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,
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
Dear Editor,
It will not stop to amaze me when the same instances which have been instrumental in creating situations are the same which want to know why is there such a situation.
My question in return is: I wonder what motivate those who have come to the Caribbean, let me use the term “buy out” government in order to be able to get government to look the other way, control salaries and circumvent immigration and employment laws, to still want to know, after having profited in all kind of ways from being in the Caribbean, why Caribbean people want so much from government.
Because we boast about people of more than 100 different nationalities living on St. Maarten, I think we can use St. Maarten as an example. Investors begin by urging to get a tax holiday, a privilege which many investors have abused. The books, Chamber of Commerce and the Tax Department can show that . They change the name of companies every ten years and umpteen directors and managers per company. Abuse of the tax system, minimum wage system and the pension fund system.
I can go on but I really do not believe that my answer to the reason will be what one would like to hear.
What I will say though is that we should look at who are the ones involved in the permits of the investors and that is not only on St. Maarten.
The other vital thing is the lack of adequate price control. Every time the goods come out of the same container when they are put on the shelves the prices go up. If one uses the identical shopping list from the week before this week, the total this week is at least two dollars more. Because of this kind of practices and no salary increase many Caribbean people find themselves obliged to work long hours or more than one job to be able to make ends meet.
I don't intend to write a book on this subject, only voice my opinion, but if there was enough control over the above-mentioned then the people in the Caribbean would not have to depend on government, because they would be treated fairly and would be getting their fair share.
In light of this should the people of the Caribbean ask the question: “Why do investors see the Caribbean people as pawns?”
Because I have been vocal on similar issues I was told that I must ask my government the same question. If I pay 35 per cent of my income in taxes, and one who makes 10 million a year pays one million a year in taxes, is that person paying his/her fair share?
Sometimes I ask myself how is it really in other countries; for instance, South Africa, etc.
Russell A. Simmons
The creation of a circular economy leads to an increasing demand for more application-oriented knowledge-intensive workers (know-how). In an industrial society, it was mainly workers with little education who did physical and technical work. As a result of an acute shortage of workers that arose immediately after WWII, workers were trained at a rapid rate. The knowledge provided through educational institutions had a theoretical basis (“knowledge”) as opposed to the practical knowledge gathering of workers in factories. The introduction of the digital age by “Smart Nation” also means that a lot of people's work is automated and/or robotized.
For fewer specialized jobs, fewer employees are needed. This development is now clearly visible at United Telecommunication Services (UTS) in Curaçao, where the dismissal of 220 employees is one of the effects of this transition. International companies that dominate the branch of innovation wear very technological glasses, but with too little attention for the social effects of these transitions. Examples include companies such as Uber, AirBnB, Task Rabbit, Elance-Upwork, Lyft, Zaarly, Etsy, Washio and Postmates. Many of these companies originated in the San Francisco Bay Area and are thought to be “avatars” of the new entrepreneurship. Global demand for raw materials will continue to fall in the future.
But the demand for recycled products as a result of the circular economy will continue to increase, because these can be produced much cheaper in the future. In order to constantly develop new reusable products, new, innovative, practical and specialized knowledge is therefore always required. Curaçao can respond to this need by, for example, creating innovation zones.
By applying Smart Growth, new insights into the planning and the effective use of legal-planning instruments, Curaçao can set up such innovation zones that simultaneously function as “living labs” at the service of the circular economy. Setting up innovation zones creates the conditions for realizing new forms of construction for its spatial development and the creation of products that are necessary to facilitate economic growth. The innovation zones act as a catalyst for a new flow of socio-economic and product developments. This way the way can be made free to realize a transition, from an industrial to a circular economy instead of the current stagnating economy.
These developments and transitions require different forms of leadership. This does not necessarily mean looking at politics but at active citizens and entrepreneurs, who develop bottom-up initiatives themselves, also as volunteers (including CuraDOET). Examples are DIY (“do-it-yourself” economy) entrepreneurs, new networks and the group of self-employed entrepreneurs/freelancers. There lies a great source of creativity, innovation capacity and the urge for social change. The current labor market in Curaçao is dominated by monopolists and/or oligopolies in the form of governmental companies and bureaucratized ministries that considerably disrupt the flexibility in production and free market forces.
In order to allow free-lance professional groups (self-employed people/freelancers) to compete and survive, traditional labor regulations and social laws must be adapted. The government has a facilitating role and should give priority to these groups through the new policy. They should receive a “red carpet” treatment. In other words, the government should empower startups, small and medium-sized local entrepreneurs. Continuous development and strengthening of local know-how should take place through “continuous learning.” The provision of high-quality educational and training facilities is of great importance as an incentive for entrepreneurship.
Inseparable from empowerment is the development and promotion of e-commerce through the introduction of new legislation, allowing the online economy to develop flexibly and quickly. Think, for example, of allowing cheap electronic online payment systems, facilitating start-ups of small and medium-sized local entrepreneurs. Local legislation must also be adapted so that alternative international loan options without establishment permit requirements from the Central Bank can quickly come within reach for start-ups. Consider stimulating “crowd funding” without requiring a local business license to a potential (international) lender.
By Sharnon Isenia
Dear Editor,
There was a businessman who had a profitable enterprise. He had a favourite employee. This employee was more affable and capable than all the rest. The businessman also had a rich uncle. One day, this rich uncle, who had come to his assistance on many a dark day, and in whose care, he had entrusted his children when they went off to school, came to him and said. “I know you love this employee, but I am sorry to tell you that he has been stealing from you”.
The businessman was shocked. He immediately summoned the employee and confronted him in front of his uncle. The employee protested his innocence and said, “But have I not done this for you and that for you and made your company prosper?”. He then accused the uncle of always having it in for him. He declared that the uncle was jealous of his boss’s success and wanted the riches of the business for himself. He accused him of a nefarious agenda and finally rested his case by saying, “Where would you be without me, your other employees are clowns, what will you do then? “
The businessman, instead of saying to him: “Those things you performed for me were paid for, and handsomely so”, turned to his uncle and said: “I don’t want to hear or see anything you wish to show me pertaining to my servant’s guilt, and should you persist, I will banish you from our home”.
Conscious that he was being watched, the employee banded together with the other servants, whom he had called clowns, and together they urged the businessman to ignore the advice and assistance of the uncle. While they enriched themselves, the business suffered and when famine came, the businessman and his household were destitute with no one to come to their aid. As for the rich uncle, he continued doing just fine.
We West Indians are a joyful, friendly and trusting people. We love our events, in fact we live for them. There is one to be held soon, on Wednesday, in front of the government administration building. But as you lay out your most stunning red, white and blue outfit, pause for a moment and ponder my parable; consider that you are being used as a political pawn, under the guise of patriotism, against your own self interests.
Wishing you all love and light.
Name withheld at author's request.
