Dear Editor,
The history of St. Maarten has demonstrated time and time again that the people of St. Maarten are a resilient people. Whether there is little or no incentive from the side of government, the people continue to find a way to bounce back.
This has always evoked thoughts of the correct or incorrect disbursing of goods by government to those in need. I would challenge anyone to show me where I am wrong about this.
I read a letter to you from Steven Johnson “Who kidnapped the Editor?” and was not surprised, because I myself did not agree with the timing. People are hurting a whole lot more than they are showing, because they cannot sit back and wait for handouts. Especially with prices escalating and no one to control it.
I will sound like a scratched record, but I have to continue asking how can both Kingdom government and local government be so callous as to continually disregard the people after what Irma and Maria did to St. Maarten, purely for politics. I still believe that the toppling of government should be an indictment for conspiracy of those who are responsible. Then not only Steven Johnson, but everybody should react and voice their opinion.
One of the questions to be asked is, did any member of government lose their roof? Is it back on? With so much damage and so many hands needed to clean up, reconstruct and to serve both the needy and the visitors, are we really going to be able to perform optimal? Are we looking for quality or quantity? And do we really prefer to use Irma as a scapegoat? What do we prefer – continual mediocre service or one low and bad season with a very valid reason? Do we really think that anyone will judge our Carnival this year?
As one who been personally involved with visitors for years, I know that the vast majority of the visitors for Carnival come for the atmosphere of the St. Maarten Carnival season and they will continue to come.
Even though my way of expressing my disgust is different I can understand conscientious responce to that editorial. The impact of Irma is in no way close to over, and big as well as small, old as well as young are still traumatised as a result thereof. Most of all, not everyone is coping the same.
Would I be able to say Happy Carnival without reservations?
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
There I was, nibbling my toast and drinking my coffee and starting to read Saturday’s Editorial, and after a very few sentences nearly choked and shot coffee out of my nose.
There, in black and white and in a newspaper that purports to be in touch with the real world is an Editorial that suggests that it somehow makes sense for Government to spend roughly a quarter million dollars to support a Carnival, while a huge percentage of the population is either homeless and/or living in hopeless desperation.
The Editor makes the case (which I happen to believe is absurd on its face) that first, tourists by the thousands plan their vacations here around these Carnival dates, because it is such a world-class social event rivaled only by the World Cup, and secondly, that the tourist industry itself will surely collapse in ruin if the Government decides to maybe, put roofs on people’s homes or flat out giving them subsidies to live on, since a whole bunch of them are out of work and broke.
With all due respect, Mr. Editor, your logic is, at best, absolutely insane and at worst, heartless and cruel in the extreme. My father was the City Editor of a major daily newspaper for 50 years, and I can tell you that he would have spiked that piece before it every got near the copy desk. Let me understand this clearly. You want to tell some family living in a home where the rain pours in and that has no food to eat, " Sorry...you don't get a roof or food because a bunch of guys want to get together and get drunk for a week or so, and raise hell so they can feel good for a bit" Really ? That’s the best advice you can come up with at a time when real people are suffering terribly? That makes the golden flag pole look like the greatest humanitarian gesture of all time. And, just out of curiosity, where do you think the money is going to come from for people to spend at Carnival? Or where are all these hotel rooms where all these mythical Carnival travelers are going to stay?
Newsflash, Mr. Editor. Nobody plans to come here just for Carnival. They wake up at 3:00am in their hotel rooms and say, “Geese, what's all that noise?" And only then do they discover what Carnival is all about. Do the locals love it? Absolutely and they deserve their time away and their week or two of drunkenness and celebration. They plan for it big time and it is a serious deal for them, both culturally and economically. I get it... really.
But do you honestly believe that any one of those parade goers or participants is willing to say that their few beers and 105 db. noise is a worthwhile tradeoff for them or someone else to be living in a house with no roof? Do you believe that the Carnival organizers are so completely selfish and callous and so out of touch as to say, “Our event is more important than people's very lives and survival?” All I can say is,
"Geeze, I hope not", because if it turns out that you are correct about all this and I'm wrong then there is simply no hope at all for this culture or society as it exists here now.
