Dear Editor,

  The United St. Maarten Party (US Party) has been focused on St. Maarten’s recovery from the day after Hurricane Irma. Most of this “get to work right away” attitude is reflected in the actions of dynamic US Party Ministers after the storm. We address the Democratic Party as the catalyst behind more instability in St. Maarten because, well, they are. For posterity the facts have to be put on record.

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

  I invite you to begin the Advent season with the words of Psalm 85: 10-11: “Near indeed is salvation for the loyal; prosperity will fill our land. Love and truth will meet. Justice and peace will kiss.”

  On different occasions we pray this psalm, but during the preparation of Christmas, it always takes a new meaning: expressing a desire that becomes reality in our personal life and for all humanity.

  With the first Sunday of Advent we begin a new liturgical season that we wish to celebrate at the same time as the Jubilee Year of our Diocese commemorating 60 years of its existence. We want to spend this year as a time of grace with the motto: Encounter with Christ, encounter with each other; an encounter, as the Gospel says, that always generates positive fruits of conversion and good works.

  Pope Francis says so: “An encounter with Jesus gives us joy and new hope, it leads us, even in times of trial and difficulties to a deeper encounter. … Unfortunately we are used to a culture of indifference, … but we have to work and ask for the grace to build a ‘culture of encounter’ … that returns to each person their dignity as children of God.

  “Jesus shows us the way: not just by seeing, but looking, not just hearing, but listening, not just passing by, but stopping, not just saying ‘what a shame, poor person’ but reaching out to him, letting compassion fill your heart.” (Pope Francis, Homily, 13-9-2016).

  In this year of Jubilee, let us foster the ‘culture of encounter,’ To achieve this we have to leave our comfort zones and reach out to our brothers and sisters in their concrete situations. Pope Francis says: “In the Gospel we read that Jesus invites his disciples to go forth. It is not a useless walk of the Lord, while He walks, He encounters, when He encounters, He draws nearer and when He draws nearer, He speaks, when He speaks, He touches with His power and when He touches, He heals and saves.

  “Go forth into an encounter, staying a while with affection with the person and without fear. (cf. Francisco, Apostolic Visit in Colombia, 7-10 Sept. 2017)

  Let us reach out to our brothers and sisters who live in the “existential peripheries” of the different social situations. In each of the six islands of our Diocese, we can identify some conditions of loneliness, material and spiritual poverty, indifference, individualism and even discrimination. Our task as disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ is to be able to go forth, creating a visit and an encounter with each other, especially with those in need.

  Let us encourage each other in our parishes and pastoral groups, especially in these seasons of Christmas, Lent and Easter, promoting the beautiful custom of blessing family homes.

  In our clergy conference, as a pastoral goal for the Jubilee year we wish to promote unity among priests, religious and laity. But in order to achieve unity, we must prepare the ground and sow the seed of dialogue and trust, approaching each other in the spirit of brotherhood.

  It is necessary to create activities that foster sharing and celebrating our faith as a family, our friendship as a group and our unity as a parish community.

  As a priority to promote unity, we wish to render the laity the place they deserve as having the biggest membership in the Church, and because they have an important mission to fulfill for the sanctification of the world, through the testimony of their lives (see Lumen Gentium 31). Pope Francis tells us that “hope in Latin America and the Caribbean passes through the hearts, minds and arms of the laity!”

  In a particular way, let us promote the Family Apostolate and Youth Ministry with formation programs for parents like a school for parents, encouraging attendance in the Sunday Eucharistic celebrations with their families and organizing visits to the families living in the parishes.

  The year 2018 will be a year dedicated to the youth due to the coming Synod of Bishops with the theme: Youth, faith and vocational discernment; It will be a year of preparation for the World Youth Day that will take place in Panama in January 2019.

  The Diocesan Commission on Youth Ministry has initiated a formation program for our youth, taking into account the concrete realities of the family and youth in each island. To achieve this, I suggest that every priest of the parish and all catechists must encourage the children and young people who have been confirmed and those still preparing to be confirmed to continue and persevere in coming together to the Sunday Eucharistic celebrations.

  I hope that in each parish will emerge youth groups that can share the Word of God and organize cultural and sports activities.

