Minister of VROMI [Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure – Ed.] you have been talking about home repairs and roofs. It has been seven months since Hurricane Irma hit St. Maarten and many are still without proper roofs or any at all. Have you ever thought about Middle Region, where there are persons still without roofs?
There are persons who have lived in homes for almost 30 years and honestly paid their rent, yet their landlords can’t cover their homes. Some of the landlords have been giving their tenants stories upon stories and have not been doing anything to fix the situation. I think that it’s a shame, they are playing games and should be held responsible.
I refuse to believe or accept that they can’t afford to cover the homes of the tenants. Where has the rent money for the past 25 to 30 years gone? These landlords should be exposed because it is unfair for them to be living comfortably, while their tenants are still waiting to get back to their normal lives.
Name withheld at author's request.
Dear Mr. Marlin,
I felt the need to put pen to paper and offer a little advice to the National Alliance and in particular to you, Mr. William Marlin. A man I respect and have voted for because you stand strong and I didn’t like how they tried to destroy you. There are rumors out there that the United Democrats is sitting with the Alliance as well in the talks to form government. As a supporter of the Alliance I’m sorry, but I have a serious issue with this. And I’ll remind you why.
This island nation of ours is taking longer to get on the economic recovery road due in part to the fact that the UD broke government. No matter how people try to dress it up, every fire starts with a spark. And that spark was the now defunct DP and UP along with Brownbill throwing down government in the aftermath of a hurricane.
They got to that point by painting you Mr. Marlin, as the worst public servant this country has ever seen, despite a career of 30-plus years of achievements. They called you AND the National Alliance every name in the book. You were a liar, a manipulator, undeserving of being the PM, not worthy to be called honorable, and on and on.
The venom that was spewed your way culminated in them firing you not once, but TWICE! It was a clear attempt to destroy you personally, not just politically, at the behest of the Dutch. The same UD then turned to Christophe Emmanuel and called him even worse names. They hold a personal disdain for you and the National Alliance.
Please explain to me HOW you expect your base to accept any partnership with a group of people who just tried to destroy the leader who has guided the Alliance to prominence. How can I? These people do not change. They will actively try to undermine you and yours and try to destroy their biggest threat (Alliance) from within.
There are times when you simply have to say “no” and grow a spine. Mr. Marlin, more than ever SXM needs a strong opposition to keep people in check. You can also effect change from the opposition benches. You can do work for our people from right there. But I beg you, Do NOT form with a group of people who visibly hate you and through their actions despise you and yours even more.
A proud supporter
Name withheld at author's request.
Dear Editor,
If people follow my trend in the letters written to you, they would realize that I put the people first. Permit me to share an anecdote of 1971. I was on the job for 6 years. I was working out of the police station in Rio Canario, Curacao, when an American couple (tourists) came to the station and asked for directions to get to Punda. The desk sergeant of whom I knew that his English was shotty, tried his best to explain them how to get there.
Their body language and facial expressions told me they did not understand what was being explained. Knowing my desk sergeant, I had to evaluate which would be the better of two evils. I chose not to let the tourists leave without being able to get directions from a police station on Curacao, so I added my bit to the original explanation. The lady reacted by saying, "Oh, okay now we understand"
I left Curaçao in 1975 to come to Sint Maarten, and one of the last things my desk sergeant told me was, "Try not to show up your superiors, up there." I do not usually do the work of the political leaders, even though I am often accused of the same, but in this case I would not lose out of sight that Cliffy has chosen for what he campaigned and that is to serve the people. He is putting the people first. Do we not constantly repeat that politics makes for strange bedfellows? So why are we disappointed that Mr. Smith, who according to Joslyn's letter, is asking for Education and Prime Minister. Is he strange to those positions?
History of politics on Sint Maarten would tell anyone that this is the best solution for a semblance of hope for this government to last four years. What I did not hear from my cousin though is that the school children are saying that the same people who toppled the last government are the same ones holding up the process with unreasonable demands.
Frankly speaking, the public secret is that the DP side of the UD is demanding Prime Minister. I do not know if I am ready to attack someone’s character if there is no proof that nothing yet has gone wrong. When a choice between the lesser of two evils has to be made, one runs the risk of a back lash.
My cousin says it's the flavour of power, I say my personal interest must not jeopardize the people. I definitely agree with the beginning of Joslyn's letter to you, but whose foot does that shoe really fit?
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
Since the State of France discovered the island with the 1986 Law of Defiscalization, Saint-Martin has been rapidly going down the drain. The entire island was baptized the “Friendly island” by the first tourists visiting here during the 1960s. “Friendly,” because the islanders were hospitable and pleasant.
Dear Editor,
My wife and I have been coming to Sint Maarten annually for the past 25 years, always especially enjoying our time on Galion Beach (the baby beach) with our child, that is, until this year. Our recent visit to Galion revealed the extensive devastation left by Hurricane Irma, including the opening of a water channel from the nearby pond, allowing raw sewage water into the formerly pristine waters at Galion. Galion is now unfit for swimming or any other recreation.
Galion has always been a popular spot for family fun for islanders and tourists alike, especially at Easter time, when many family camps are in place there. The island needs Galion back to what it was, pristine, clean, safe, and fun for everyone. A bulldozer should be able to close the open sewage channel in a very short time, and nature would clean up the water and the beach. Let's get it done promptly for the benefit of all.
Gregory Collins, MD
