Dear Editor,

  I feel it’s my duty as a loving daughter to update everyone on what occurred with the above insurance company when last my mother wrote about her experience trying to get a fair settlement.

  Not getting anywhere, my mother engaged the services of a mediator who would mediate on her behalf to get a decent settlement to fix her house. My mother, at that time, chose to be less vocal in the media because her case was under mediation and she didn’t want to have a less-than-favourable outcome due to her speaking out. I, for one, feel she should have written every week about the way this company treated her.

  Even my mother’s mediator was shocked, during negotiations, at the lengths NAGICO went to teach my mother a lesson, employing less than ethical tactics to “shut her up.”

When NAGICO strong-armed my mother into accepting a less than a fair offer they included – which was never part of any negotiations – a non-disclosure or confidentiality clause. This shocked my mom and her mediator, who immediately saw this was their payback to my mom for talking about them. Even an insurance expert said this move was illegal, and the clause was added after my mom accepted NAGICO's pitiful offer.   

My mom, of course, refused to sign the agreement. And hit back at them. Of course, she did. As her daughter, my mother’s most lethal weapon was her mouth and her ability to use her power with words to expose. Growing up with her, she used her words with lethal precision, often after we did wrong, to teach us some valuable life lessons.

  NAGICO tried to stop my mom by flexing their financial muscles, backing her into a corner, where she had no choice but to accept and still not satisfied, they tried to suppress my mother’s freedom of speech.

  Well, after much back and forth and NAGICO refusing to back down from taking out that clause, through her mediator, she signed under protest, maintaining all her rights. And not before filing a 2^nd complaint at the Central Bank and emailing NAGICO's reinsurers.

  I chose to write this letter because I knew that no confidentiality clause would ever shut my mother up. She fought till the end and even when she was backed into a corner, she still fought on.

  And this is what I want to highlight about this woman. The lessons she taught us as children were simple. Fight for what you think is right; don’t let anyone or any company abuse you and speak out! Talk! Because by going public you may help more people in similar situations.

  I’m proud to see my mom fight NAGICO – a so-called powerful insurance company that has no regard for long-term customers like my mother – tooth and nail using all the tools she had at her disposal. I’m proud to be the daughter of such a woman. And by doing this, I want my mom to now focus on rebuilding her home after fighting this 14-month-long battle.

 I didn’t sign any confidentiality clause with NAGICO and I will talk how I want. By the way, did the airport sign such an agreement, our government or any of the other persons or entities you claim to protect and have settlements with? Hah! My mom was special in that regard, wasn’t she? She made you guys uncomfortable. And how do you pay her back? “Non-disclosure.” As much as you may say differently, you’ve never acted in good faith with my mother.

  Well, it’s over now and I wanted to publicly thank all my mother’s supporters, Gromyko Wilson for being in your face about how you were treating her and her mediator, who worked hard on her behalf and saw from day one your goal was never to be fair with my mother, but to get back at her for using her right to free speech. But it’s all good NAGICO. My mother’s fight with you is over and you have certainly succeeded in paying her as little as possible and chasing her away as a continued customer.

  My mother never loses. She either wins or she learns. And as much as she learned a lot from you, NAGICO, I know you also learned from her and what a mere woman can do to a million-dollar company. God forbid you have more customers like her. I’m laughing just thinking about it.

  Now, who am I? If you didn’t already know NAGICO, I’m the first-born child of Mrs. Corinne Lejuez-Van Putten, soon to be ex-policyholder HOC…

Claire A. Van Putten

Daughter

Fifteen years of COM ing
And No change
Fifteen years of changing
Still no change
We change statues
We change presidents
We change parties
Now the sem we
Want te rearrange
So we self we could
Arrange
And every thing
We painting  ORANGE

Cauz we don't care who
We derrange
And we grabbing every thing
Within Range
President de com
President de sem
President  CTOS
President de CROSS
And we in every sauce
Like onion
Regardless of others
Opinions
Fifteen years
And ah still in stears
Cauz  de more  things
Change
The more  they  are the same
We change president,
We change  parties
We change team
And nothing change
Now we need a change
Of scene
For ah change

Raymond Helligar aka “Big Ray”

Dear Editor,

  Their desperation has become an addiction and dishonesty still remains the norm. But as the sayings imply: want all does lose all and the longest rope has an end! It is unfortunate that these crooked politicians have not learnt from their mistakes nor the missteps of others. So, without any remorse, they continue to play these dirty games by flaunting their glaring nature of saying one thing while doing another. 

