Dear Editor,
The 3½-page Nunes memo, written by members of his staff, is a tremendous farce. It relies upon the Steele report as being the only basis for the FBI’s application for an order from the Court, without identifying the other reasons the FBI was seeking an order to survey Carter Page, including the fact that in 2014 the FBI was investigating him because of his contacts with a Russian spy. The Nunes memo also highlights that a Democratic group paid for the Steele report, without a word that a right-wing group also had paid Steele for his work. Implicitly, they are in effect also saying the Court, in issuing its order, had acted without justification.
It has been confirmed that Nunes had had unusual direct contacts with the Trump White House before issuing the memo which Is designed to obstruct the on-going investigation of the President who had said he was “100 percent In support” of releasing the memo before he had even had received it. (They say he rarely reads anything, relying on Fox News for information.) Supposedly having read it, he announces nationally that the memo “vindicates” him for any wrongdoing. Does he understand what he read, if indeed he even read the memo? He also stated that the conduct of the FBI and Justice Department has been “the worst in history.” This memo looks like a political ploy which was cooked up.
I think that ultimately this will hurt Trump and the GOP members who are supporting him, particularly if and when the Democrats’ more detailed memo is released, which the Republicans on the Committee originally had voted against but recently voted to release it, subject to Trump’s approval. It will be more proof that the Nunes memo was simply a political maneuver.
Stephen A. Hopkins
Dear Editor,
I have been following the news in which Minister of Education Jorien Wuite met with representatives of the APS about their plans to develop affordable housing for civil servants, teachers and employees of government-related organizations.
This project is one that I hold very dear to my heart. I recall when the notarial deed for the commencement of this project was signed with APS on November 19, 2015, when I held the portfolio of Minister of VROMI.
A total of 48-60 homes was envisioned to be built on the Vorst property in Cay Hill. A total of 11,129 square metres of land was acquired by government and leased to the APS for the purpose of constructing affordable homes. The entire process was done in a very transparent manner, while the necessary due diligence was carried out.
The issue of housing has been the subject of discussion for governments of the past and this matter remains a top priority of our agendas today. It was regretful to learn however, that after leaving office in 2015, that the government at the time refused to execute the project simply because it was started during my tenure. An important project like this one should never be used as an instrument for petty politics.
It was always about providing affordable housing opportunities for middle income families, starters and returning young professionals; it was never about me.
I wish to take this opportunity to commend the APS and the current Government for following through with the project, which in the end will only serve to empower those who stand to benefit from their very own investment in the Pension fund.
Member of Parliament Claret Connor
Dear Editor,
In 2002 my wife and I purchased Air Lekkerbek, the plane on the Pondfill that was one of the major touristic attractions on the island and frequented by many residents. The business was bought as a retirement investment so that we could be self-sufficient when reaching the pensionable age. This opportunity was violently ripped away from us by former Ministers of VROMI Maurice Lake and Claret Connor.
Dear Editor,
National Alliance has proven that they cannot govern this country and Hurricanes Irma and Maria have completely exposed this reality. What is bothersome is that the former Prime Minister William Marlin has never apologised to the people for his misrepresentation and none of his members sees it fit to for him to do so either.
Instead, they joined in the chorus of lies, thinking that everybody will forget what they have experienced after the devastating storms. Up today, I and many others are still without basic needs. Imagine, 6 months later, this is still possible? But who cares? No matter how NA tries to put a spin on everything, they have failed! Who needs more of this incompetence?
NA has put the country in such disarray and they have the guts to ask for an extension to do more experiment. There is no time for an apprentice government. The country needs professionals with leadership, managerial and educational skills; persons who are decisive, have vision and empathy for the community.
The country does not need a repeat of the hardships that NIPA and USM were forced to endure due to this hands-off approach of a former minister, who is consumed with being popular, but lacks the vision to govern. Up to today, teachers are under enormous stress with long hours and no roofs, yet they were obligated to return to school without psychological and financial help. How inhumane and unfair!
So often, NA makes reference to how the Dutch viewed them during the formation of the red, white and blue coalition. At present, that perception is totally opposite and they want to know why? How about starting with some self-examination? This is a party that has accused UP and DP of ill practices but they went in government and did worse.
A party that is boastful about all their ministers passing the screening should be honest with the people as to why they couldn’t continue with the red, blue and white coalition immediately after the 2016 elections. Then they should demonstrate integrity, when they broke off their relationship with UP and didn’t have the courtesy to inform this community.
This so-called screening: Is it a fair measuring tool or even manned by persons of integrity? It was clear to see that the recent screening process was deliberately delayed to sabotage the developments that lead up to elections. To bring more balance, the screening should start with one’s reputation, first and foremost.
The country is in limbo and it requires professionals, who understand how important it is to revitalise the economy as quickly as possible!
Joslyn Morton
Dear Editor,
A politician who visits the prison director, gets a list of prisoners who have the right to vote, and then buys the votes of these prisoners. Silvio Matser did it on St. Maarten. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to eight months in prison.
The director of the prison (who was also sentenced) gave Matser a list of 80 names, men who each got US $100. For one seat you only need a few hundred votes on St. Maarten.
It is by far the smallest country in the Kingdom, but the members of its Parliament earn about $11,500 a month, more than politicians in the Netherlands.
A prisoner who helped Matser was convicted, two other suspects can no longer be sentenced, because they have been murdered in the meantime.
With the results of these elections in August 2014, Silvio Matser appeared to have received many votes in the constituency where the prison is located. As a result, he got a seat in the Parliament. In January 2015, Matser was already convicted for tax evasion. It is remarkable: a politician who bought votes in prison may now serve his sentence in the same prison.
Monday there are elections again on St. Maarten, an island where the population is still suffering from the consequences of Hurricane Irma. People need a roof, a job and an income, but many politicians on the island seem to be mainly concerned with themselves.
St. Maarten became an autonomous country within the Kingdom in 2010 and has had seven governments since then. The St. Maarten Parliament consists of 15 members and cabinets often have a small majority. Governments fall mainly because of ship-jumping, when a member leaves the coalition and forms a new majority with the opposition – which is always accompanied by suspicions of bribery.
Silvio Matser did it in 2015 when he dropped the Prime Minister of his own party and continued as an “independent” politician. The current government also depends on such an “independent” Parliamentarian, Chanel Brownbill, who is being prosecuted for tax evasion. Another ship-jumper is Frans Richardson, who was recently arrested in a fraud and corruption investigation in which the parliamentarian is suspected of accepting bribes and evading taxes. He is also suspected of recruiting votes.
On Monday, Frans Richardson can again be elected into Parliament, as leader of his party. The same applies to Chanel Brownbill who is on the list of the biggest party of Theo Heyliger, the most powerful man in St. Maarten – the party where Matser once started his career. Theo Heyliger had close ties with Italian gambling boss Francesco Corallo, who is currently on trial in Italy for bribing prominent politicians around Silvio Berlusconi. On Curaçao former Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte was convicted because he had been bribed by this mafia boss.
It is sad that people on St. Maarten have to elect a new parliament on Monday, while the island still has to be rebuilt after the destruction caused by Hurricane Irma. People on the island crave for better and fairer governance. But what they mainly see is political scheming and criminal behaviour. However, it is no coincidence that so many politicians are being arrested and sentenced at the moment. This is part of a larger-scale investigation into the relationship between the upper and lower world in St. Maarten, which is being done at the request of the Socialist Party (SP) and the liberal democratic VVD party, and which will continue in the coming years.
This criminal investigation cannot provide better politicians on St. Maarten, but it can make clear to the population which politicians do not care for the island. I hope that the voters will not stay home on Monday but that they will make their voices heard. They know who the criminals are, I hope they do not elect them into their parliament.
Ronald van Raak
Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament for the Socialist Party (SP)
