Dear Editor,
Even though over the years I have experienced life differently, it is a long time now that I have been pondering to write concerning the following, because of something my father said many years ago. He told me not to try to change tradition if tradition is meant for the good. This concerns the traditional “good morning, good afternoon, good night.”
Over the years I have experienced all kinds of reactions to those three. From, “what is good about the morning”, “maybe your morning is good”, “it’s after twelve”, “how you know that the morning is good?” I have seen people look at their watches, to make sure they say the right thing, etc. I can go on and on.
When I was a little boy and my aunt was busy instilling in me that “I should always give people the time of the day,” my father told her “and when he says good morning, what about the rest of the day?” She answered that is why I teach him to give people “the time of the day.” Either good morning good afternoon or good night.
I adhered to that teaching until the “good evening” came in between. The explanation for when to use “good evening” and “good night” was when you reach somewhere; a home, a place of business etc. in the evening hours, you said “good evening” and when you are leaving you say “good night.”
That is when I got an “aha moment” as Oprah would say. That form of greeting is a wish. You are wishing someone whether a good morning, afternoon, evening or night. When I discussed this with my father he said to me “that is what I meant when I asked your aunt, what about the rest of the day?” So the logical response to a “good morning” or a “good afternoon,” etc., would be “Thank you and the same to you.”
Because of my admonition not to try to change tradition I did not make that a further issue. Beside that, giving people the time of the day is a Caribbean tradition which definitely I was not about to change. On the contrary it should be enhanced.
What I have noticed instead, in this cell phone age, is that people use the fact that they are busy on the phone as an excuse to avoid greeting on passing each other, which without many words is individualizing people. Because of the social media there is no personal contact and we use twittering to do what is called “our dirty work.”
So, in spite of my father’s desire, that tradition of giving each other the time of the day is changing faster than we expect. In light of all of the above I would like to suggest that instead of wishing each other a good morning or a good afternoon, evening or night, we wish each other a “blessed day” which would encompass the whole aspect of greeting. No more looking at watches, no more of those ignorant remarks one would have to take because of a slip-up while doing the decent thing.
Have a blessed day and a blessed week, everyone.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
Let’s line up the following facts:
Firstly, the failure of many developing countries, particularly small ones, has been caused by the breakdown of effective democracy that has been undermined by various forms of non-democratic behavior including vote buying and undue vote influencing.
Secondly, the recent demonstration was based on the accusation that the Prosecutor’s Office in St. Maarten is “selective” in its choice of cases to prosecute. The case in the forefront concerned vote buying.
Surely we should hope that the Prosecutor’s Office should prioritize cases whose behavior has the widest possible impact on the future of the country? Would vote buying which potentially undermines the very essential nature of our democratic future therefore not be the correct prioritized choice for a prosecutor’s office? Should we not applaud this selection rather than condemn it?
The person concerned in this indictment is Theo Heyliger. I personally consider him one of the highest potential politicians in St. Maarten with an acute understanding of the political options and a great track record in certain areas. I dearly hope he can prove his innocence.
Our views on the person of Theo, however, should not be confused with the judicial process!
Robbie Ferron
Dear Editor,
My proposal to amend the General Police Ordinance and prohibit the use of single-use plastic bags has been submitted to Parliament for its consideration. Long in the making, the proposal is a significant step towards effective waste management on St. Maarten. Single-use plastic bags have significant effects on ecosystems and a variety of species and have contributed significantly to the solid waste problems we experience on St. Maarten.
In my research, it became evident that there are different approaches possible to ban the use of single-use plastic bags. I chose the approach that Aruba has used with the amendment to the General Police Ordinance. Such bans on the use of plastic bags and other harmful plastic materials are widely in effect, both regionally and internationally. St. Maarten now joins in these efforts to reduce the harmful imprints these items leave on our environment.
The advocacy against plastic bags and other harmful materials has been waged for a long time by the St. Maarten Nature Foundation, who with supporting evidence, has made it clear that “garbage on land is the biggest source of maritime and coastal pollution.”
Maritime litter from plastics, Styrofoam, metal, glass and other material from land-based sources has been found in oceans around the world, also in the coastal waters of St. Maarten. The top 10 items found during coastal clean-ups around the world are: cigarettes and cigarette butts; food wrappers and food packaging; bottles made of plastic, glass and aluminium; plastic bags; paper bags; caps and lids; plastic stirrers and straws and utensils such as cups, forks and spoons.
For our own health and that of future generations, the preservation of our environment and the safeguarding of our economic viability, it is urgent to tackle the issue of waste management and mitigate the consequences for the population and the environment.
The initiative draft law has been formulated in such a way that it affords the government the space to carefully consider the implementation date to allow for stakeholders’ consultations and an effective awareness campaign.
In addition, once in place, the ban will be the precursor for the ban of other harmful material, such as Styrofoam, plastic straws and the like.
As I state in the elucidation to the draft law, we have to start somewhere.
The success of this initiative will require the input and cooperation of all stakeholders, not only environmental organisations, but also suppliers, supermarkets, restaurants, etc. There is also an individual and community responsibility we can all uphold, and in whatever way, small or big, do our part to sort, reduce, and reuse.
I applaud all initiatives to reduce the amount of waste we produce as an island. The more harmful the waste, the more urgently we should tackle its reduction and or removal.
Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams
Dear Editor,
Reuben George Essed: a man of faith, a cornerstone of Moravian Church Immanuel, St. Maarten has passed away, on Sunday, August 26, 2018, in the churchyard of Moravian Immanuel, St. Maarten, just before he reached the building to fellowship with his Lord and Savior and his fellow members.
Until his last breath, he kept his composure: his character, which he wore as a royal robe throughout his life. A man of stature, justice, respect, order, calmness but most of all peace, warmth and love. He touched everyone around him with his good-natured approach. Reuben did not only coordinate projects, but actively worked on them with team players to successful completion, not only at church, home, work, but also on the tennis court and the soccer field. We have not only lost a beacon and role model in the society of Sint Maarten, but a warm and hardworking man who was an example of excellence, order, good justice and fairness.
Even before the Moravian church was established on St. Maarten, the Essed family occasionally hosted services at home in Dutch. After the Christmas service, December 26, 1992, which was held in the Catholic Parish Hall on Back Street, regular services started in the Anglican and Methodist churches.
When the need for services in Dutch was urgently felt, brother Reuben was one of the members to answer to the call of the then Moravian Pastor Ronald Berggraaf from Curaçao.
He was very instrumental in making sure that today the Moravians have their own building on Sint Maarten. Contacts with the pertinent authorities were taken, place allocated and in 2009 the Immanuel kerk van de Evangelische Broeder Gemeente (English: Moravian church Immanuel), Madame Estate, Dominica Road10, became a reality.
Whether board member, treasurer, advisor and “wise man,” member of the verification committee, he was always approachable and ready to do the job, requested of him.
Remarks received from friends and pastors about brother Essed: God fearing, co-founder, cornerstone (stonfutu) of the Immanuel congregation St. Maarten. He has been rightfully compared to Moses and Joshua, who in obedience to their Lord and God, have been valuable channels of blessing in God's hand.
His passing has been expressed as a big loss.
It is always very difficult when a farewell comes so suddenly for those who are left behind, but the way our dear brother separated from the earthly life on the final steps to a church service is actually a beautiful symbol which fits the life of our dear brother.
He leaves behind a legacy which sets the tone of respect, punctuality, consistency and love – qualities we so desperately need to pass on the next generation.
We extend our deepest sympathy, not only to family and friends, but to anyone who had the privilege of knowing our dear Reuben Essed, a man of honour.
Moravian Church Immanuel, St. Maarten
Dear Editor,
Freedom of expression in our Constitution is for everyone, so automatically I do not dare mention to anyone that they do not have anything to say. But, when I read Haitian community (or for that matter any other ethnic organization or group) which is not implicated in the case, calls decision to prosecute Heyliger a “witch hunt”, I have a different opinion.
I do not agree with any ethnic group or organization calling on the population to join with them in a protest against the government (in this case the Justice department). Yes, I would always appreciate support and solidarity, but there is a right way to conduct the people’s business and there are sanctions in case the people’s business is not conducted in the right way.
Accountability is one of the main conditions. Theo Heyliger is not the first person with executive position in government to be prosecuted and, yes, this has been going on for years even in among the Dutch who I consider the ringleaders because it started with them and is still happening in Holland up to today.
I just read a list of names in a letter to you, of persons in high governmental positions from many years ago up to quite recently who have been prosecuted over those years. Some I had even forgotten. No matter who the prosecutors are, this practice has continued for years, even though we knew and still know that the Dutchman is out to get us for wrongdoing.
What I do not understand is why do not we single out those Dutch people who we suspect of also being involved in wrongdoing in return. Now, because it is the Haitian community (I am sure not all Haitians) who dare involve themselves, permit me to ask them why do not they organize themselves in their country to straighten out things in Haiti.
Where are we going, people. Is this going to become the trend, starting with peaceful demonstration and after that feeling empowered to be demonstrating anytime no matter which member of government, whether getting or buying the most votes or not, is being prosecuted?
I do not know who is behind this witch hunt stunt, but, I know that time and time again we have seen so many things come back to haunt us. I doubt if the members of the Haitian community know the details of the accusations against MP Theo Heyliger.
Since 10-10-’10 and years before that we have seen rows of people lined up during election campaign in specific places to collect bonds. Many of them telling and inviting their friends to join them and telling them the reason for being at that place. When we look at the ranks of that list which I would not have used to prove my point, a light should go up and enlightening whether those people on that list were prosecuted for trying to improve life for the people on Sint Maarten over the years.
The toppling of our governments is already a potential for instability, are we now going to use ethnic groups of which we know how they go about demonstrating in their country, to add another potential for instability?
What are they going to do during that demonstration, let the Justice department know that they have to permit our people in government to continue to commit fraud, make shady deals, use illegal ways to influence people to vote for them, or not to interfere with vote buying because that is our culture?
Are we so desperate that we need to use the Haitian community to be able to fight our battle? How low can we go?
In fairness to many Haitians who I know, many of them have refused to join the Haitian Community, because they are naturalized Dutch and refuse to go against anything that will harm Sint Maarten. On the other hand, there are others who remain loyal to those who according to them helped them to acquire their Dutch passport.
Some time ago the bus drivers association with a Haitian as president wanted special privileges for buses in Philipsburg.
When I read about this demonstration I thought “Hmmm. Okay.” So I am still asking myself, who is behind this? Let stability prevail.
Russell A. Simmons