  And, whenever these officials are caught lying or scared to be seen when making their muddy deals, they opt to arrange secret meetings overseas. Why is it not surprising to see the same set of politicians repeating these murky transactions? What is extremely sad is to watch the disguised leader of NA throw away 40 years of fighting corruption, to now wallow himself in the same mire, just to be popular. 

  This is an MP who spoke fervently of the need to have a stable government. Thursday, February 8th edition of The Daily Herald  expressed just a sample of his plea to maintain stability; yet, without any semblance of guilt or the desire to apply his experiences as a model to emulate, he continues down that same slippery slope as the other desperadoes. Now it is more than clear that his appeal was just a ploy to garner sympathy votes.

  The MP should be honest with the people and disclose the nature of his secret meetings with the other two stooges on and off island. Did the population take note of their absence from Parliament recently? People, this is their plan: they intend to form a block and then present a so-called motion to prevent the Dutch from “taking over” the country – the same politicians who had every opportunity to demonstrate integrity, but now find it convenient to blame the Dutch.

  Imagine the Deputy Leader of UD is joining with the opposition to throw down his own government. If this is not treason, then the word should be stricken from the dictionary. Is it not that this same MP was tipped to be Prime Minister during the formation of UD? If all went well as he had expected, what kind of leadership would the population be witnessing today? Do the people see why these politicians are demanding the change to elect future Prime Ministers?

  And, is it not obvious why these same politicians are so desperate to acquire independence? What is the difference between ship-jumping and making dubious deals to change the composition of government? The decision should come from Theo and not NA, USp and Frankie. But surely, Theo is reaping exactly what he sow. Pay attention to the MPs who avoid Parliament when certain issues are being debated; now monitor their rush to vote in favour of “blocking the Dutch.”

  Now, these renegades plan to tell the Dutch to keep their money. Why was this not done the moment the Dutch gave the government liquidity support to pay their salaries? Did the people notice the manner in which the opposition behaved during the recently held debate with the Health Minister? Was it normal for them to appear completely subdued and sympathetic – the same MPs who summoned the minister to clarify a barrage of concerns from the population?

  The opposition claimed that the inquires came from the people; yet, in the end, they complimented the Ministry for doing a good job. If this is true, then what was the point of the discussion and why would the people continue to express their grievances? If these MPs intend to refuse Dutch aid, guess which government entity will become the lending institute? Does the population see why the opposition couldn’t rock the boat and that their approval was vital?

  Now that the cat is out of the bag, when will the details of their secret meetings be revealed completely? And would the specifics include the opposition seizing the opportunity to convince the younger member of UD to cross over, during their visit to Saba? After all, they have been courting him relentlessly, like male dogs chasing after the female that is in heat – the same opposition that has accused DP and UP of going after the youngest and weakest.

  As is plain to see, desperation has become their obsession and dishonesty is the weapon they use to confuse and influence the nation. But they must always remember that, want all does lose all and the longest rope has an end! 

Joslyn Morton

Dear Editor,

  Volunteers build resilient communities, and the volunteers of Sint Maarten continue to play a very important role in the rebuilding process of the country since the hurricanes of September 2017.

  Sint Maarten has a number of very active volunteer clubs, social, and youth organizations. Each organization has a board and membership who play very important roles in the execution of community projects and membership training and education.

  I would like to thank the Sint Maarten volunteer community, who every year contribute their free time to their communities.  Volunteers do build resilient communities.

  Their work is as important as other public and private sector professions. During this time of the year, the festive season, our volunteers are also busy carrying out different fundraising projects for the needy and less fortunate.

  Our volunteers must be considered as our heroes.  Even during times of natural disaster, our volunteer community stepped up to the plate and did what had to be done by working tirelessly to help members of our community.

  I take the opportunity to congratulate all those who continue to do good in our community and contribute in a meaningful way. It enriches our socio-economic development as a nation.

  I take this opportunity to call on others in our society to join Sint Maarten voluntary groups and also make your mark on our community, because we need every volunteer in order to build a resilient community.

  Be part of the process of building back better. Let us all work together and transform Sint Maarten for a brighter and prosperous future in social and cultural development.

Stuart Johnson

Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs