Dear Editor,
Breaking ground for a multi-million dollar FBO with the main Airport Terminal Building (ATB) in ruins after Hurricane Irma? Are we nuts? Has the 195-mph winds rattled our brains? I know a contract with a preferred local construction company has been signed some time ago, but Hurricane Irma was no fiction. It destroyed Governor Holiday’s work of art. The SXM airport IS the gateway into SXM, responsible for the lion’s share of what makes our island’s economy run. Tourism.
Every available penny and all manpower should be poured into repairing and rebuilding the ATB so we can welcome tourists back to our shores in a pre-Irma fashion before spending an ounce of energy on anything else at the airport. As an active pilot flying in and out of Princess Juliana International Airport, I welcome a professional looking and operating Fixed Base Operation’s facility, but NOW is not the time.
FBO’s accommodate primarily the rich and famous (I am told 1% of our visitors)....our ATB accommodates everyone else. Do the math!
And then that beautiful, very high flagpole on the hill.... it is in the flight path of the airport when taking off towards the East.
Please Mr. Minister, put a red flashing light on the top of your pole. Especially at night or in instrument weather conditions (when we have to take off under Instrument Flight Rules), it is a hazard!

Michael J. Ferrier
MJF

Dear Editor,

  I personally lost respect for most politicians in St. Maarten. Few years back when myself and others had a crusade for and about love of country and recognition of St. Maarten people and were pursuing for the St. Maarten people to be recognized in our Constitution, the same politicians called us haters and not inclusive.

  Presently, the Kingdom government and St. Maarten government are at a disagreement pertaining to the so-called aid, and the Kingdom government attached conditions that they do not agree with. I am not here to point out who is right or wrong legally.

  What comes in to play is that the St. Maarten people are suffering and want to see results. Quickly we hear some say we should go independence. I ask myself how a bankrupt country with people without an identity can be independent.

  Worse yet, they then start to play the race card to gain support from the people living in St. Maarten, saying the colonial white man comes to conquer us.

  That is deceitful! St. Maarten politicians, just like Holland, are using an unfortunate situation for their own personal and political gain. Remember, these same St. Maarten politicians years ago rejected recognizing St. Maarten people in our Constitution.

  These are the same people who say the law does not allow it. But the same St. Maarten politicians created a policy or a law to give three grace periods for illegal immigrants. Now the kingdom government is using that excuse to demand border control.

  The point is this, if our politicians had practiced love of country and recognized the St. Maarten people in our Constitution, they would have had unity to defend them.

  The St. Maarten politicians were always catering to themselves and families, and now the Kingdom government is using force and might over right. What is happening to our St. Maarten government is the same that the St. Maarten government did to the St. Maarten people.

  Choices have consequences. Our St. Maarten government is saying, we are St. Maarteners. Now I will ask the St. Maarten politicians the same foolish question they asked me years ago, “Who is a St. Maartener?”

  As Leopold James and I told them, no matter how you turn it, if you do not correct the past you cannot move to the future. The kingdom government knows St. Maarten is a divided country without an identity and is weak from within. That is why the kingdom government is using force and might over right. If you ask many St. Maarten people if they want the Kingdom government to control the border they will say yes in a private setting.

  The conclusion is, because St. Maarten people do not have an identity and were never defended by our politicians, the kingdom government is now playing their Trump card on the St. Maarten politicians.

  Having a new round of elections is a waste of time and money. Without love of country you can never fight or win a war.

The Patriot Miguel Arrindell

Dear Editor,
There is much discussion taking place this week up until November 17 in Bonn, Germany, where the United Nations (UN) Climate Conference is taking place. This week the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued a stark warning that 2017 is set to be among the three hottest years on record.
The impacts of a warming climate via extreme weather events such as destructive hurricanes, fires, floods, debilitating heatwaves, droughts, melting ice, changes to agriculture that threaten food security, are being felt on a global scale.
The WMO adds that the past three years is part of a long-term warming trend of the earth’s climate pointing to recent “extraordinary weather” that includes temperatures topping 50 degrees Celsius in Asia, record-breaking hurricanes in rapid succession in the Caribbean and Atlantic reaching as far as Ireland, and devastating monsoon flooding affecting many millions of people and a relentless drought in East Africa.
Our country Sint Maarten was at the receiving end of two record-breaking hurricanes in rapid succession, namely Category 5 Irma and Maria, and we could also add Category 4 José which passed to the north of the country, considered a near miss.
Sint Maarten is confronted with a magnitude of challenges at this point in time in its national development. Jump-starting the national economy is a key priority in order to maintain a flow of foreign currency; assistance to those in need who have lost everything; and one can go on and on listing the ills that our country is now being confronted with.
A workgroup was established to develop the “National Recovery Plan (NRP).” An interim NRP, entitled, “Sint Maarten Build Back Better,” provides an analysis of the economic impact expected due to the loss of the country’s main business activities and infrastructure. Based on consultations with stakeholders, it ensures a roadmap for the reconstruction and recovery of Sint Maarten, for the short, mid and long term.
The authors of the NRP, based on assessments, place material damage at around US $1.8 billion. Considerable strategic investments will have to be made between now and the start of the next hurricane season, which is eight months away. Reason being, our sister island of Dominica went through two catastrophic weather systems within a two-year period, Hurricane Maria this year and Tropical Storm Erika in August 2015, which at that time was the deadliest natural disaster in Dominica since Hurricane David in 1979.
There is nothing to say that Sint Maarten won’t be hit by another Category 5+ hurricane come September 2018. Therefore, building back better must be done in a strategic manner within the next eight to 11 months before the peak of the 2018 hurricane season.
Of course, a totally rebuilt Sint Maarten cannot take place within the aforementioned timeframe. However, strategic prioritised choices can be made based on the lessons learnt post-Irma/Maria.
A disaster can strip people and businesses of their livelihoods as has been the case, bringing deeply disruptive impacts that push people into poverty and also trap them into an intergenerational transmission of poverty. A clear example: in 1995 the so-called “shanty-towns” existed, 22 years later they still exist.
Our disaster risk reduction policies and entities today have to take into account the shifting risks associated with climate change.
The future of our island nation is bright: Insurance sector monies are already being re-invested and this should be stepped up in the coming months; SXM Airport is open for commercial air traffic; cruise lines to return in December; Kingdom Government funding related to the reconstruction of public infrastructure should be in place in early 2018.
We need to embrace certain principles in order to become a climate-resilient nation. The UN Secretary-General said recently, during a visit to Dominica, that natural disasters had tripled while the economic damage caused by them has increased five-fold; that there is scientific proof that climate change is largely responsible for the dramatic increase in the intensity and devastation caused by hurricanes in the Caribbean.
Building back better must be based on “thinking outside of the box.” As the nation of Sint Maarten rebuilds, going back to pre-Irma thinking is no longer possible; a new mindset is required in the post-Irma/Maria era in order to build a climate-resilient nation. We cannot allow disaster risk to outpace resilience. If we do not change, we will be bound to repeat disaster with catastrophic consequences. #SXMStrong

