By Alex Rosaria
The surge in violence in our region is attributed to the increased availability of firearms. Guyana, Mexico, Jamaica, the gangs of Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten grapple with this problem that poses a real threat to our peace and our livelihood.
The majority of crimes, including murders, involve the use of firearms. Almost all the guns in the region are illegally trafficked from the US.
In her book “Exit Wounds: How America’s Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border”, Lithuanian-born Ieva Jusionyte provides a rare look into the world of firearms trafficking. It makes the reader understand that the lax US gun laws have devastating consequences for us. It’s not just a matter of their constitutional right but a gross undermining of our collective efforts to promote safety and security in our countries.
It’s about US complicity. I’m surprised by how oblivious the US is about its role in fuelling violence and crimes in our neck of the woods, whilst it’s willing to invest billions in a wall to prevent the very people trying to escape violence from getting in.
The region needs to engage the US. But first, we must find new and effective ways to collaborate with the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit to stem the wave of firearms-related crimes that are pervading the Caribbean region.
Maybe now that we are associate members, we can take that brave step.
~ Alex David Rosaria (53) is a freelance consultant active in Asia and the Pacific. He is a former Member of Parliament, Minister of Economic Affairs, State Secretary of Finance and UN Implementation Officer in Africa and Central America. He is from Curaçao and has an MBA from University of Iowa (USA). ~
Dear Editor,
The recent cybersecurity incidents affecting our government and utility company have exposed critical gaps in our nation’s ability to defend against cyber threats. As more services migrate online, there is an urgent need to protect users’ data and systems from malicious activities. In 2023 alone, the Caribbean region faced over 144 million attempted cyberattacks in the first half of the year, highlighting the severity of the situation and the prevalence of ransomware attacks.
In February 2024, I introduced the concept of a National Cybersecurity and AI Strategic Plan (NCASP) during a lecture series at the University of St. Martin. This plan aims to equip St. Maarten to not only withstand but excel in an increasingly digital world by implementing robust data and system protection measures. I emphasized that we are currently witnessing the concurrent evolution of five transformative technology platforms – public blockchain, energy storage, multi-ionic sequencing, and robotics – all catalyzed by artificial intelligence. These advancements are reshaping growth dynamics and necessitate a proactive approach to cybersecurity.
The creation and execution of the NCASP will prepare St. Maarten to both thrive in the digital age and safeguard its infrastructure. This initiative is crucial for laying the groundwork for future job creation in cybersecurity and AI sectors. To achieve this, we must first cultivate the necessary skills among our young professionals, enabling them to lead and manage the new departments tasked with protecting our data.
Efforts to enhance cybersecurity resilience in the Caribbean are already underway, with training programs and legislative enhancements supported by regional bodies such as CARICOM IMPACS. These initiatives are pivotal in fortifying cybersecurity frameworks and fostering international cooperation, thereby mitigating the impact of cyberattacks.
AI is increasingly utilized in energy management to optimize the generation, distribution, and consumption of energy. It leverages machine learning algorithms and predictive analytics, AI systems can analyze vast amounts of data from various sources, such as weather patterns, energy usage trends, and equipment performance. This enables more accurate forecasting of energy demand and supply, allowing for better integration of renewable energy sources and efficient grid management. The use of AI in energy management not only helps in reducing operational costs and peak loads, but also contributes to sustainability by minimizing waste and promoting the use of cleaner energy sources.
I am confident that the NCASP will significantly reduce St. Maarten’s vulnerability to cyber threats and lessen the reliance on imported professionals to manage cybersecurity issues. I plan to present this comprehensive strategy to local authorities soon to initiate its implementation.
I am convinced that our students and young professionals have the potential to become leaders in this technological era. As leaders, it is our duty to provide them with the opportunities to gain the education and experience necessary to succeed, whether in the public or private sectors.
Marvio Cooks.
To you, all candidates on the nine parties’ lists, why when candidates that are on a party list that are not elected or appointed, not keeping him- or herself politically active every time, such as forming an organization and be more minded in your community.