Steven Johnson
Editor’s note: Mr. Johnson clearly has no idea how many regional visitors and particularly from other Dutch Caribbean islands come to St. Maarten at the end of April, especially for Carnival every year. The Daily Herald stands by its editorial.
Be wise, St Maarten politicians, please be wise. No three parties to govern St Maarten for a full term for stable government 2018 to 2022.
The writing is on the wall.
United Democrats find one of the three parties with seats to work with to govern for a very full term.
Every baby in St. Maarten knows coalition government in St Maarten is a big problem. Three parties forming a government not accepted by the entire population of St Maarten – Amen.
Cuthbert Bannis
Dear Editor,
The effects of kindness are experienced in the brain of everyone who witnesses an act, improving their mood and making them significantly more likely to “pay it forward.” This means one good deed in a crowded area can create a domino effect.
Kindness offers many benefits:
Even witnessing acts of kindness produces oxytocin, occasionally referred to as the ‘love hormone’ that can lower blood pressure and improve heart-health. Oxytocin also increases our self-esteem and optimism.
Feelings of worth
Acts of kindness create calmness and less depression, with increased feelings of self-worth in a study group.
Happiness
A 2010 Harvard Business School survey of happiness in 136 countries found that people who are altruistic – in this case, people who were generous financially, such as with charitable donations – were happiest overall.
Lifespan
It is reported that people who volunteer tend to experience fewer aches and pains. Giving help to others protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease. People 55 and older who volunteer for two or more organizations have an impressive 44% lower likelihood of dying early.
Helper’s high
When you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centres light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed – not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high.”
Serotonin
Kindness stimulates the production of serotonin. This feel-good chemical heals your wounds, calms you down, and makes you happy! In addition, it increases the production of endorphins—the brain’s natural painkiller!
Everyone you meet has a challenge that you know nothing about. Be kind! Commit to a random act of kindness weekly and share your experience with us on Facebook:
Random Acts of Kindness International
Carmelise Gittens
Dear Editor,
As one who has been involved in elected politics in the United States for over 30 years and simultaneously has been a multi-week visitor in St. Maarten for those same 30 years, I believe I have a unique perspective on the political process in St. Maarten. I have seen many so-called politicians come and then go when they prove to be more interested in themselves than in the people they are supposed to serve. Some of these politicians have enriched themselves and some have found themselves going to jail. We have the same situation in our country and I do not claim any superiority for the United States electoral process with that of St. Maarten.
With the above as my preface I would like to state that I have the utmost admiration for Sarah Wescot-Williams who has been involved in the political process for many years because I find her to be genuine. Her guiding star seems to be what’s best for the people of St. Maarten including not only those who profess to be real St. Maarteners but also those who have lived on the Island and continue to try their best to make it the "Friendliest" Country in the World.
I have only had one contact with her in the 30 years that I’ve been coming to St. Maarten and that would be about 8 or 9 years ago when she addressed a meeting of the Rotary Club while I was attending such a meeting. I actually did not get a chance to speak with her but I do read The Daily Herald every day of the week online and I have done so probably for the last 10 years.
I am getting close to retirement age and I am seriously considering relocating to St. Maarten and one of my main positives would be the continued presence of Sarah Wescot-Williams in government. I have made many friends both in and out of government in St. Maarten during my many years here and most are trying to pull together despite severe handicaps such as weather, insufficient critical mass of population, limited natural resources and a lack of diversity of occupations. These handicaps can be overcome and I believe they will be overcome because of the work ethic of most of the people that I have met.
St. Maarten faced its greatest challenge in 2017 and aside from a few days of chaos has come out of it with a stronger resolve and will overcome the handicaps I have set forth above. You have only to look at how the people who visit St. Maarten feel about the island by checking the internet on the many social interactive websites that exist and get a feel for how we as Americans, Canadians, Europeans and many people from throughout the world feel about what we consider to be our second home.
William E. Flynn
Old Bridge, New Jersey
