Dear Editor,
As promised the continuation of my thought about professionalism. In my former letter I challenged whomever is involved in hiring professionals, to produce their diplomas or certificate for the type of job that they are doing.
Long before Irma this was going on, now it is worse. In 2002, because of that over-qualified melee, I was in a meeting, I brought it up and offered to personally control diplomas and certificates to establish how many qualified workers are in the right employ. Numbers talk louder than hearsay. I was told that we would have to rearrange the employees sheets by the Labor Department and whatnot. That died a natural death as with everything that will protect the local man.
I always think of the Bushiri Hotel in Aruba, which schooled so many native Arubans who have been employed in the tourism sector in Aruba. Everyone from everywhere is some kind of a repairman. None can give you a receipt describing their work and you constantly have to call them back because of faulty or incomplete work done.
Car dealers have sent mechanics to courses in order to be able to upgrade themselves or familiarize themselves with the changes in certain models. Not long after his return that mechanic goes out on his own and becomes a so-called great mechanic under some tree or to the side of the road and that issue is never addressed.
As supervisior of the control unit I was asked to be lenient in some cases (friends of the elite) as long as they did not overdo it. Pond Island began the same way. Not for the same reason, but in the same way. We are not going to overdo it. Now we have to add another landmark to the map of Sint Maarten: Pond island Hill. We should be reminded that soon we will need to put up a red beacon for the planes.
Everyone knows the dilemma with the dump. Elections and the forming of a new government has put that on the back burner right now, but I say this is the time to put that in the governing accord. People in town and in Cole Bay will be still suffering as long as that hill is there for there will always be fires.
A new government. A new minister with another deal and the dilemma continues. Demand diplomas or certificates from those who claim to be repairmen. No work without immigration papers. Register in the correct way at the Chamber of Commerce. Hold the employer accountable for sending repairmen without diplomas and certificates to repair house and other appliances. Do the right thing. No more quick fixes and, as I mentioned, the store owners should be the first people from whom we demand that they have professional repairmen for the products that they are selling.
And then the irony of the K-9 matter is that First Response is causing the confusion. I have always been against the names First Response and Sheriff for security companies. Those names should not be permitted here on Sint Maarten, because of the easy manner in which visitors could be misled.
Worldwide people know who are the first responders. First responders are not security and a Sheriff is not a security. Again I have had conversations about this with people who could look into it and have the names changed. Again, just like I am constantly told that it is difficult to regulate public transportation, I am told that it is difficult to oblige a private company to change their name. Have not businesses been making it a practice to change name and managers faster than I can change a piece of clothing? And do not these requests go around to the concerned departments for advice before being okayed and permits issued?
We are again in a rebuilding period and we even have more supervision from Holland directly involved in a whole lot more stuff. Would I be right in thinking that it should be much better organized and probably supervised now because the same people who investigate us and lock us up are as it were on top of things now? Which reminds me of the tune “Who’s to blame?”
Mediocracy: a system in which mediocrity is rewarded.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
I have been trying to be a little more reserved with my comments because it takes time to react to suggestions. I read two articles in the paper of March 22nd. and I thought “when are we going to do the right thing?” Which right thing?
Yes, that six months contract abuse that has been going on forever. Over the years I have spoken to several people who were close to the decision-takers and “You have a point,” “Great idea,” “That makes sense” is where it has remained. I did not even have the chance to see something done of which I can say they stole my idea.
It was always in the interest of the people so “what’s in it for me” did not apply.
Instead of forming a committee which has to occupy itself with dismissal rules, why not permanent employment with conditions adhering to the normal rules and regulations stipulated by law? It should be the other way around. The employee should be employed knowing that he/she can remain employed as long as he/she adheres to the rules and regulations and labor laws. There should not be a constant fear of “I wonder if they are going to keep me on or let me go after the six months.”
Government continues to proceed as if that six months contract system is humane. It is not and all of us know it. I am aware that both parties should have signed the agreement, but let us be fair. are not the reasons mostly why the employee agrees to the conditions, as it were signing under duress?
