Dear Editor,
The Democratic Party has been one of the longest serving parties in the history of St. Maarten. We have had our ups and downs, but we have been there for the people of St. Maarten, now more than ever before. Our main goal was and continues to be, "How can we make our island a better place for the people of St. Maarten".
To hear a political party, who welcomed the leader of the Democratic Party as the chairlady in one breath, and denounce her in the next, say some of the most unprofessional things is a shame to say the least. This berating article from the USP board comes as no surprise, because the same lowdown type of message was previously shared in the NA/USP/DP coalition WhatsApp chat.
Yes, the “testicular fortitude” message from the hand of a TEATT cabinet staffer, singling out 2 leaders of the coalition and calling the other (female) leader “spineless”. Well, for a spineless leader, Honourable MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, surely has a vicious bite. Why, if the leader of the Democratic Party was so incompetent, based on her "track record", did you include the Democratic Party in the coalition? Why did the USP and the NA, who together had a majority following the 2016 election, bring the DP into their coalition? They knew that “lil” bit of red made all the difference in the world.
Reference is being made to the party being "like an annoying mosquito that keeps you up at night". If being an annoying mosquito means that we have had to buzz the words like, we have to be loyal to the people of St. Maarten, we have to take their well-being into consideration, we have to ensure that our people have a roof over their head, we have to ensure that our shores are ready for our visitors, and we have to support our businesses so that they have the help they need to be ready when we open our borders to our guests. Then yes we are that mosquito and we will continue to be that mosquito ensuring that anyone who does not have the best interest of St. Maarten and its people at heart, wake up and smell the coffee.
The Democratic Party might be small, but we will not be bullied into silence by a group of people who have had their self-serving interest smashed, because we did not cower under the pressure. We will not simply slide into obscurity and keep our mouths shut just because a few people stood behind their phones and literally tried to cyber bully us, as representatives of Country St. Maarten, into oblivion.
What is evident is the USP, the poster child for creating political coups, nepotism and backhandedness, as long as they are allowed to do what they want like a spoiled child, without any push back or question, their partners are the sweetest persons in the world, well not the DP, SORRY!!!
Like the bold red of our party we will stand firm, and we will continue to stand if it means that things are not being done in the best interest of our country. While others try to create smoke screens by posting false allegations and throwing piles of blame in an attempt to cloud the waters of reason, the Democratic Party will continue to fight for the people. We believe that our time is best spent pounding the pavement of our parliament seeking justice, relief and proper negotiations for our people.
We can sit and talk about the roles assigned to the ministries of TEATT and Justice. We can look at the fact that while the ministry was out informing our cruise lines that we were ready to open, the merchants on Back Street and Front Street were shouting for proper security, assistance in cleaning up and a host of other issues that no one heeded the call to.
Has anyone asked why St. Maarten was not ready for the strongly publicized November 11th cruise visit? Where the reports of the hotels, and what are is being done to ensure that these hotels are open so that our people can go back to their jobs and welcome our visitors back to our shores?
We can also talk about the break-down in security during and after the hurricane, and the lack of proper planning from the Ministry of Justice. There is much to be said about a lot of issues. However, we are bigger than that, and we will continue to focus on ensuring that the people of St. Maarten get the necessary relief that they will need, while not compromising our current and future generations to come.
We believe that our new coalition government is able and capable to help the people of St. Maarten. The Democratic Party has partnered with a group of people who we believe are not about playing politics or smoothing down egos, but about making St. Maarten rise again. We will continue to look out in the best interest of country St. Maarten and its people. Our loyalty is to the people. Our coalition will always be the people's coalition because the coalition, in our opinion, will be about the people, and professionally, delicately, carefully and economically looking at what works for country St. Maarten.
In Part 2, please explain the following:
What will the USP say about the Integrity Law when it reaches Parliament? Will the USP that quietly backtracked and signed the same border control agreement it rallied against for weeks, now sign “its” Integrity Chamber in Parliament? Why did it take the Justice Minister weeks to buckle and sign the same border control agreement presented from day 1? Can the USP give us the people of St. Maarten the “ingredients” for actually throwing down government? Revert to the infamous, “carnival coup”, if necessary.
