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

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 proud West Indian, I would like to publicly appeal to our West Indies Cricket Board to issue an official apology to under 19 South African batsman, Jiveshan Pilly, and to the entire South African under 19 Cricket team for the unsportsmanlike manner in which West Indies under 19 captain, Emmanuel Stewart, secured Pillay's dismissal in yesterday's West Indies versus South Africa match in the 2018 under 19 Cricket World Cup.

  Emmanuel Stewart may be a young cricketer, but surely he is not too young to know that one does not appeal to the Umpire for the dismissal of a batsman who has picked up a ball that is effectively “dead” and who then throws the ball to a fielder in a gesture of helpfulness towards the fielding side! It does not matter what the strict rules of the game may say: all of us in the West Indies have grown up with the notion that that type of behaviour does not accord with our principles and with the spirit in which West Indians play Cricket.

  And what makes such an apology especially urgent from my point of view is the fact that in the bad old days of Apartheid generations of black and coloured South Africans grew up idolizing the West Indies cricket team and drawing inspiration from their heroics on the field of play and from the dignity that they exuded as outstanding black men.

  This is the second under 19 World Cup in a row that a young West Indian cricketer has tarnished the West Indies hard won reputation for fairness and principled competitiveness in how our regional team plays the game of cricket. It was just two years ago – in 2016 – that the young West Indian bowler – Keemo Paul – ran out a young Zimbabwean batsman by the name of Richard Ngarava for venturing out of the crease before the bowler completed his delivery of the ball. Once again, virtually every youngster who grew up with the game of cricket in the West Indies knows that one does not effect that type of run out of a batsman unless one has first warned the batsman about his infractions and he still persists with the illicit behaviour.

  What is really going on with our youth cricket? Why is it that our young cricketers don't seem to know these fundamental principles that West Indians of previous generations took for granted?

David Comissiong

Lover of West Indian Cricket