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
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
(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,
The key is the gentleman’s agreement. I was just in Aruba and had a very candid conversation with a European Dutch schoolmate from the seventh grade (1958).
We happened to meet each other at the checkout counter of a supermarket. He noticed that I had already reckoned my bill and, as he later told me, he approached me because I reminded him of an old classmate who he used to admire because that classmate used to be very good at hoofdrekenen (mental arithmetic) which was not his strongest suit.
When we got together for old time’s sake he told me that he had read my articles on line but did not really make any effort to get in contact with me because he had retired to his hobbies and had left the intensity of life to his children and grandchildren.
He said to me because we are all human the chromosome count makes a difference in why we do not all think and behave and develop identically. Which is necessary for the balance in life. We talked about a whole lot of things and on the political front he told me that there is no fundamental hatred from the Dutch towards us. On the contrary, the Dutch need us.
I responded with probably that could be the cause, if you find yourself stuck with something you do not really want. The problem is the politicians among each other.
In his opinion politicaians vying for office should always keep John 21:15-19 (He Googled it) in mind. For years there has been an unwritten agreement among the politicians that you do not compromise the integrity of the political leaders or leadership.
For us in this part of the kingdom this stems from when it was “Curaçao en de onderhorigheden” and Aruba already in those days wanted what was considered “Status apparatus.” The results of that was that the Netherlands Antilles (six islands) was formed and with the divisions of the seats per island Curaçao 12, Aruba 8, Bonaire 1 and the Dutch Windward Islands (Sint Maarten, Saba, Sint Eustatius) 1.
It was not in the constitution, but there was already that gentleman’s agreement that Curaçao would not form the government of the Netherlands Antilles by itself (12 seats majority) but that there should be participation of all the islands. This also continued when Aruba left the constellation in 1986.
The government of the Netherland Antilles remained a coalition of parties from parties of the different islands. If a politician messed up it was expected of him/her to quietly go off into the sunset not to compromise the integrity of the political leadership. Court cases reveal much more than rumors which eventually will disappear making space for the nexr rumor.
Beside that it was normal for Holland to be kept abreast with any kind of negotiation with foreign entities. Over the years there were breaches in that agreement also which caused a breakdown in confidence. One of the factors for this kind of behavior is that the IQ and education level of the candidates (Constitution does not regulate it) is at a very low level or zero political knowledge or knowledge of the CIVICS of the country etc.
That gentleman’s agreement slowly but surely became “if you don’t tell on me I will not tell on you.” But with the social media and the nucleus of the population of Sint Maarten, the size of the island and the fact that people see each other almost every day, that does not work and the integrity of the political leadership has been and is compromised.
The fact that instead of walking off quietly into the sunset, the elected officials take government to court, are condemned, appeal the sentences and remain a member of Parliament as long as their appeal is not exhausted, is as it were a slap in the face of Holland whose hands remain tied because the same people who are supposed to be protected against this kind of an offensive behavior are the same ones who keep voting the offenders into office. And the polticians continue to neglect the same people who continually vote them into office.
There are two things: the Dutch (RST, Detectives etc) will continue to investigate and eventually lock up or the people will have to control the government with their vote. But as long as politicians continue to cover up for each other and do not care about the ages old custom of not compromising the integrity of the political leaders it will continue to deteriorate.
When you mess up, it is simple: GO! Do the people of Sint Maarten really need to be treated this way?
Russell A. Simmons