La Samanna employees are starting what I hope should become the rule of law. We need to attract reputable and established companies to the country and not these so-called businesses which change management and names faster than I can change my shirt, with the blessings of government (of which several members are directly involved in those companies).
Who is the victim here? The people, through government not collecting any taxes, permitting wrong salaries, six months contracts, you name it.
Some people want to know, why the turnout to vote was that much even Irma. My summation: No house, no job, no money, free stuffed johnny cake, free T-shirt and a few more empty promises is too much to pass up in desperate times. Very compassionate.
Now this. Some opposites of professionals are cobblers, bunglers, moonlighters and, as we would say here, “chance takers.” Many years ago I suggested that companies that have their employees deliver goods to homes or do repairs at homes should have their employees wear a company uniform or a recognized logo with the employee’s identification. This was in connection with loafers and robberies in homes in the hills and so on.
Since Irma everybody is an air-condition repairman, a mechanic a body-man, you name it, not to forget who has become a carpenter in two days. Mrs. Cannegieter was sooo right with her response to the K-9 situation, I do not even need to add anything else. There was also a previous article concerning those dogs. which also has to do with professionalism here on the island.
Let me start by saying if you continue to tell your native Sint Maarteners that they are overqualified then you are telling the world that you can get along with mediocracy, a system in which mediocrity is rewarded. Wow. I challenge any car dealer to show me a local Sint Maartner with a diploma as an automobile mechanic in their employ.
I will go on and challenge any store-owner selling fridges, stoves, washing machine and other household appliances to show me a Sint Maartener with diplomas or certificate to repair those appliances who are their employ. Show me the hairdressers with diplomas from Schools of cosmetology. Let us check by the Chamber of Commerce if all of those who are obliged to register their businesses, the level of education authorizing them to have whatever type of company they have registered. Who is controlling where?
When people continue to badmouth the Sint Maartener whose friendly and hospitable manner was the cause of the great migration to Sint Maarten, those same people have to know what they brought along with them. If it was friendliness, where they came from would have been known to be friendly and hospitable so that they would have been able to market that just like we did and are still doing.
Because of the risk of my letter being too long to publish I will finish my thought in another letter.
Russell A. Simmons
(Building back we life)
If our actions speak Louder
Than our voices
Then let our action be soo Loud
That it will Drown out the sound
of our critique
And the only sound
That will remain around
will be that Thunderous
Sound
Of Silence, of our critiques
So let us stop the Talk
and start the walk
For we have forever
Talk the talk
Now ’tis time we walk the walk
For others may sympathise
And true friends will empathise
But only we can build
Back our lives
For there are more to life
Than ah roof over ah head
And on your Table
ah Loaf ah bread
For The Bible clearly stated
That man shall never live
only by eating bread
For if today yeh Homeless
And most probably pennyless
It is not ah reason to be careless
Neither te be hopeless
For yeh sure not worthless
And this is just ah test
For the birds have Nest
And God cares for the sparrows
And he feeds the Tiny swallows
So I trust Him with my TOMOROW
So I take MY eyes off Material
Thing
And I build up My treasures
in Heaven
In that secure place
Where Hurricane have no Trace
For where our treasures are
There will our heart be
Our silent action
make the loudest noise
BIG RAY
Dear Editor,
At this time of year, your readers look forward to what will appear on The Daily Herald’s front page on April Fool’s Day, and then the report the following day as to how many people fell for the prank.
So, what’s it going to be this year? Are you putting the finishing touches to it?
Oh! Hang on! April 1 falls on a Sunday this year, so there’s no Herald then. And none the following day as it is a public holiday! So, does this mean that this year the joke has rebounded and is on the editor of the Herald?
Graham Crabtree,
Anguilla
Dear Mr. Franco,
In reference to your article in The Daily Herald of Tuesday, March 20, 2018,
we have struggled for centuries to finally get rid of the burdens, inferiorities, and traumas left by slavery, colonialism, and imperialism of which you are now a part.
Please be so kind for the sake of our young people when referring to projects being done on Statia, to the actual initiators which are young local Statians,
Thank you
Jacintha Brice
