Dear Editor,
The United People’s Coalition (UPC) was privy to listen to the PLP/Merkman coalition's radio program on Tuesday evening, and was not surprised to hear that all their failures so far are blamed on The Hague. It is also clear that they tried to cover their incompetence, in not being able to take care of the people’s business, on the high of the unrealistic quest of country status. In a desperate effort to fool the people, they did not hesitate to sprinkle the magic pixie dust of ‘more autonomy’ as the only way to go to solve Statia’s problems.
This coalition sadly reached a new low when it went so far as to abuse the “born here” narrative to divide instead, and also did not hesitate to use this to incite fear against the foreigners. I hope that all those who will be able to vote in 2019, and who have made Statia their home, use that solemn right to vote these wolves in sheep clothing out of office in a resounding way.
It is not strange that these last months the constitutional fever of this Coalition toned down drastically since The Hague set the conditions under which the constitutional process can and will be initiated. This Coalition of the Rocking Horses was made to understand the
following during the IPOK, and subsequently in a Q+A with minister Plasterk:
* The constitutional process will only be initiated after a clear and freely-given mandate by the people of Statia through a referendum.
* When the process of more autonomy starts, there is no way back
* After the status is obtained: all tasks, such as education, safety, and health care will be
transferred back to the island; the free allowance and all the other forms of special allowances will be suspended immediately when the contested status is obtained; and no other form of financial settlement will be made available.
Now that the table is set, the UPC is looking in the direction of the ruling coalition to inform the public what its next step will be.
On the other hand, as a people we must keep in mind that when this coalition passes a motion to denounce the WolBES and the FinBES, it showed its true colours of creating a situation of lawlessness, hence the road to dictatorship. It is not unreasonable to wonder then, if these are really the stewards we would want to take us into the new constitutional status.
Well, the UPC fully understands that now the cat is out of the bag, because you the people are presently more than aware of the conditions tied to this coalition's quest for more autonomy. However, in their usual unrelenting and stubborn way, they are left with only one alternative, namely, through smoke screens to draw your attention away from the reality of Statia, and insist on the quest for more autonomy now.
The UPC hopes that in the interest of the people, this coalition will retrace its steps and re-prioritize to understand that more autonomy is the quest of all of us, but at the moment it is of utmost importance to change perspective and channel all our energy towards the development of Statia and her people first.
Reginald C. Zaandam
Leader of the United People's Coalition
Dear Editor,
The parents of the suspects in the fatal stabbing incident which took place on Thursday, July 20, at the Diamond Estate, where Mr. G. Zorilla lost his life, are pleading to the judicial authorities for help.
The criminal investigators tasked with building the case seem to have developed tunnel vision.
All possible scenarios of what took place that decisive evening should be investigated. This is not the case at this time. It seems to have become a one-sided (lopsided) investigation. How can it be that the uncle of one of the young men, who was involved in both incidents (Mr. C. E.) is so intimately involved with the case? There are other detectives that are qualified to work on the case. Why not use them? There was an official complaint on this officer already, but nothing was done.
There must be a fair and honest criminal investigation. This is not the case at this moment.
The detained suspects are entitled to a fair trial. We still believe in the justice system.
Hereby, the family is pleading for assistance with the request to establish a fair and objective investigation team.
Concerned family
Name withheld at author’s request
Dear Editor,
Prior to the election on September 26, 2016, two expressions dominated politics and the news, namely “ship-jumping” and “electoral reform”. Electoral reform was the reason for the fall of the Marcel Gumbs Government in 2015. Electoral reform led to the snap election that was scheduled for February 9, 2016. Electoral reform was also the reason why this election was cancelled, because Prime Minister William Marlin insisted that his government needed more time to be able to initiate legislative reform in order to address the phenomenon of ship-jumping that was so prevalent among our parliamentarians.
Finally, electoral reform was the reason, in my opinion, why his Excellency, Governor Holiday, collaborated with Prime Minster Marlin to shift the election date from February 9, 2016 to September 26, 2016.
According to article 59 of the Constitution, elections must take place within three months following the dissolution of Parliament. In my opinion, and many others share this view, the Governor could have amended the dates in the original national decree, so as to have them comply with the election ordinance.
We must bear in mind that rescheduling the election date to September 26, 2016, came with a promise, made to the people of Sint Maarten, that prior to Election Day, legislation would be in place by which ship-jumping would be eliminated, or at least curtailed to some extent!
But was Prime Minister Marlin really serious about electoral reform, or did he underestimate the herculean task of getting a speedy approval from all the partners of the kingdom for a constitutional legislative amendment, within a period of nine months?
Note that when the Prime Minister was a Member of Parliament in 2012, he told the radio host of ‘People’s Voice’ that, “The time is too short to put something in place before the next elections in 2014. In other words, two years were too short a period to implement electoral reform.
But in December 2015, when asked if nine months were not too short to get electoral reform passed by parliament, his response was, “The time period will indeed be short, but electoral reform can be completed in time for the elections … I am convinced that it can be done.”
Even though an Electoral Reform Commission was established and attempts were made to prepare the necessary legislation, Prime Minister Marlin was unable to live up to his promise to eliminate or curtail ship-jumping by Election Day. However, one would have thought that the new government would have continued pursuing electoral reform, so that by the time the next election comes around in 2020, the desirable electoral changes would be in place.
