Dear Editor,
It is human nature not to look at oneself first. We often neglect our own power of responsibility. I have never depended on government to tell me or to show me how to pick myself up and engage in volunteer work, work with young people, Carnival, etc. I am a citizen of this country and I always knew I had a role to fulfil to my community. It is a life principle I relay to the youth I work with daily.
The common phrase that we only "give someone their flowers when they are dead" predictably is being repeated often the past 48 hours after the passing of well-known folks. In most instances, government is the target, the entity that failed to recognize our people.
While not dismissing anyone's opinion, I do believe that some of it has merit, it is not entirely true that flowers only appear when people leave us. What is closer to the truth is that as a community, we only pay attention to the flowers when the person has left us. That's the other side of the coin.
There have been several organizations, government included, who have recognized numerous people and given them their flowers over the years during several events. The Carnival Foundation for example, of which I'm a proud member, has honoured more than 20 cultural icons over the past five years alone. Not just for their work for Carnival, but for culture in general. Who remembers these folks (all are alive) and did you pay attention?
Have you read all the stories? Followed the coverage? Took part in the nomination processes? Attended any of the events? Or did you scroll or flip past it and paid more attention to "click bait" items? When government asks to submit nominations for youth prizes or cultural awards, do you nominate anyone? Have you gotten together with some other like-minded people to determine what you can do as a citizen in recognizing our people and enhancing their importance to our cultural psyche? Or did you talk today then return to your routine the following day until the next opportunity arises to talk about flowers?
The honouring of people is not an exercise that exclusively belongs to government. As citizens we too have a role to fulfil to our community. We too can and probably should collectively decide to recognize our heroes and fete them the way we think they should be feted and remembered. We too would have all failed our community with our inaction, just as much as those at whom we are pointing fingers.
We have a responsibility to St. Maarten as her citizens. The strength of our communities was cemented through the actions and initiatives of our service clubs and other citizen groups. We stand on the shoulders of those people who never waited on government to show them the way. Lately we have become trapped by social media, preferring to stay in this box and shout, rather than climb out and get to work.
The Amazing Roland “Paben” Bryson and the Dedicated Roy Marlin never waited around. They got up and they served in their own ways; one through culture, the other through public service. The best way to remember them is to get up and serve. Lay praise on them yes, recall their accolades, absolutely, but honour them by following their example of doing for country.
We do our island and its heroes injustice if we continue to neglect the power of collective responsibility (in all aspects). If you, as a citizen of this country, feel that something more should be done to honour our people, just do it. Start tomorrow.

Michael R. Granger

Dear Editor,

In the new building codes, can we please ban the use of Spanish tiles! Yes, they look great and sexy but they are not a product for any hurricane-ravaged territory.

I made the mistake of using tile on my own home. Apart from having to replace almost my entire roof, when I looked over at my neighbors my tiles had become missiles and caused much of their damage – their house looked like I had used a machine gun!

Please folks, anyone renewing their roof – if you want the Spanish tile look, use the fake panels; or after the next hurricane, risk the wrath and scorn of your once-friendly neighbors!

Name withheld on author’s request.

Dear Editor,
Citing high fares and inconvenient flight connections, many regular visitors are not coming to the island this year and may not come even next year.
The airlift to the island has been drastically reduced after Irma. The few airlines that are flying to SXM are charging very high fares.
The airport is in shambles. It is operating out of two tents but yet PJIA authorities have not reduced their charges for the non-existent services they are currently providing to the airlines and passengers.
These exorbitant airport charges are inbuilt into the price of the ticket.
It is easy to blame airlines for the high prices to fly to this island, but how can we expect them to reduce their fares if PJIA is not reducing the airport usage charges for airlines and their passengers.
How can we expect others to help us, if we are not willing to help ourselves?
Charity begins at home. Let us be charitable to ourselves before we expect others to be charitable to us.
More visitors will come to this island if airfares are low. The hotels and other businesses will rebuild faster when they realize that more tourists are coming to the island and subsequently the airlift to the island will increase when the hotel inventory increases, which in turn will increase the revenue of PJIA and all other businesses on the island.
The entire economy of this island and its prosperity is dependent on the ecosystem of cooperation.
I hope someone in charge is listening and will set the ball rolling.

Juggie

Dear Editor,

Many of the words written below are quotes of people who are patriots of other countries. I agree with the ones which define what patriotism really is.

Patriotism does not care about political party, it cares about bloodline and heritage of ancestry. Patriotism means the quality of being patriotic; vigorous support for one’s country. Patriotism is the ideology of attachment to a homeland (St. Maarten). This attachment can be a combination of many different features relating to one’s own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, or historical aspects. It encompasses a set of concepts closely related to those of nationalism.

Firstly, Patriotism is about a feeling and not simply about pledging allegiance to a state/nation. (And, as with other feelings, it cannot be proved whether someone is patriotic or not but simply can be deduced from their actions and words.)

Now, why this feeling of patriotism is important is simple to understand. To understand the significance of patriotism, consider what happens within a family when a certain amount of loyalty does not exist. A spouse cheats on a spouse, a parent fails to defend his child, a child ignores an elderly parent. The family disintegrates.

Another apt comparison is a football team. What would happen if players who are unhappy with the coach decided to get even by revealing their playbooks to the opposing team or by undermining the team’s strategy and purposely failing to do their jobs? That would lead to the end of the team eventually.

In a country. Patriotism is necessary to preserve and protect the nation. Now, Patriotism is important because countrymen without Patriotism are like “a boat without a rudder.” Directionless, aimless, worthless for a nation! Because we are the future of our country, the flag bearers!

Love of nation sometimes adds up to your personality like a gem. Patriotism is not simply “born here,” it is about defending people of St. Maarten heritage, not nationality. We are Dutch citizens all people who have a Dutch passport, but St. Maarten is an identity. Are you willing to defend St.Maarten or die for St. Maarten against all nations? If you choose to do that for the love of St. Maarten then you are a Patriot.

I am St. Maartener first, before I am a Dutch citizen. My loyalty is to my parents’ ancestry which is St. Maarten that goes generations back. I welcome any person who was born here and wants to support St. Maarten, but it must be by choice because of your love for the people of St. Maarten heritage.

Many people of St. Maarten heritage were born in Aruba, Curaçao, USA, Holland, Guadeloupe, Martinique. And many people of St. Maarten heritage have close integration with Anguilla. But to be a Patriot of St. Maarten your loyalty must be to St. Maarten first. If you do not feel that or choose that you are not a Patriot.

Patriotism is overwhelming loyalty to St. Maarten in bad or good times. When I say St. Maarten I mean North and South or French and Dutch St. Maarten. If you do not love St. Maarten and are not willing to defend St. Maarten feel free to leave.

God bless the people of St. Maarten heritage and those who truly love St.Maarten. I will love you until death does us part. One love to the end.

The Patriot Miguel Arrindell