To help the people and the island to progress, why from 10/10/10 both Parliamentarians’ and government ministers’ presentations for and to the people were lacking good progress that could have bettered the people’s life.
Why are your policemen, teachers, nurses, justice workers and many more St. Maarteners still in rent with a small salary, cannot own their own home.
Election is coming. If elected please work in the interests of people.
Cuthbert Bannis
Dear Editor,
We are a country with a serious identity crisis. Why? Because consecutive governments have failed to codify our culture, infuse our education systems with local history, protect our natural and tangible heritage and build a National Archives. And we the people are also failing to demand that these things be done.
It’s actually surreal how we continue to have the same debates, the same arguments and feelings of frustration and anger, decade after decade, the same question: “Who are we; where are we going?”
In these extremely challenging times, with what feels like the walls crumbling down around us, St. Maarten, as a nation, needs to look itself in the mirror. We, the people, need to face who we truly have become and be radically honest about the laissez-faire attitudes and bad decisions that led us here. We also need to ask ourselves if we have the courage to envision and then go after what is necessary to take us forward.
There is this crazy sense of urgency in our current political and social landscape to right all the wrongs perpetuated over the years because we don’t recognize ourselves anymore. There’s so much toxicity and negativity in the air – and if we keep saying St. Maarten is not a real place; it won’t ever be!
So why do we need to codify our culture and how will it help us to remember who we are? Firstly, culture encompasses our values, beliefs as well as our language, food, music and dance. There are two main lenses through which we should view our culture: the traditional, the way our grandparents and forefathers lived on the island; and the contemporary, the way we live now.
When we analyze these very different times and different circumstances, we will see some values and beliefs that we recognize and those that we don’t … anymore. When did we stop being friendly? When did we start being individualistic and capitalist? How can we rekindle the traditions we lost? Is it too late to become better versions of ourselves?
In one simple regard, we continue to debate who we are because there is still a lack of regulation regarding some of our most important cultural symbols. What food did our forefathers eat the most and should we regulate that as our national dish moving forward?
We can see from historic photos that our ancestors, especially those who were enslaved and picked salt, wore white. This was traditional wear. Nowadays the SMaatn National Cultural Parade successfully showcases the beauty of flower print and fabric, a lovely representation of who I believe we are now, bright, diverse, dramatic. Shouldn’t we regulate our national costume?
Who are we telling our young people they should be? What are the values that they should hold or the behaviors they should imitate and where can they find this information regularly? It reminds me of the Disney movie Moana and Moana’s journey to discover her ancestor’s story while learning about her own power in order to lead her people into the future.
Once we begin codifying our culture through the creation of effective cultural guides, policies and regulations, rooted in nation building principles and produced in a systematic and sustainable way, we automatically shift the identity discussion from crisis to clarity. This is imperative because when people feel like they’ve been knocked down, like many of us feel now, the clear, powerful symbolism and reminder that comes from knowing exactly who you are is what will make the difference in getting back up, with confidence.
While picking up some packages at a local shipping company, the other day, my hands were full. A young man, who was also picking up packages, saw me thinking intently about how I would have to make two trips to the car. He said, “Miss, where is your car? Let’s go, I will bring them for you!” I thanked him and said aloud, “You see! We are still a friendly and caring people!”
Solange Ludmila Duncan
Dear Editor,
I can remember years ago at the beginning of the talk show era some of the people would call in and use unacceptable language. This brought about that, I believe it was seven seconds delay. This enabled the moderator to delete what was considered unacceptable language.
We have come a long way since then. So I was flabbergasted when I heard that female person who claimed to be calling from Trinidad, publicly being given audience to be able to make demands on the government of St. Maarten to make sure that her wounded son gets back to Trinidad alive. Does not anyone know of the word protocol? Where does the buck stop and with whom? When are we going to become professional in what we do?
I have written it several times. As long as we do not give our children solid ground to stand on we will continue to sink. The word is CIVICS, The constitution and literature on how the country is governed. I feel belittled to hear a non-St. Maartener calling from abroad via one of my radio stations to ridicule my government. Is St. Maarten really anybody’s child? I hope I got this all wrong.
Russell A. Simmons
