Are such requests futile?

Dear Editor,

  Let me state this, even though I maintain that professionals should occupy Ministerial positions, I have come to accept that until the whole government apparatus of Sint Maarten is swept clean, with both broom and vacuum cleaner, we will be burdened with this predicament.

  I know it will be difficult to get them all out in one term, but it is not impossible and that is what I am relying on. It is not impossible. Out with the old and in with the new. Every great idea that anyone comes with is never accepted before evaluated on “what’s in it for me?”

  With all sincerity and due respect and I mean it, a small claims court is very necessary for Sint Maarten, but there is nothing in it for other than the small man. So because of proven modus operandi of our people in government I have my doubts that a project so necessary for Sint Maarten will get airborne. Someone whispered in my ear, “If Peter put in on his drone it will get airborne.” With my experience from being in the force I know that it is necessary for Sint Maarten and I would like to thank Cuthbert Banis for that letter.

  This is again another reason why I want to get rid of the old, because they have been in there so long concentrating on “what’s in it for me” that the little things that are necessary for resolving problems among the people are disregarded or never looked into.

  In my days petitions and suggestion to government had to be done in writing. There were also rules and regulations for answering the petitioner. But since it has become common that people in government give the editors of newspapers the prerogative whether to print their letters or not (expecting the editor to do so because of who they are) I believe that people in government should make it clear (change the law or uphold and enforce it) on correspondence between the civilian and the government, and not when it is convenient use the lame excuse of not having seen or received any correspondence on that.

  I personally know of politicians who have used complaints out of letters to the editor and used it to make a policy, but like I have always stated, there was nothing in it for certain people so it never came off the ground. But if government had made use of the amount of suggestions and observations made by the people just since 10-10-’10, there definitely would not have been only that one plastic bag story, and the health of the people of Philipsburg and Cole Bay would not be in jeopardy because of what is going on on what we so proudly, but maliciously display as Pond Island.

  So yes we need new people who are willing to take the bull by the horns for the revival of Sint Maarten. We need our professionals abroad to have new people who they could have confidence in and who they (the young professionals) could make shine.

Russell A. Simmons

Grateful workers not ungrateful workers PJIAE

Dear Editor,

  In regard to a recent flyer that has been circulating talking about airport staff and injustices at the airport, first of all there is no injustice on the airport, and for clarity sake those persons responsible for slandering others, Mr. Michel Hyman, should not involve all of airport staff in that kind of nonsense.

  Now Mr. Editor first of all Mr. Hyman is a down to earth and humble gentleman. But because some employees can't get their own way they will say all kinds of negative things and that is very sad because there is absolutely no truth in the allegations made about Mr. Hyman. For 1, Mr. Hyman is well educated and has his degrees and diplomas along with experience to prove that he is more than capable of running the airport.

  Mr. Hyman also knows the ins and outs of the company. Whoever is responsible for the flyer is just trying to bring him down and they are the ones being vindictive. Mr. Hyman is also a no-nonsense man and some employees don't like to be disciplined or corrected.

  Then they mentioned about Mr. Baker. Yes, Mr. Baker has his master’s degree but had Mr. Baker passed his interview like Mr. Hyman he would have had the position and he too might have been a target like Mr. Hyman once certain employees don't get their own way. But it happened that Mr. Hyman passed his interview with flying colours. That position was not just given to Mr. Hyman, he worked hard and earned his position and he is more than qualified for it.

  Mr. Hyman knows his work. He is able and capable of doing his job. But truth be told there is a power struggle right now at the airport and that's what this is all about. There are a few of them that want his position so they will do or say anything, even tarnish his name, just to bring him down and make him look like the bad guy.

  They talked about the slow pace at the airport but let’s be honest, airport was severely damaged by the monster storm Irma and there’s no way it could be built back up in 3 months, that is impossible. Then they mention the contract workers. Not all the contract workers were sent home and most companies did the same, not only PJIA.

  Now in closing, Mr. Editor, there are workers at PJIAE that have full confidence in Mr. Hyman and who appreciate the good works he has been doing for the airport. So thumbs up Mr. Hyman keep up the good work.

