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)
Dear Editor,
Mitigating climate risks (in our case hurricanes and flooding) and building resilience against extreme weather events will be the key buzz words for 2018 for country Sint Maarten.
Every business entity that caters to cruise passengers by offering various services and products, will have to put extra effort in displaying the St. Maarten charm and welcome during the first and future cruise ship calls that kick-off in the month of December #SXMStrong.
Being extra courteous and embracing cruise passengers will go a long way during the cruise passenger destination experience which will be assessed by the cruise lines.
A cruise lines goal is to always provide an enjoyable and memorable cruise vacation experience for its guests. While varying by Cruise Line, sailed guests 18+ normally receive an online Guest Satisfaction Survey sent shortly after their cruise which have high completion rates.
Port St. Maarten will receive the feedback from the cruise line and this will be communicated and discussed with local cruise stakeholders in order to make what necessary adjustments are required in relation to the guest’s destination experience.
Cruise lines value greatly the feedback they get from their guests which gives them the opportunity to continuously enhance their on-board products and services. This is also relevant for St. Maarten as a destination with its shopping, culinary and shore excursions etc.
The first cruise ship calls will determine cruise line itinerary planning for the remainder of the high cruise season and beyond. St. Maarten has to ensure a unique, memorable and enriching visitor experience in order to rebuild cruise ship numbers via increasing cruise ship calls #SXMStrong.
“It will be important for all to show a caring attitude not only to the cruise guests but to their neighbours, business or otherwise as it will be felt by the cruise guest. Everyone needs everyone to succeed. Where there will be guests on excursion an extra courtesy would go a long way and this is from traffic diversion to picking up some trash that just should not be there.
“This may be a habit that will take a bit more time however if everyone got into the habit of stopping for a second and welcoming a guest, eye to eye contact, when it is obvious they are a cruise guest, this would go a long way and leave a lasting impression on the cruise visitor that would overcome any shortcomings of the physical appearances,” said 30-year Cruise Industry veteran Mico Cascais, in Ship Board and Corporate Management.
The past 19 Years Mico was responsible for the Shore Excursion Programs, Carnival Cruise Lines offered to all its guests worldwide having had many interactions with current stakeholders in St. Maarten over the years.
In the past St. Maarten received high marks from cruise passenger and crew surveys. According to the BREA (Business Research & Economic Advisors) Report, which is a survey-based analysis of the impacts of passenger, crew and cruise line spending, that was prepared for the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and Participating Destinations, October 2015 edition, destination St. Maarten led all destinations with nearly US$423 million in cruise passenger spending for the 2014/15 cruise season.
St. Maarten had the second highest average expenditure of $119.13 per crew visit and the third highest number of crew onshore visits (377,400); St. Maarten had the second highest total expenditure among the 35 participating destinations, $45.0 million.
In St. Maarten crew expenditures were concentrated on retail purchases of electronics and jewelry. These were followed by spending for food and beverages and clothing. These four categories accounted for 70 percent of total crew spending in St. Maarten.
Destination St. Maarten is ready and open, and on track to return to those aforementioned numbers as the destination recovers #SXMStrong.
“In this post-Irma era, everyone working in the hospitality sector will be playing a key role where service-mindedness is concerned. Residents also play an extremely important role in how cruise visitors experience St. Maarten #SXMStrong.
“It is very much up to residents and other stakeholders whether cruise passengers will want to return to St. Maarten again in the future and whether they recommend it to others. Image and aesthetics also play a role, and therefore clean-up of debris and beautification will display a new St. Maarten to be discovered #SXMStrong,” Port St. Maarten Management pointed out.
Port St. Maarten
Dear Editor,
For the people who know me, most of the time, nearly all the time, I am a very positive person. After the storm, whose name should to my idea not be mentioned anymore, I have been literally fighting for my brothers and sisters and animals on this island.
I love every second of it and still do. With all my heart, even though I lived 15 years in Curaçao, I felt Sint Maarten was more than ever an island I belong to. That’s why I was so proud to put the Sint Maarten flag on the basecamp of Mt. Everest in Nepal on May 28 of this year.
So what has changed? It feels like a marriage that’s going in the wrong direction. Believe me, I know how that feels; have been there, done that. I feel ripped off by the island’s businesses and government. Of course, not all of them, but yeah some of them.
UTS that gives me a bill just after the hurricane of more than NAf.700. Overused date??? GEBE? What’s wrong with your calculations? Scarlet for charging the normal fees for the most horrible reception of Wi-Fi? And then NAGICO “Fast, Fair and always there” You can see that again. New buildings, new advertisings and Oh, yes, new rules? They are a champion in ripping you off.
Fast? Two months after the hurricane and still no payments? Fair? Oh, yes, they hire adjusters from different islands, (work permits?) to tell clients of NAGICO that they are under-insured or to paint over the sheet rock walls that are full of mould, because mould is not included in the insurance. You are there all right NAGICO! Rip your clients off, treat them unfair.
The new census office with their new rules! Maybe you were there last Tuesday around 9ish. Maybe you were wondering who was yelling so loud in that new building of theirs... Well, no worries, it was me. I was so incredibly fed up with their idiotic way of showing that they are above me or anybody else. When I say they, I am talking about the security guards who just do not understand their own rules. I was wearing a knitted sweater, no open shoulders, a jeans ¾ and some low boots. Yes, you did see about 15 cm skin on my calves between the jeans and the boots. Miss, Miss you cannot go inside, you are dressed very improper. Very what? Miss you are not proper dressed!
I mean come on, where we go. You make me lose my appointment because you see 15 cm of calve? Do the 3 months of working our butt off, trying to survive and staying positive, with all that had happened on this island not count? Why don’t we give each other a break, be kind, lower prices (especially government-based businesses?) Change your attitude for a moment. Change the tone of your voice if you really want somebody do something differently. It’s easier than you think.
Treat people the way you would like to be treated. Life is simpler than you think. What you give is what you get.... Government, if you can protect your properly-dressed people who come to the census office, you can protect your people from businesses like NAGICO. Just saying....
Desiree Winkel
Dear Editor,
The immigration policy for Sint Maarten is slowly bankrupting the island. Why? Because permits are being issued to foreigners at the lowest levels of the pay structure, so low that the taxes they pay are not enough to cover the cost to government for letting them and their families live here. Now add the porous borders and illegals not paying any tax and you can see why we are sinking!
In 30 years the population of Sint Maarten has doubled to over 30,000. Spoiler alert! What’s it going to be 30 years from now? More people require more government services/employees, more schools, more hospitals, more roads, more power and water, more policing, more public housing, and yes ... more crime, more pollution and a bigger garbage mountain!
There is a solution: every person must carry an ID card and every work/resident permit should be for one year and only renewed if that person can show they have paid a minimum annual tax of $5,000 per person (including children) in their household. Imagine that, 20,000 permits x $5,000 = a minimum of US $100M.
My point is that if you are not going to pay enough into the tax system, then you shouldn’t have the privilege of living here.
Name withheld at author's request.
