Dear Editor,
Those who waive their principles to disguise the true purpose of an event leave room to question their motive, timing and benefits. With this being said, what was the real reason for organizing the march that took place on Wednesday, August 29? Was it purely to give persons the opportunity to express their grievances, or was it catapulted by an underlying intent, to suit the organizers’ agenda?
At first, they gave the impression that the march is to express their dissatisfaction with the Prosecutor’s Office towards the handling of MP Theo Heyliger’s court case. When the people confronted their motive, they changed their minds and added other issues, just to pacify the population. If the group can be this dishonest about a simple matter as standing up for the UD leader, whom they believed is targeted by the Dutch, then how can they guide us into independence?
People who believe in a cause do not backpedal; instead, they stand their ground and convince the public to join them. But this can only happen when the population trust them, because trust is the thread that unites them and the people. This is simple math! “With trust, even silence is understood. Without trust every word is misunderstood.”
This is why the late Nelson Mandela and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will forever remain in the hearts of many. These men of character and stamina stood up and fought, to bring about significant and immeasurable changes to modern society. How did these honourable men gain international recognition for their contribution? They did not ride on emotions, but rather on their conviction of a just cause; the kind that has allowed them to display behaviours of honesty and enormous humility.
Speaking of humility, not even an ounce of this noble quality was exhibited during the interview that was live on Laser 101 the day preceding the march. In fact, the organizers had no interest in the host’s input. All they cared about was to get their point across; a continued attitude that has damaged their reputation in getting the traction that they need to mobilize the population.
Isn’t baffling to whom the statement “Let our leaders lead” is directed? Haven’t they been leading for the past 60 plus years without much interference? When did Holland impose higher supervision and lifted it because the same leaders pledged to reduce the financial debt that they themselves have incurred? Was it not that these leaders destroyed the Nederland Antillen in exchange for 10-10-10, the status that gave them the opportunity to better manage these outstanding invoices?
What did they do? The majority enriched themselves and turn their backs on the people, which has led to this frenzy phenomenon called vote buying. So who have reduced the government and others to beggars, after years of riding on sustained prosperity, to a totally bankrupted country? “Let our leaders lead” should be directed to those gluttonous MPs, who throw down the government every time “their” minister refuses to obey their commands.
In reference to the issues of incompetence and not giving young people a chance to govern, which politician bypassed her young intellectuals and recruited a retiree from Holland to work in her cabinet – one who had left St. Maarten for good? Isn’t this contrary to the message that is thrown out to the public now? How much did it cost taxpayers for such an undertaking? So, who gives the Dutch the impression that the St. Maarten people are incompetent?
With regard to corruption, this is self-explanatory, as it comes in several forms, but many want to turn a blind eye to the reality. Since the organization disapproves of the workings of the Prosecutor’s Office, why don’t they demand an investigation into where drug addicts acquire the substance that is used to embalm dead bodies, for them to combine it with marijuana to smoke? Then, mobilize the population to march against this very dangerous addiction that is crippling the nation!
Joslyn Morton
Dear Editor,
I recently was asked, “How come you are the Patriot and you were not seen in the march for St. Maarten?”
That march was more a hatred against the Dutch than it was out of love for St. Maarten. It was a need that got an ego to feed.
Well, now I will let the people know why I distance myself from that march. For the previous 20 years up until now, we had Drs. Leopold James and educator Ms. Daniella Jeffrey and then later down we had the St. Maarten grassroot foundation which I am a part of. We spoke about St.Maarten unity of both sides and for the St. Maarten Parliament (Dutch side) to recognize people of St. Maarten Heritage in our constitution. Where was the march? The politicians get up in parliament and oppose that recommendation vehemently in parliament.
I was asking myself, “Who are these people representing?” Many instances Drs. Leopold James and Ms. Daniella Jeffrey and the Patriot warn them the day will come when you as leaders of St. Maarten will be threatened by the superior political system. That time has arrived now.
My question to all those political leaders is the same question you asked me then, “Who is a St. Maartener?”
The political leaders had the power to help protect the people of St. Maarten Heritage and themselves, they refused to do it, and now their chickens are coming home to roost.
I have nothing personally against any person, but of a man that seeks truth the truth must be told and politicians and political leaders must be reminded that the choices they made have consequences.
The St. Maarten grassroots foundation and Ms. Daniella Jeffrey for the past years and presently continue to educate and advocate for the protection of the people of St. Maarten Heritage and to be provided with special privileges. Where was the march for all those years? In fact, we were ridiculed, mocked, and labeled haters because we love St. Maarten genuinely.
We had no political attachments, we even put up our own money to promote events and ask people to attend. Very few attended. Where were the St. Maarteners? We had Patrick Illidge and Frans Richardson challenges with the same superior system. Where was the march?
My point is not to uphold any wrongdoing and law-breaking of anybody. Everybody is innocent until proven guilty. The Patriot is telling the people of St. Maarten to let the justice system do its work. Now is the perfect time for parliament to portray now who is a St. Maartener and recognize them in our constitution. And if our parliament cannot do that, then they are agreeing with the higher political system that is now threatening their behavior and their survival.
Let the truth be revealed. Feel free to hate me, curse me or disagree with me, my point is for you to understand me and to see if I am telling the truth. Can you handle the truth?
The conclusion, that march was simply the need that got an ego to feed.