Why did the leader of USP, who so boisterously rants in Parliament, and defended the then PM William Marlin, leave the NA to form his own political party? Please explain the formation of the USP with the many defectors or ship jumpers:
Maria Buncamper-Molanus by way of UPP, by way of DP
Romain Laville by way of UPP
Silvio Matser by way of UPP by way of NA
Why have MP Chanel Brownbill aligned himself with the Democratic Party and form part of the Coalition of 8? MP-Leader Frans Richardson said on the floor of Parliament, they went after the two most vulnerable and youngest MPs. Why were candidates like
Leona Marlin-Romeo, Anna Rabess-Richardson, and Lyndon Lewis left out in the cold?
Democratic Party Board
Marinka Gumbs
President
Dear Editor,
Nearly three months after the passing of Hurricane IRMA the people of St. Maarten are still grappling to get their lives back in order. One of the main things that has to happen without further delay is the repairing of the roofs, and especially those of our senior citizens.
Dear Editor,
I just got back from having a long listen to the disillusioned postal workers, among whom are several of my former colleagues. I was a teenager when I started working for the postal service and have watched a lot of my colleagues grow from teenagers to grey-haired middle-aged adults. I daily spent more hours there than at home with my family. Postal workers therefore have a special place in my heart, even the many “new” faces I don't know.
When I arrived at the office, I was surprised they were still tending to the public; the director and another manager could not restrain themselves from tending to the long line of customers, in spite of being told by the union not to do so. I can totally relate to that. Being a department head is an awesome responsibility. You can't help but blame yourself when things go wrong, even things that are beyond your control. I have been there. However, I totally agree with the union's advice. It's the only effective way to force the government to act.
A rather large crowd was waiting impatiently outside the temporary office, and there was some quarrelling among them. I was happy that a security officer was there, or things might have gotten out of hand. I could not speak to management as they were kept anxiously busy tending to the public. It was still early in the morning, but in the course of the day, exhaustion and frustration would take their toll on these two managers.
I found a group of workers – among whom a small group who were there when I was postmaster. They were all huddled together in a room at the back of the small temporary office. For two hours I listened to them and was overwhelmed to hear of the many frustrations they have had to put up with.
Where are the board members? I asked, Why aren't they here? They laughed, board members only show up when the press is there and the camera is rolling. Makes you want to believe that board members of government-owned companies are given those paid positions as a reward; you do something for politicians and they reward you accordingly; whether or not you are qualified to fill the position.
Who do the workers blame for the deplorable state they are in now? They blame their own management, the ever-absent supervisory board and the local government. They feel completely let down by all three.
It is true that postal offices all over the world have been downscaling. However, I still can't get over the fact that our government allowed Curaçao to open a post office in St. Maarten to compete with our local postal service. Not to mention the fact that they were allowed to take away vehicles, computers and even furniture from the St. Maarten postal service.
And as if that was not bad enough, at least one local bank is now having its monthly statements (tens of thousands annually) mailed to its customers in St. Maarten from the post office in Curaçao. By doing so, they are depriving our post office of some NAf. 80,000 in revenue a year. This should not be allowed. You wonder if our politicians are ever going to legislate laws that would put St. Maarten first. Is the wellbeing of St. Maarten ever going to be a number one priority in their eyes?
We reminisced for a while about how much fun our postal family used to have and all the amusing things that happened among the workers; for a while they were all in high spirits, laughing about the memories we shared. But I knew that beneath those smiles and laughter were sad and fearful hearts.
One postal lady said something profound that stayed with me: "I'm keeping my laughter." Meaning that in spite of all the stress, frustrations, anxiety and uncertainty of how much longer she will be employed, she is determined to continue laughing and smiling. I haven't heard such a positive statement in a long time.