Roddy Heyliger

Dear Editor,

  In the last couple of weeks, St. Maarten people have seen yet another government fall, making it six governments in seven years. While we have only had Status Aparte for a short time, I believe it should be very evident to the St. Maarten people, the Kingdom and the world that our present politicians, with the exception of three, lack the maturity, transparency and integrity to operate in this new system of government.

  Even in the face of our greatest crisis as an island, it is abundantly clear that our older politicians will never be able to put country above self. They have turned the Constitution upside down and in the process have caused even more suffering for the people, many of whom are already showing signs of post-traumatic stress following Irma. Irma devastated the island and now the people are having to relive their trauma over and over, while the politicians fight to control the cookie jar and who will get to manage the reconstruction.

  In particular, it is heart-breaking to see our elderly mopping up their homes daily from the rain as they try to prevent mould build up and rats taking over. To see the stress on their faces as they try to save any mementos of their past life is so distressing.

  In all this political turmoil, they all talk about the people's suffering, but when will we hear of a short-term plan to stabilize the island for the next 6 months? It is imperative that we stop the further decay of our social structure before we see unrest and increased crime. This would give the island's economy time to self-regulate from the insurance pay-outs as well as time for the island to work on a long-term vision and structural plan for the new St. Maarten. A long-term plan in which St. Martiners will once again become the focal point in rebuilding a strong middle class, including re-introducing them into the private sector. A long-term plan which will address our ever-increasing social decadence, over-population, destruction of the environment, unliveable minimum wage, and last but surely not least our St. Maarten identity.

  This long-term plan must be done in synergy with the French-side counterparts so that we can relive this island as one island, one people and one destiny. As Irma reminded us, “The gale does not stop at the border” (Source Felix Choisy).

  Recently in Parliament, it was made clear by the Minister of Finance that the island is facing great budget deficits for the next three years and has no reserves. With that in mind, I would suggest the Council of Ministers and the Parliament work on that short-term plan to bring immediate relief in two specific areas in our community: the unemployed and uninsured home owners.

  As we sort out the political instability and seeing that all parties are now in agreement with the Integrity Chamber and Border Control conditions set forth by the Kingdom, we absolutely need to expedite an official request to the Kingdom for funds to stabilize the most vulnerable persons in our community.

Unemployment Subsidy:

By now our Government should know how many persons are unemployed. A subsidy can be given to the unemployed for the next six months. The amount of the subsidy per person or per family would have to be decided based on our minimum wage, and on the cost of the basic food basket. I would say at least NAf. 900 per unemployed with an additional NAf. 150 per child. Please keep in mind this is money which will circulate in our economy if the proper measures are taken.

  We should be proactive and assist those businesses which are being forced to lay off workers due to loss of business. Government should subsidise part of the employees’ pay so that the company can keep those workers on their payroll. This would be a lot less burden for Government in the long run and prevent work apathy.

Uninsured Home Owners:

  The uninsured home owners should be assisted to make temporary repairs in cases of major damage and final repairs in cases of minor damage. It is imperative to make as many homes liveable again so that persons can return home and regain a better mind-set. This would also reduce the amount of temporary housing needed by government. Priority should be given to senior citizens and single parents.

  These repairs can be carried out by the Dutch Military which have already been carrying out such temporary repairs, and they can enlist helpers from unemployed persons who can work in that field or have the desire to do so. It may actually be a great learning opportunity for many of our youth.

  Some would say why not use local contractors, but they should realize that contractors are already overburdened with the number of insured home and business owners needing repairs. Besides, this is mostly temporary repairs until proper assessments and structural repairs can be made. This will also reduce the need for more bureaucracy and having to set up monitoring institutions in the short term.

  In the long run we can implement a proper Building Code to reduce the level of damage and increase survivability of persons and homes the next time the island is hit by a category 5 plus hurricane.

  So I am calling on our Ministers and Parliamentarians to end the people's despair. Please make an official request for funds from the Kingdom to stabilize the island in the short term. Our people need help and they need it now!!!

Claude Chacho Peterson