  One of the important points for us to cultivate the seed of unity and harvest its fruits is called “pastoral conversion”, which is a grace of the Holy Spirit to renew our way of evangelizing.

  Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium explains what pastoral conversion means: “make sure that all our structures become more missionary, so that pastoral work in all its aspects and instances becomes more open in such a way as to make all the pastoral workers in a constant attitude of going forth, reaching out and evokes positive reactions from those whom Jesus gathers in his name”(EG27).

  Among the goals in our Diocesan Pastoral Plan says: “Let the Word of God encourage and motivate all our pastoral activities and parish life: meetings, preaching, catechesis, enthronement of the Bible at schools and family homes.”

  I request the School Board, teachers and students of our Catholic Schools in a particular way, to take this goal into account because it is a very important aspect for the young people of the Church.

  I conclude this message by praying to our mother Mary to be with us during this Jubilee year and bring us to our encounter with her Son Jesus and with each other:

  “Mother Mary, Immaculate Conception, humble servant of the Lord and Mother of the Church, intercede for our bishop, our priests and religious and all the faithful, so that we may always remain united to your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Your servant in Jesus and Mary,

Luis A. Secco, SDB

Bishop of Willemstad

Dear Editor,
Airlift is a major Caribbean problem that deserves top priority because it is vital for tourism and trade, subsequently for the economic well-being of all population members of the Caribbean communities. The problem has been acknowledged for many years. Just check the on-line archives of the news media to find the evidence. No one has come up with a true common solution.
How to solve the airlift problem? It is quite complicated. Already because of the geography and the many jurisdictions. Try to define the Caribbean. It could be any area between Bermuda and the Guyanas, and include the coastal areas of Central America. Yet, the countries need each other’s air transport connections. It is not a kind of project where one should expect to have a complete universal solution at once for all. It will most likely come in steps and building blocks. That is acceptable, as long as the end result is a “Caribbean House” that all feel comfortable to live in.
Part of the problem is the word “unifying.” So let’s post the question to a person who has an objective perspective on airlift matters and panoramic view of Caribbean issues, the Minister of Transportation of the island St. Tosia, the fictitious Honourable Duncan Vanderbeest:
“Unifying the Caribbean? Can it be done? Yes! Am I sure? No! Where lies the challenge? The first challenge is that one would have to unite while leaving all the differences intact! The second challenge is that there are more jokers around than a Caribbean comedy festival could stand. Last but not least, and don’t tell my colleagues that I have said this, or else they may have evil come upon me in a next summit, but, I couldn’t tell one ‘Honourable’ from another; they all sound alike.” End quote.
Wow! Thank you mister Minister, as it is an exception to hear the powerful talk as candidly as the powerless.
The solution may be a Caribbean Airlift Council. An institution that is independent from governments. It cooperates with governments and advises them when asked, yet, it is credible and highly respected to also urgently suggest and be accepted even when not asked.
Where does that leave the representation of the public sector, the various business organizations or interest groups? The expression “Interest groups” says a lot. They usually pursue a particular interest that is on their mind and they have organized themselves for that purpose. There are three interest segments: aviation, tourism and investment. The Caribbean Airlift Council will cooperate with all of them and communicate, but remain impartial and independent.
If the Council is just a mediator in such a complicated environment, why fiddle around with a healing middleman and not immediately call a priest? Not so pessimistic! This is about new life and when differing circumstances meet, creativity is encouraged.
The primary task of the Council is finding realistic solutions for any airlift issue that has not been dealt with (past, current, and future) with a satisfactory result. This global definition in itself creates an immense field of issues. It serves all airlift stakeholders thus not just the aviation industry, but rather also the travel and tourism interests, and to a lesser degree the investment segment. The Council activities could include consulting and advise, study, mediation, certification (e.g. Caribbean Friendly Sky concept). Several other activities may be included but cannot be listed here.
The Council shall not copy the activities which agencies or organizations are doing or supposed to do. If nothing else, it will simply outdo these actors with faster and better solutions.
There are many issues that need a solution for once and for all, and rather sooner than later. The reason why these needs exist so widely, is because they have never been dealt with on such a broad base. Maybe attempted on a smaller scale or a narrower base, but they have not resulted in accomplishments that serve all governments, communities or interest groups in the region. Sometimes it may have been the lack of foresight or appropriate competence; other times it was the political meddling.
The Council should not get any authority. If it was given authority, it may already encounter resistance by a foreseeable number of egos. Yet, the fact that the Council is an authority on the airlift subject itself, may be its most powerful instrument to have its influence and impact. Anyone who ignores the work or advice of the Council might be considered foolish. The entity, should be strong-minded, undistractible, and remain focused at all times on carrying out the mission leading to the objective of solving Caribbean airlift problems. The unit should be totally integral, impartial, unbiased, neutral, and have no hidden agendas. Therefore, the Council shall be respected by all.
Creating the right organizational structure and its procedures is a challenge for itself. The members and affiliates of the Council should be competent movers, and not well-worded followers. Titles are meaningless; it is not about who a person is, but rather what the person can do. Efficiency must rule; wasting time or energy is a no-no; mediocracy is considered failure.
In their idle time some people dream. One Caribbean may be such a dream or just an illusion. Who really wants one Caribbean anything anyway, let alone a Caribbean Airlift Council? Defining and determining why to unify, may already be a tougher issue to find a consensus on, than the unification process itself. Who will make it happen, a messiah or a navigator? Looking at the conceivable tasks ahead, one would almost believe that this is a great script for either a Hollywood box office hit or TV soap opera scenario. Maybe this all remains food for thought; maybe it could be an appetizer.