Name withheld at author’s request. 

A positive approach

Dear Editor,

  It was gratifying for me to read today, an article in the SXM Daily Herald newspaper entitled “Gov’t Ministers hold Town Hall Meeting in East End.” Some years ago, during the tenure of former Chief Minister of Anguilla, Hon. Osbourne B. Fleming, he held a meeting in New York with members of the Anguillian community. One of the suggestions that yours truly made, was for elected officials of the Government of Anguilla to schedule regular Town Hall meetings among their various constituencies, to give them a voice through participation in the democratic process. Not only was my suggestion implemented by former CM Fleming, the recent meeting of Government Ministers in East End is a reminder that such a systemic pattern and practice continues to this very day; whereby elected officials of the Government of Anguilla are scheduling meetings to meet with their various constituencies.

  What a better way for elected officials to meet and greet their constituents in a relaxed setting, share pertinent information, give their constituents an opportunity to share their views and concerns, ask questions, get a response, make suggestions, or just sound off on and around issues that affect their daily lives? In essence, it appears that based on the article in today’s SXM Daily Herald, the recent meeting in East End exemplifies a positive approach to the democratic principles of a government that strives to be by the people, for the people and for the good of the people.

Yinka

Dear Editor,
At least that’s what sociologists call it. It derives from the observation that if vandals break a window and it goes unrepaired, then pretty soon lots of windows are broken and in a short period of time, an entire neighbourhood becomes a slum. The single act of minor vandalism that goes unrepaired is seen as licence to do anything at any time without consequence and so social order breaks down and simple quality of life is diminished for everyone. I mention this because, simply put, it is what is going on here and now and this society as a whole is on the brink of that slippery slope that often has a bottomless cliff at the end of it.
Every day, between 5:30 and 6:00pm, a small white truck winds up an almost impassable dirt road that runs alongside the dump to a clearing. There, he dumps garbage, human waste and dead animals, pours gasoline on it all and lights it on fire. For 30 minutes or so there is a huge tower of toxic black smoke and flame which blankets the whole area.
When it started a couple of months ago, I thought it was the junkyard that’s over there accidentally setting a car on fire or something but then it became a daily scheduled occurrence and the other day I happened to be downtown when it started. So I drove over there to see what was going on.
It took three tries but I finally found the correct side road and followed it to the fire. To get there I had to pass through a village of shacks and homemade shelters with entire families living in the most horrible conditions imaginable. Survivors lucky to be alive and scratching out an existence in unbearable squalor. And just beyond them, down a grass track and into the clearing was the guy in the white truck creating a cloud of smoke that, at best, was killing these poor bastards a little bit more every day.
I freely admit that I went there for selfish reasons. That same smoke, when the wind is right, comes straight through my living room and makes the entire area unliveable. And for sure I am no community activist. If I trip over someone in trouble at the moment, I am happy to help but solving the problems of general poverty and social distress are things I leave to those of the mindset and resources to do it. So ... I carry myself down to the police station and tell them about the burning. They blow me off completely. I was an annoyance to them. Same with the fire department. The Nature Foundation didn’t bother to answer their E-mail.
And so now there is your broken window. An individual doing whatever he pleases, brazenly, in the open for all to see, every day making life miserable for everyone around and patently killing those closest by who are too weak and disadvantaged to protect themselves.
Seen alone, it is a disgrace that government does nothing for these people in general but beyond that it is evidence of a systematic and endemic policy of “head in the sand” governance. They are too busy studying their “rules of order” for elections looking for loopholes than to actually help those most desperately in need, never mind the notion of just stopping this criminal doing the burning.
I didn’t bother with the Prosecutor’s Office since, apparently, it is only open and available for two hours a month. And so it seems that there is no one in authority that cares if the criminal in the white truck is simply putting the poorest and most defenceless citizens at death’s door once a day. What does that behaviour say to every other young criminal?
There is no humorous or ironic tagline to this other than to say “You should be ashamed of yourselves.”

Steven Johnson