To my great surprise, the Governing Programme ‘Stability for Prosperity’, issued by the Red/White/Blue Alliance, has very little to say about electoral reform. On page 30, under ‘Upgrade Government Operations’ it reads, “Initialize the process to enable students abroad to vote, and legislate voting day procedure.” Not one word is said about eliminating or curbing ship-jumping.
Am I confused? But wasn’t it so that the whole reason for the Governor rescheduling the election to September 26th, was to give the Prime Minister more time to enable him to come up with legislation to tackle ship-jumping? Since the Prime Minister was not successful in getting the legislation passed prior to the election, shouldn’t we expect that the current coalition government would continue to work on getting the laws passed during their term of office?
Unfortunately, the matter of electoral reform, specifically dealing with ship-jumping, has been totally ignored in the Governing Programme, and instead has been replaced by trying to make it possible for students abroad to vote. This is a slap in the face of the people who went to the poles expecting that something would be done to eliminate or curtail ship-jumping. Ignoring the wishes of the people and failing to keep this campaign promise is terribly disrespectful and unethical.
Now, that the United Democratic Alliance has three years until the next election in 2020, one would expect the Red/White/Blue Coalition to come up with a comprehensive electoral reform that would include among other things: restrictions regarding ship-jumping, expanding voter eligibility to students and others abroad, amendments to the election ordinance, such as full disclosure of all functions, amendments to the national ordinance registration and finances of political parties, amendments to the Rules of Order of Parliament, campaign reform to allow for a more equal playing field for parties during the campaign and voting day procedures.
Because the Kingdom government posed critical questions regarding the ship-jumping draft ordinance, it does not mean that Sint Maarten should drop this issue altogether. We know what ship-jumping has done to our country during the last six years. We have experienced the political instability that comes with it and the stigma it carries. We have also experienced the financial burden it brings.
Therefore, it is important that the Government take those critical questions and use them to develop sound legislation to curtail ship-jumping. Why not look at Julio Romney’s draft ordinance? It might help us take a fresh approach to electoral reform. Let us not wait until another wave of ship-jumpers is upon us.
Wycliffe Smith
Leader of the Sint Maarten Christian Party
Since autonomy in 2010, Curaçao has had seven Prime Ministers, and more than 60 ministers. No matter the political signature of the cabinet, none of these governments managed to create growth in welfare and wellbeing of the island population.
The economy remained stagnant at near zero growth with a slightly growing population. In spite of muscle language by Prosecutors and Ministers of Justice, crime continued unabated as the heaviest cross for the community to carry.
Expectations for knights in shining armor to arrive also remained unabated. For thousands of years, people around the world treasured Messianic hopes. One day, the great Redeemer will materialize out of nothing, and lead the downtrodden to fair treatment and justice; all scores of injustice will be settled, and the weak and mistreated, who suffered so very unfairly, will be compensated.
Unfortunately, even over a period of thousands of years, no Messiah has risen from the masses. All leaders, from Alexander the Great to Mohammed, Karl Marx, Hitler and Mao Chedong, were exposed as bloody power brokers, who left inextinguishable trails of suffering and destruction.
It is so apparent that Messianic expectations are wasted reveries. The change you are waiting for is here, and that change is you! You make up the difference that can happen in the world, a distinction for a better and more just society. Your waiting and inaction are only a lame excuse of any slave who is waiting in idleness for the instructions of his slave master.
You are in charge of your life and your environment. Crime is a plague, and it continues to exist, simply because you refuse to stop your participation, or report it and turn in the culprits.
Poverty remains, only because you refuse to take action and keep waiting for the government and other leaders to provide you with a job, no matter whether you are qualified or not. Education is what you need, but instead of participating to the maximum, you prefer to sit idly and wait for your Messiah.
These words are not the first message; they have sounded and resounded for ages. I feel bad for political leaders who have the best of intentions, but are unable to accomplish anything. Their mistake is that they also believe in the Messiah and a new beginning.
Believe me; you are the beginning of the change you are so desperately wishing!!!
Jacob Gelt Dekker
Columnist for Curaçao Chronicle
Dear Editor,
Thanks to the red, white and blue coalition Government, great things are coming for Middle Region, Oyster Pond, and Dawn Beach. The Government has great plans for its citizens in the east.
There's a police substation in the pipe line to better and faster serve the people with police assistance in the region. l would like to see our ministers visit Middle Region Road, which urgently needs to be resurfaced so that the buses will run on it smoothly.
Many thanks for lights at Dawn Beach Road and at Oyster Pond border. The water is very high most of the time, therefore a bridge is urgently needed. It would be very good if the Prime Minister and Minister for VROMI to go and take a look at the Oyster Pond border.
TEATT Minister, it would be wise to let all bus drivers be a member of a bus association, and let the buses run throughout our district as soon as possible. Too many gypsies with two or three different colour doors are running through Middle Region.
Middle Region is not a ghetto. We are expecting you to sit with the bus drivers, and the minister of VROMI to resurface Middle Region Road so that buses will run through Middle Region by November.
It’s very good when a government listens to its people. The red, white and blue coalition government is doing their best. Let's give them their praises and our full support.
Cuthbert Bennis