The Patriot Miguel Arrindell
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,
I guess it started on Thursday night. At 2:00am I thought the house was on fire because it was full of smoke and I couldn’t breathe. So I got up to look around and it was the same “good news/bad news” situation. No, the house wasn’t on fire but yes, there were flames 200 feet high at the dump again along with the same billowing toxic deadly smoke that has been killing people for years.
I sealed the place up the best I can and headed back to bed. The next morning over coffee, I open the newspaper and there is the headline: “Experts Have New Program For The Dump” along with the ubiquitous picture taken the day before of a couple of politicians standing over the supposed expert with some magic machine that is telling him exactly what the chemical composition is of the gases that the dump is emitting that are causing the fires.
It would seem our dump gives off different toxic gasses than every other dump in the world does and that we need some experts to tell us that workers need breathing apparatus and “moon suits.” Money well spent, it seems, since their “New Program” apparently was to simply set the dump on fire again when they were done and let it burn unchecked for the next 12 hours.
On Saturday the headline in the paper was “31 major fires at dump to date” with only four BIG ones and I felt my blood pressure head into triple digits. By my count, there has been toxic smoke killing everybody nearby and making everybody else sick for at least 250 days since the storm and maybe more. The REALLY big fire of a few months ago burned out of control for a solid week and billowed smoke and fumes for 30 straight days all by itself.
At first it made me wonder what sort of delusional individual had performed that “31 fires” analysis, the implication being that a fire every 12 days or so really wasn’t that bad, but then I simply remembered how things work around here. Maybe they were talking about metric days or SXM government days or something.
The Thursday fire still blankets the area with deadly smoke as I write this three days later.
Now, I freely admit that I don’t understand the Government structure at all. On paper you have a population of about 55,000 people, are proud to call yourself a country and your politicians travel in motorcades of big black cars at high speed with police escort and screaming sirens as if they are the Kings and Queens and Emperors of the universe. For the size of Government and the pomp and circumstance you would think they were managing the EU or something. They call elections whenever they please and then spend the next four months arguing about who got elected to what and in the meantime people are dying. They travel the world over on extravagant budgets to attend meetings and conferences and yet come back and have to hire outside experts and consultants to tell them what to do because, apparently, the minister of such and such doesn’t actually have any qualifications or credentials to manage the portfolio that he has been assigned and can’t make any sort of qualitative decision.
The obvious irony about that is that even when the consultants and experts write these VERY expensive reports and conclusions, because the respective Ministers have no actual background, there is no one that can read the reports and understand whether they are valid or even based in reality.
A population of 55,000 just about qualifies as a “small town” in the U.S. Each small town like that will have an elected Mayor, a Town Council of local citizens and maybe a dedicated public works department. If the dump catches on fire, and after the fire department goes and puts it out the Mayor says, “Gee, we better not have that happen again or I’ll lose my job,” he gets the town council together who votes on an appropriation to hire the “Make Sure The Dump Never Catches On Fire Again Incorporated” company and in 30 days the check gets written, big trucks show up and guys that know what they are doing get out, and a system gets put in place that ensures that it never happens again.
Rule Number One in Engineering: “Any problem that can be solved with money isn’t a problem at all.” Look around – do you see the dumps burning continuously on Anguilla or St. Kitts or St. Barths or in the U.S. and Holland? No. Why? Simple. Because they don’t allow it to happen.
We don’t have the first dump in the world that ever caught fire. We just have a system that doesn’t CARE if it catches fire and makes the smoke and kills people.
The individuals running those OTHER jurisdictions actually care whether their citizens live or die. What do your Kings and Queens and Emperors in their motorcades here do? Well, there it was in the same newspaper as the fake expert and his magic gas-sniffing machine. The NEW hot-button issue is single-use plastic bags. Quick, stop the presses. Single-use plastic bags are now the single most important issue this island nation faces. Sarah says so, so it must be true. The dump is a mere inconvenience. Don’t worry about it any longer.
I had occasion to sit nearby a table at breakfast some weeks ago where two individuals were talking about a waste-to-energy system. Being an engineer, I listened “over their shoulder,” so to speak , and when they got up to leave I invited the primary speaker to join me. He did and I listened intently for an hour as he described the system. I won’t bore you with the technical details but simply say it wasn’t some space alien weirdo concept that had never been done before but was, in fact, a beautifully designed and executed, essentially conventional system that was already operating in a dozen countries for a long time with 100 per cent success. My new friend was part of a group that had traveled here to make the presentation and proposal to government.
“What happened?” I asked.
“The usual,” he said, “There wasn’t anyone at the meeting with any technical background to understand what was being said and in the end there needed to be some cash that changed hands before anything could be considered at all.”
In the conversation he was very careful not to say directly that he had been asked for money under the table, but the implication was crystal clear. It was going to be “pay to play” or there was no deal to be made no matter how good the system was or how simply it could solve the problem. His group wouldn’t pay so they got back on their plane and left. They flew through the dump smoke as they departed.
I wasn’t any more surprised to hear that than I was to wake up to a house full of toxic smoke on Thursday night. That’s what you get when you have a government that seems to have limitless authority to screw with you whenever they feel like it, yet, when it really counts, there is nobody actually in charge.
Quick, let’s hire some consultants and experts to explain that phenomenon. That would be a report I would really like to read.
Steven Johnson
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