Commander Bud Slabbaert

Dear Editor,

  Who should be put first in a country? I believe it is the people.

  I also believe that it is the people who put representatives to look after the affairs of the country in their benefit. And has as always been the case, beside their salary, certain privileges are offered to those people, with expectation and confidence that they would serve the people fairly.

  For a good while now Holland has been making certain demands on us to do certain things. It has reached so far that they have reinforced the Police Force with their own and also ordered the governor to take certain steps. This is not me, these are the plain facts.

  Whether or not I agree with it, it should always be in the interest of the people and not the will of the politicians. As it stands right now the people are at a disadvantage because our own have not done what they ought to have done and, as it has always been, we the people do not know what is going on.

  Those of us who are here have to go to work every day, whether it is to help rebuild, clean up, have relocated, etc. Many of us have lost our means of transportation and, as always has been the case, our public transportation was never optimal.

  Until something is done about it, I will always comment on it.

  Holland is worldwide known for their organization skills. Several months ago I spoke to Mister BOASMAN who at that time was in charge of TEATT, and mentioned that public transportation has to change.  I was told that that is very difficult to do.

  My point: “Take measures, invoke a transition period, regulate  payments and  change the system.”  If Holland could be the example for the world in public transportation why is it so difficult for them to do something like that for us which is very much necessary and only on 16 square miles and  a few hills.

  Now is the opportune time for Mr. Boasman to ask Holland, who has been grandstanding about having 550 million euros ready if Sint Maarten should comply with their desires, to help with public transportation.

  When I mentioned this at one time, a lady who works in the bank decided that I wanted to take away her job. I know the banks, and those car loan campaigns are being ridiculous. Do not they have any scruples about themselves? Are they trying to tell the world that we do not need any financial help, that in the middle of all this predicament we have means to buy new cars even though we do not know how and when we are going to get a decent roof over our heads?

  Are the people of Sint Maarten really hypocrites?  Do the people really not need to go out and do two and three jobs to be able to make it? If so, why should they leave their children unattended to become whatever in this world? Who are these bank people?

  I believe that this is one of the reasons why government is not ready to regulate public transportation for the people. It would save the people some money and if they are obliged to buy a car that will continue to help the already engrossed banks.

  Mr. Boasman, now is your chance to ask these so-willing Dutch, the transportation guru of the world, to help you fix and not or, and change our public transportation system.

  We, the older folks whose money government continues to use to bail themselves out of self-inflicted predicaments, need a public transportation system that will be feasible to us. Because government does not want to stop importing cars on the island and the drivers becoming more and more daring we will need decent and reliable public transportation to get around on what is still our island, even though the nucleus is changing rapidly.

  To repeat the words of a dear Sint Maartener, “Sint Maarten never knew poverty until government imported it.”

Russell A. Simmons