The Prime Minister has assured them they will be paid for November and even guaranteed payment in December. However, they have to vacate the temporary office per January 1, 2018. What's going to happen then, Prime Minister?
When I was postmaster, we had 52 employees; PSS presently has 24 employees. I understand that the company that's going to take over wants to reduce that number to five; the union is fighting to keep 10 of them employed. If the union does not get its wish, 19 of the 24 will be sent home.
Now, let's get down to reality. What can we expect from a postal service run by just five employees? If you used to wait two weeks for your incoming mail to reach your letter box, rest assured that it's going to take a great deal longer now. Even outgoing mail is going to take longer to be sorted, processed and taken to the airport. What happens when one worker is on vacation and another falls ill? (No idea, but we are about to find out.)
Hard copies of important documents can't be sent by email or WhatsApp. The last time I used DHL was about two years ago; I sent a single document that weighed less than 10 grams to my son in the US; it cost me US $57. Foreign-owned couriers are going to flourish and the post office on the French side will soon have to put up with long lines of Dutch-side customers. I'm not sure the French people are going to like that, but it's going to be good business for them.
May God bless our postal workers! I will be praying for you. Stay strong and keep your laughter. Love you all!
Clive Hodge
Former postmaster
Dear Editor,
From 2011 ’til 2017 I visited Saint Dominic High. Every year one week in November. I am Niek Bogaard, coordinator of internationalization of Comenius College, Capelle aan den IJssel in The Netherlands.
Dear Editor,
The Government Administration building has been at the centre of attention again for more reasons than one. Not in the least because of the recent ceremonial change of the political/ Ministerial ‘guards’ at the helm of the decision-making process of our Island.
However, there is an equally serious issue simmering in the midst of all the political turmoil. The issue is the feeling of helplessness, loss of respect, impatience and uncivil behaviour towards our fellow citizens. This behaviour is unacceptable.
Prior to hurricane Irma, our government service, especially in regard to the census office sectors, ‘ burger zaken’, has been under pressure to provide basic and in reasonable time documents such as driver’s license, ID cards, passports, excerpts from the civil registry etc.’ Waiting time up to three months or longer, due to faulty machinery, or system malfunctions has been known for quite some time. It’s perfectly understandable that temporary measures must be taken in the aftermath of an extreme natural disaster to ensure that a basic level of service is continued.
The public service centre in Simpson Bay is still closed while offices are being repaired. Most government services are now centred at the government administration building in Philipsburg, including the extra assistance provided to those who deserve help most, by the social welfare department. The location is understandably packed, especially in the morning hours. Consideration should be given in regard to the latter, to assist these persons, in their own districts, from the offices of the community councils.
To be clear and fair, there are those civil servants who are courteous and professional in performing their daily duties at the government administration offices and at other buildings, including security personnel.
Given the negative experiences by numerous visitors who were (are) subjected to unfriendly and downright rude employees, clearly there is an urgent need for someone in authority to step in, step up and improve the manner in which people are addressed. The experiences are too many and too often.
Adding insult after injury (homes, destroyed, jobs lost, etc.,) and being subjected to unruly behaviour is simply unacceptable. This must never become the new norm. Immediate attention is required by those administrators who are charged with this supervision, to improve or rectify what should be better.
We must ensure that a decent level of service continues to be provided. Service that includes, but is not limited to phones being answered, when numbers are given by the civil registry department to make an appointment to pick up documents. The hours when visitors can ‘walk in’ without appointment (now from 8:30- 10:00 am) is expanded back to ‘normal’ working hours as soon as possible. Most importantly, ensure that personnel working at the front offices remain calm and professional when addressing their clients at all times.
We must be mindful of the very stress full situation thousands of our citizens are under in the aftermath of the devastation of hurricane Irma. We must never allow our friendliness, humbleness, and our servitude be replaced with animosity towards our fellow citizens. As we move slowly forward towards recovery and building a smarter and stronger foundation of our nation, now more than ever, requires leadership, empathy and civility in dealing with the people’s business
Gracita Arrindell
President, People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA)
