Dear Editor,

On October 1, the world celebrated International Day of Older Persons under the theme, “Celebrating Older Human Rights Champions.”

According to the United Nations (UN), almost 700 million people are now over the age of 60. It says, “By 2050, two billion people, over 20 per cent of the world’s population, will be 60 or older.

“The increase in the number of older people will be the greatest and the most rapid in the developing world, with Asia as the region with the largest number of older persons, and Africa facing the largest proportionate growth.

“With this in mind, enhanced attention to the particular needs and challenges faced by many older people is clearly required. Just as important, however, is the essential contribution the majority of older men and women can continue to make to the functioning of society if adequate guarantees are in place.

“Human rights lie at the core of all efforts in this regard. Living up to the Secretary-General’s guiding principle of ‘Leaving No-One Behind’ necessitates the understanding that demography matters for sustainable development and that population dynamics will shape the key developmental challenges that the world is confronting in the 21st century.

“If our ambition is to ‘Build the Future We Want’, we must address the population over 60 which is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030,” according to the UN.

The 2018 theme aims to: Promote the rights enshrined in the Declaration and what it means in the daily lives of older persons; Raise the visibility of older people as participating members of society committed to improving the enjoyment of human rights in many areas of life and not just those that affect them immediately; Reflect on progress and challenges in ensuring full and equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by older persons; and engage broad audiences across the world and mobilize people for human rights at all stages of life.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), indicates that mental health problems are common among seniors and may include isolation, affective and anxiety disorders, dementia, and psychosis, among others.

Many seniors also suffer from sleep and behavioral disorders, cognitive deterioration or confusion states as a result of physical disorders, non-communicable diseases or surgical interventions.

Research suggests that seniors benefit from supportive social connections and close personal relationships but suffer as a result of disrupted personal ties and loneliness, PAHO points out.

Similar trends as identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and PAHO, are also observed locally by the Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, and relevant stakeholders, and therefore CPS calls on all civil society organizations, families and communities, to continue to provide supportive services, mental health care and assistance to older people who are an essential part of the St. Maarten’s community and history.

Older people should be encouraged and supported to actively participate in society at large which would benefit their mental health over the long-term.

Good mental health adds life to years. Bring some shine and smile into the life of an elderly family member, your neighbor and the elderly population.

Collective Prevention Services

Department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour

Dear Editor,

  Friday, October 5, is celebrated worldwide as International Teachers’ Day. I hope that our teachers are enjoying their mid–term break this week, and that they will be showered with good wishes and tokens of appreciation from their students and from the community.

  In the 12 months after Hurricane Irma, the country relied on our educators to provide the pillars that would re–build our nation, and return stability and a sense of normalcy to our children’s lives. Every day you came out to work with our children, looking after their total wellbeing. You were the ones trusted to ensure that those with parents who had suddenly become jobless, and many whose homes were roofless, or families that were completely displaced, had their needs attended. This, many of you teachers did, while coming from your own roofless homes, or lacking electricity and running water. You taught us by demonstrated example, the definition of “resilience.”

  You rose above the challenges and the seemingly insurmountable odds to bring us into this phase of our recovery. Last school year ended with celebrations of the achievements of our students as they were promoted and graduated, because you, teachers, went the extra two miles to help them succeed. This school year began with smiling faces, willing hearts and eager minds, though some of you are still not settled at home nor have all the repairs been completed on the job.

  We know that you too require support and I gratefully recognise the colleagues in Social Work/Care Departments, administrative staff, management teams and school boards who supported our teachers through their challenges. As the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, I am committed to seeing the repairs completed in the shortest possible time, and the continued improvement in the teaching–learning environment.  Because of you, we can say assuredly that “We are overcoming together!”

  On behalf of the entire Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, I thank you, teachers, for all the work that you have done. You have answered a call to a most noble profession. As you continue to serve as parent, counselor, nurse, mentor, cheerleader, mediator, handwriting expert, organizer, fundraiser – and the list goes on and on – we thank you for the personal sacrifices that you make to build the next generation of leaders. You are the builders of the country’s future. Your impact goes beyond your classroom and touches the society and ultimately – the universe! Teachers, we salute you!

  The Department of Education will be hosting an event to celebrate and honour our teachers later during this month. One day dedicated to you is only a token of our appreciation. You, teachers, are to be celebrated every day, as the successful development of each person, our community and the world begins with you.

  Happy International Teachers’ Appreciation Day!

Wycliffe Smith

Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport

The Association of Christian Pastors wants to once again let the Curaçao people know that God’s opinion and intention concerning the sexuality of people have not changed. The marriage is exclusively for a man and a woman, in accordance with the creation. This natural exclusivity is attacked and must be defended so that it will not be used later in our schools and curricula.

Dear Editor,

I usually get encouraging feedback from your readers, but occasionally there are those who disagree or those who do not share my opinion, which is a good thing.

The latest reaction I got is from a lady who called me Donald Trump. I responded to her, from the little that I know about Donald Trump the only thing that we have in common is being male. I then asked her to explain herself.

I assume that she has been following the Kavanaugh nomination process because she told me that I do not like women. She was referring to my letter to you: “We need the help of the village.” I told her to gather a few female acquaintances and discuss the letter together and if she insists that I am like Donald Trump then we will have to agree to disagree on that issue.

Of late I see things manifesting themselves to which in the past I alluded. Not always like I what would hope for, but the attention is there. So I would wish for that Donald Trump lady to look at the pictures on page four and six of The Daily Herald of October 2, 2018, and decide which one is dressed more appropriately. And which picture will talk to the children more about how to dress and when.

This letter is short because this is a case of a picture is worth a thousand words.

Russell A. Simmons