It not only sheds doubt on the lawyer in question but one may also wonder why couldn’t or didn’t they hire a lawyer who could represent them in court?
In the same press release mention is made that the court considers the plaintiffs admissible as private persons. What the release omits to mention is that the PLP party was not admitted. The reason for this was that the party does not look after similar interests of other persons according to their statutes. The question then arises who these other persons might be? The other plaintiffs, or the people of Statia?
This brings me to another observation. The same art. 73 of the UN charter Van Putten cs. are basing their claims on mentions: “the members of the United Nations assume responsibility for the wellbeing of the inhabitants of these territories.” The Netherlands, as a member of the UN, does this by providing good healthcare accessible for all, education, security and justice and many more things.
We all can see the improvements that are taking place after the intervention on February 7 set against the standstill we were experiencing under the past coalition government. The latter did at no time assume responsibility for the wellbeing of the people of Statia. In their strive for autonomy no attention was given whatsoever to the wellbeing of the people of Statia. Also at no time with this court case any attention is given by the plaintiffs to the wellbeing of the people of Statia.
In the press release the validity of the constitutional status change in 2010 is questioned again and that the population has never opted for this. We can go back and forth on this for a long time. Fact is that in the 2014 referendum the population had the opportunity to make known that this was the wrong choice. They did not make use of this opportunity since the referendum was invalid. The latter was confirmed by the Untied Nations.
Salient detail is that the agreement to become a public entity was signed on June 20, 2007, for Statia by Mr. Roy Hooker, encouraged by Mr. Will Johnson, who signed on behalf of Saba. Both are now, with Mr. Clyde van Putten, strong opponents. The latter, as the member of the opposition at the time, also strongly supported the constitutional change. Everyone may remember his historic words: “You cannot eat autonomy.”
It is a pity and it portrays a sense of despair that among others an opinion from Minister Plasterk that the status as autonomous country for Statia is not realistic is deemed as racist. This, however, can surely be said about the tirade by former commissioner Charles Woodley in his radio program shortly after the ruling.
It is announced that more court cases are in the pipeline. Trying to get your right through the judicial system is a right we, unlike many others, have in the free country that we are living in. Even if the other party is the state. I wonder, however, when these people are planning to spend their time and energy on the matters that are really of concern to the people of Statia.
Koos Sneek
Democratic Party St. Eustatius
Dear Ministers de Weever, Girigorie and Management Team SDKK,
On behalf of the inmates of St. Maarten in the prison Sentro di Detenshon i Korekshon Kòrsou (SDKK) in Curaçao, I, Rolandito Richardson, would like to give thanks to the Unit Correction in SDKK, for giving us a chance to be part of the First Domino Tournament “Domini 200 tantu” held at the prison.
For me it was a fun experience.
I got to show off my domino skills, represent my block which is Blok 8B and also represent St. Maarten at the same time. In the end God smiled on me and me and my domino partner won the Championship.
It was a unisex event. As an inmate I can say the event passed without any problem, it was a complete success.
It’s a part of resocialization to get inmates from the entire prison to all communicate and accomplish success together.
Thank you SDKK and the activity guiders again for giving us all male and female inmates the opportunity to relax our minds and have some fun going into Christmas.
Thank you and Bon Pasku and Felis Aña Nobo for all people when it comes.
Rolandito Richardson,
on behalf of inmates of St. Maarten in Curaçao
Dear Editor,
Seventy years later, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) remains even more relevant than ever as we witness a rolling back of rights around the world. We note with distress the continued lack of progress towards achieving justice and equality for all in the Eastern Caribbean, as we join the world in observing Human Rights Day 2018 and the 70th anniversary of this historic document.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in the EC remain among the most vulnerable and at risk for marginalisation simply for expressing their authentic selves. Seventy years ago, the world came together to establish through the UDHR, that we should not penalise people for who they love, for how or where they were born. Further, it established that the most vulnerable and marginalised among us must be provided the necessary protection and support. We are way behind in recognising that these inalienable and indivisible rights belong to all.
We are founded on, and work with, human rights organisation across the Eastern Caribbean to advance the principles of the UDHR which states that: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” and “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law”.
We take the opportunity to call on governments of the Caribbean to stand for human rights by adopting the relevant human rights in various stages of ratification across the EC.
As UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet states in her 2018 message, “We are born ‘free and equal,’ but millions of people on this planet do not stay free and equal. Their dignity is trampled and their rights are violated on a daily basis.
“Everyone is entitled to all the freedoms listed in the Universal Declaration ‘without distinction of any kind such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.’
“The last words of that sentence – ‘other status’ – have frequently been cited to expand the list of people specifically protected. Not just LGBTI people, but also persons with disabilities, elderly people, indigenous peoples. Minorities of all sorts.
Everyone.”
We reaffirm on this Human Rights Day 2018, that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. We call on our government, civil society and every Caribbean person to stand up for human rights and pledge that:
* I will respect your rights regardless of who you are. I will uphold your rights even when I disagree with you;
* When anyone’s human rights are denied, everyone’s rights are undermined, so I will stand up;
* I will raise my voice. I will take action. I will use my rights to stand up for your rights.”
Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE)
Dear Editor,
The General Audit Chamber of the Netherlands is preparing a report on the recovery aid which after its completion is scheduled to be discussed in a closed-door meeting on December 13, 2018. The report is being prepared because numerous complaints have been made about the slow progress of the reconstruction aid. The investigation has to do with the governance and financing structure of the reconstruction process in relation to the Dutch funding and the trust fund.
The Chamber talks about the importance of the funding being spent in a careful and effective manner that serves St. Maarten people and mechanisms to make sure the funding ends up in the right place. See article in the newspaper of November 26, 2018. What caught my attention in the article is the familiar phrase “a briefing will take place behind closed doors and afterwards it will be made public”.
I continue to have a serious problem with these behind closed-doors meetings. We live in a democracy and especially in the Kingdom where emphasis is placed on good governance and transparency. The reconstruction fund indeed has to do with the people of St. Maarten and therefore in the name of transparency the people who are experiencing serious hardships because of this slow process have a right to hear first-hand what is causing the delays.
It is not a political matter I hope but one of a social and economic nature and it shows total disrespect for the intelligence of the people of St. Maarten by keeping such an important meeting which concerns them behind closed doors. Are we going to get the exact information disseminated during such a meeting or are we going to get a watered-down version?
Will the report include figures from beginning to the end? An example how did the 550 million become 470 million? Will we get a complete breakdown of where the funds were spent? On what projects? The people need to be kept abreast as to how much was spent, on what it was spent, when it was spent and how much of it remains. There was a closed-door meeting with members of the World Bank, to date we do not know what was discussed.
What the people would also like to know is how much has the World Bank collected to date for services rendered? I am tempted to ask this question of government but since they don’t manage the funds, I am asking the World Bank and/or Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten to inform the public as to the present status of the fund.
It would be Interesting to know if during the planned December 13 meeting minutes will be made in written form or will it be done verbally?
George Pantophlet
December 10, 2018, marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status – that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
The Declaration sets out universal values and a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations. It establishes the equal dignity and worth of every person. Thanks to the Declaration, and States’ commitments to its principles, the dignity of millions has been uplifted and the foundation for a more just world has been laid.
The Declaration lists 30 articles each outlining and addressing specific areas in upholding fundamental human rights. Personally, there are three articles that really speak to me and I would like to share them with you.
“Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
“Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
“Article 7: All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.”
As a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Government of St. Maarten strives to uphold all International Declarations, Treaties and Laws. In conclusion, I wish everyone a wonderful Human Rights Day 2018.
Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin
