Dear Editor,
On Friday January 19, as I was reading the newspaper I came across an article “Unlawful dismissal of airport employees” so that really got my attention and I started reading but the more I read the more I thought to myself. “Where in the world is it unlawful to fire an employee that is involved in theft?”
I frequent the airport quite often as I am a frequent traveller doing business on and off the island. Now please correct me if I am wrong, airport security is hired to protect the airport and everything and everyone that uses the airport, namely passengers, businesses, etc., etc.
So first of all as a businessman why would I set up my business on the airport when the ones that are supposed to take care of and protect my business are the ones involved in stealing? Then like I said when I first read about this situation at the airport I thought to myself it is very sad and unfortunate because at first it was said to be a misunderstanding.
Okay, let’s give the employees the benefit of the doubt that it was indeed a misunderstanding, but then a few weeks later in the paper I read that six out of the 15 employees got their jobs back. At first I thought that wasn't fair but in that same article it also stated that those six got their jobs back because they brought back the stuff, so then I said to myself okay, that seems fair enough.
My question is, why didn't all of them do the same? If all of them did take their stuff back then yes we could all honestly say it was indeed a misunderstanding but when those didn't carry back the stuff then that wasn't a misunderstanding, they didn't care about their jobs at all.
Now I find it really really sad that they would blame their boss and label him the bad guy. I find that their story doesn't make sense because as a businessman and someone who got common sense there ain't a place or business in the world that allow stealing. When you work for a company and you steal that is grounds for immediate dismissal, no ifs, ands and buts about that. But then they all got a second chance to take back the stuff they took that should clearly see that their boss did consider and give them a second chance so for them to blame him and label him the bad guy is clear that these workers have no common sense at all.
Then they named two other guys and apparently they want to blame them as well but if we all be honest and use our common sense we would see that these people were doing their jobs. Then in closing these workers should have realised that what they did gives the airport a bad image because as a businessman I wouldn't feel safe opening a business at the airport where the ones that are supposed to protect it are helping themselves.
Now I believe in life when we as human beings do something wrong we are always quick to blame others for our wrongdoings and don't accept that it does be our wrongdoings and stubbornness that put us in difficult situations. Now let’s be honest with ourselves and realise the obvious – that the mere fact that their boss even considered giving them a second chance clearly shows that he is not as vindictive as they say because in similar situations another boss would not even consider giving them a second chance. You all need to use your common sense and be honest with yourself.
Name withheld at author’s request.
Dear Editor,
As I reported in The Daily Herald on January 11
(https://www.thedailyherald.sx/opinion/letter-to-the-editor/72657-sad-state-of-affairs-for-st-maarten), someone stole a laptop and an iPhone 7Plus from our house and we wanted to report the theft to the police in the event that our property showed up someplace.
We also wanted to get UTS to provide us with the numbers that were called on my phone after it was stolen but we were told that due to privacy rules we had to get authorization from the Prosecutor’s Office first. Seemed simple enough initially until we ran into problems filing a police report – and the Prosecutor’s Office told us we needed that report for them to authorize UTS to release that information.
The good news is that after writing the article last week a Chief Inspector at the Police Force contacted me and asked me to come in and explain what had happened in as much detail as I could. He was apologetic and understanding and he requested that I file a police report at that time which I did. So, now I had my police report and I could go to the Prosecutor’s Office and get the authorization to see my phone records from UTS. Great.
I then headed off to the Prosecutor’s Office. Boy was I in for a surprise.
The first time I went to the Prosecutor’s Office they informed me that they couldn’t provide me with the papers I needed for UTS because I didn’t have a police report filed. Well, I had the report in hand now.
When I arrived at the Prosecutor’s Office, for the second time, I again explained my situation to the person at the window and handed her the police report. I must say that I felt bad for the receptionist because she was just relaying a message to me, so she got up and went back into the office and then came back and said that I would have to come back to their office between 10:00am and 12:00pm on the last Thursday of the month if I wanted to speak to someone there.
At first I thought she was joking but then I realized that she wasn’t. Not only was it one day a month – it was only for a two hour period in that one day of the month.
I then asked her who had told her to say that. She asked me why I wanted to know and I said because I was going to let everyone know how ridiculous that was. She again went back into the office and two other women then came out and told me the same thing. I asked for their names but they also refused to tell me. Amazing, absolutely amazing.
So, if you are a tourist, which I believe is St. Maarten’s life’s blood, and you need to request assistance from the Prosecutor’s Office you may as well forget it. Because most tourists are not down here for a month waiting around to talk to a Prosecutor in a two-hour window.
So, as I wait for the last Thursday of the month between 10 and 12, and the call logs get older and the trail to the robber gets colder – I still can’t believe that people operate in such a poor manner. Then again, if they don’t accept that crimes occur – they won’t have any work to do – so maybe it’s part of a plan.
Mark Reynolds
Dear Editor,
It is no more a secret that I have written a great many of letters to you voicing my opinion concerning what I do not agree with or what I think should be done to improve the standard of living for the people of Sint Maarten. I usually write taking the man on the bus going to and from his job and/or also the person taking a coffee or lunch break who does not have a dictionary handy, into consideration, should you decide to print it. I also try as much as possible to refrain from disputing the opinion of others, because everybody has a right to his/her opinion and I respect that.
I read a letter to you written by Robby Ferron and thought I have written that so often in several different ways. Yes, I have suggested that the subject “civics” become an “examen vak.” I have also written that I find it absurd that anyone no matter what level of education can be elected to Parliament. Why absurd? Simple, because there is compulsory education. I am obliged to go to school ’til a certain age, but I do not need any kind of education to be able to run the country. I know some of your readers are laughing, but it is sad. It does not take rocket science to realize that that is not consequent.
Since we are on the topic of being consequent, the attempt to commit suicide is not punishable by law, but the driver of a vehicle and the passengers are obliged to wear a seat belt, and there are no seat belts in buses.
Back to the topic at hand. I have also stated that Ministers of government holding a certain portfolio should have some degree of learning pertaining to the contents of his/her portfolio. Many years ago I wrote to the Guardian concerning a certain level of education for political candidates. At that time I singled out the MEP party on Aruba as an example, which consisted primarily of engineers, school teachers both of the trade school and MULO school, lawyers, people with degrees in business administration. etc. There are people here on Sint Maarten who can attest to that.
Over the years I have also mentioned that Sint Maarten’s government is creating a brain drain by constantly refusing and rejecting our graduated professionals by using the lame excuse that they are overqualified, whereas it was a case of feeling threatened. (The constitution permits dummies to be elected).
So yes, I agree with Robby Ferron’s point of view, and hope that not only Robby Ferron but that more of us who know this to be the case also let this be known.
But I maintain that things cannot get any worse. Status Quo is not good, so with a whole new crew on board we might be heading in the right direction and reach the marina safely.
I know that a whole lot of businesses that finance campaigns will have to do new recruiting, but as I have mentioned in the past, the young ones will have to be aware that if they mess up already they will not last long. Their names will be blemished, which is not wise and certainly not for beginners.
A wolf cannot teach you how to behave like a fish. So the young politicians do not need mentors, they need advisers. Thus, yes, out with the old and in with the new.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
As a child I was explained in different ways that practice makes perfect. Then one day my father told my mother instead of telling the children that, tell them to be the best of whatever they are. When my mother asked him what is the difference, he told her that there was not much difference, but the latter could only be interpreted in a positive way, whereas it would depend on in which way and under which circumstances the former is said. He said one could become very good at lying if one practices lying.
When I read about the latest political developments they remind me the saying prevention is better than cure. If my assessment of the whole situation is right those involved in the latest toppling of government found themselves obliged to rearrange the order of procedures and in doing so had to speed up the process, which caused for that, in my opinion, staged hitch somewhere. So even though some believe that practice makes perfect, I maintain that honesty is the best policy.
There is a saying in Dutch: Al is de leugen o zo snel, de waarheid acterhaalt hem wel (no matter how fast the lie may be, the truth will catch up with it). There are two things here. Either what happened was done at will or it was incompetence of the perpetrator. No matter what the case, neither is acceptable. Because this kind of behaviour has become common practice in government and because of more and more disregard for the people of Sint Maarten it gives me more reason to exclaim “Out with the old and in with the new.”
Now this. A homeowner who lives in the USA and is here to in connection with the repair of her home which was destroyed by Irma asked me why are there four different exchange rates for the dollar on Sint Maarten? She pointed out that at the gas station it is 1.75, at the Receiver’s Office it is 1.78, in the majority of the stores it is 1.80 and in some stores it is 1.82 – a difference of seven cents. I am not sure why this is possible so I referred her to the bank or the Finance Department for explanation.
Russell A. Simmons
We coming back te vote black
NA staying on the white line
In spite of all she hard time
while UP come back
And turn DP red into UD
black
Yes the golden boy is back
And he know there is BEAUTY
in Black
But of all the colors in the pack
why did he choose Star black
Is this te say we mourning
The DP defeat
Or, are we celebrating the return
of the black sheep
who leave UP, he Green, green grass
And come back te lead DP at last
Picking Up with Tolerance
His own inheritance
And reuniting his family in a instant
Call it DP or UD
Putting the D in front
Or leaving it behind
The D will always be around
No one can chase D out of town
For D will guarantee
DEMOCRACIE
And also some Dutch currency
So no matter what color
Black like midnight
Red like blood
DP or UD
With Dutch aid
Or just some band-aid
The spirit of A.C.W.
IS BACK
And he is now wearing
BLACK
so we all coming back
from the grave
Te vote he BACK
Blacklisted
Blackmailed
Blackball
Black sheep
WE PROUDLY VOTING BLACK
AND WE AIN'T TAKING THAT BACK
Raymond Helligar
aka Big Ray
