Dear Editor,
We all had hoped that after the definite breaking up by 10/10/10 of the Netherlands Antilles the continuous bickering and show of discourtesy between our seven Kingdom partners would have stopped. That hope, however was not meant to be, as shown by the two ugliest examples, first when Wiels, the arguably most flamboyant political leader of that period, seriously tarnished his reputation by declaring that some day body bags of some Dutch might be sent to Holland.
He later became the first-ever Antillean politician killed when one Sunday morning his body was found when he went to a snack bar close to his house. That awful remark still barely beat another low and sensational statement, this time made by a Dutch politician, Bosman, who, in 1914, presented an initiative law to the Dutch parliament which would have discriminated against our Antillean people in favour of Europeans with regard to their right to immigrate to Holland.
No, that far to a breaking point our Kingdom Bonds have not reached since 10/10/10, although there are still groups on all our islands who still are trying the get the people’s mood closer to full independence for their islands. The most recent, sometimes rather loud, bickering has been mainly limited to solvable situations between Sint Maarten, Bonaire and Statia.
Still no one expected that right after especially Sint Maarten was hit by arguably the most devastating Hurricane Irma on last September 6, it would give a reason for a new set of bickering, especially not since Irma had caused tremendous loss of homes and personal lives. And most particularly not since a couple of days before its arrival Prime Minister William Marlin informed the public that Dutch Marines and police in Curaçao and Aruba were ready to come give us a helping hand, which indeed they did in the most professional and quiet albeit also very effective way.
Still, the bickering this time did not start between the local and the Dutch governments, but between our government and its own people who immediately started making intensive use of calling in on Laser not only to be in touch with friends and family but also to – sometimes harshly – criticize the government for its lack of action taken during those first days.
Then the opening salvo for the bickering between the two countries was made by the Prime Minister himself who in an interview with the NRC unexpectedly blamed the Marines themselves for being the cause of the looting, which statement he denied the next day, saying that he was misquoted, to quickly thereafter apologize for what he indeed had said.
Still, that was only the beginning for the real, old-fashioned squabbling to start. After the King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, visited the island and became so emotional after seeing the devastation he apparently helped convince the Dutch government that big help is needed for its small sister island, to which it consented by promising more assistance, including in the form of a super big financial one, but this time with the string attached that it will have to control its spending.
To that, many Sint Maarten parliamentarians reacted in a meeting last week Monday with what on the island has been taken as a strong message to the Dutch of: “thanks, but as long you don’t think that with your help we’ll permit you to infringe our political and constitutional autonomy.”
In mentioned first after-Irma parliament meeting we could have heard much criticism on people’s criticism on government’s lack of Irma’s preparedness, actions to be taken about more stringent building regulations, adjustment to the employment permit policy and curtailing the rights of immigrants who had lost their jobs, but not much about plans involving the people directly in those plans, to have them participate more actively and positively from inside their own neighborhoods.
That made me wonder whether, in case we had well organized neighborhoods on the island such would not have helped to curtail the looting, for example, in my own surroundings, from the foot of the Cole Bay Hill looking over Cay Hill and on the other side ‘til the roundabout by Le Grand Marché , which areas had suffered tremendously from the looting.
I am convinced that, with government’s permission, it would have been possible to organize a good group of at least 20 very trustworthy persons from various professional backgrounds with whom we may have been able to better protect a good part of that area.
That, in its turn, reminded me that seven years ago when I was helping the then-commissioner Hyacinth Richardson, who now is a parliamentarian, with his political campaign, I had presented him and the leaders from his own and the two other parties who then formed the coalition government with a plan to structurally rebuild and activate the neighborhoods on Sint Maarten.
I had already started a few months with the practical exploration of that idea in the Simpson Bay Village and it had started moving pretty well with two of the top priorities of interest being restoring the traditional cozy feeling of the neighborhood and cleaning of the lagoon, also due to my own recollection of boys diving from the bridge and fishermen returning with a bag full of lobsters as their catch of the day.
The response of the politicians, as passed to me by the then government PR man, my good friend David Christian: “Elco, I love your plan but am afraid that I’m the only one who has read it. To tell you the truth I don’t feel their interest in doing anything with it; they will probably say they already have a plan.”
David was right. The only government person I afterwards heard from was Hyacinth’s chief of staff who repeated what David had said: “Elco we already have our own plan … but still thanks.” After that the politicians took over and quickly destroyed our plan by re- splitting the participants along party lines.
The Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams, indeed then started its plan for “social development” which was based on the United Nations INDP program that was aimed at combatting poverty and the promotion of democracy. It was heavily staffed by civil servants and also heavily relied on the non-governmental organizations, the NGOs.
With other friends, local activists, I was present at the meeting where the program was launched but was laughed at when I expressed my opinion that we should first try to bring the program more in tune with the specific conditions of Sint Maarten’s own social- cultural fabric. The staff’s reaction: “The INDP program has already proven its value in other Caribbean countries.” It ultimately fizzled out and despite the latest intentions to renew it there does not seem much enthusiasm for it, not even from the NGOs.
My biggest disappointment from the said parliament meeting therefor is that although a lot was correctly said about the need for building houses for those who had lost theirs, I have not noted words being dedicated to the importance of this time doing that more comprehensively, especially now that the Dutch government has committed to its assistance thereto, while correcting the serious mistakes which up to this day have obstructed it from not only becoming a great total success but possibly also a trigger for the broader issue of rebuilding the communities of Sint Maarten and remaking it a healthy nation.
What about comprehensive social build-up of the island as sole topic for the next parliament meeting?
Elco Rosario
Dear Editor,
Following the devastation by Irma, our Kingdom partners Aruba, Curaçao and the Netherlands and many others have lent so-called emergency aid and support. Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Affairs Ronald Plasterk stated the following in a Facebook post addressed to the people of Sint Maarten: “We will stand behind you, we will work together and we’ll make sure that you can pick your life back up again.” Similar sentiments were by the way also voiced by Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Unfortunately, until today the government of Sint Maarten has not yet formally requested our Kingdom partners to provide further aid so we can pick up our lives in a more structural way again.
I do not understand the motives of the government not to request aid that was offered and neither do some of my colleagues. For that reason, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams filed a motion that orders government to request aid. The motion has also the support of MPs Tamara Leonard, Clarence Connor and myself.
Once our government requests aid, discussions can start about the conditions under which aid may be provided.
On one side of the spectrum is the position that aid only is acceptable if it is given unconditionally. This position in the second term of the debate is supported by MPs Franklin Meyers, Silvio Matser, Frans Richardson, Hyacinth Richardson and George Pantophlet. I hold this position to be unrealistic and everybody that ever went to a bank for a loan knows that money only comes under strict conditions.
On the other side of the spectrum, one has to accept any condition in order to get aid. I understand that that position does not feel too comfortable, since it might affect the autonomy of the country and its institutions.
During the first term in a debate in parliament, MP Meyers drew a line: “if the conditions would affect our way of life, we must be prepared not to accept the help that is offered.” Unfortunately, there was no discussion about what “our way of life” would be.
For me that would include transparency, integrity and accountability and if my colleague would concur, I think in the first term he held this fair position (in the second term he changed to the unrealistic position that aid needs to be given unconditionally). However, as long as no aid is requested, its conditions will remain unclear, although Minister Plasterk made clear there will be no blank check.
I would like to state that the government not only has a moral and human obligation to request aid, but also a legal one. And that legal one is the following: All ministers have sworn the following (section 41 constitution of Sint Maarten): “I swear (promise) allegiance to the King and the Charter of the Kingdom, that I shall always help to uphold the Constitution of Sint Maarten and that I shall champion the interests of Sint Maarten to the best of my ability.”
This oath, just like the ones that parliamentarians give (section 56 Constitution of Sint Maarten) includes allegiance to the Charter of the Kingdom. That Charter holds two sections that are relevant for these extraordinary times. Section 36 states: “The Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten lend assistance and support to each other,” while section 41 (1) states: “The Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten independently safeguard their own interests.”
When we look around, we must conclude that Sint Maarten at the moment cannot independently safeguard its own interests. Of course, water and electricity are back and schools are open, but overall every sane person will agree that we need help for the reconstruction.
That implies, on the basis of the aforementioned article of the Kingdom Charter, that the other countries in the Kingdom must be able to lend assistance and support.
In my view, the sworn allegiance to the Charter of the Kingdom implies one has at least to ask for assistance and support. Conditions can be discussed later.
That there is a moral and human obligation to do so as well makes the current inaction by government even more incomprehensible and may lead to higher supervision.
I therefore call upon government to agree with the motion and immediately ask the Netherlands, Aruba and Curaçao to lend assistance and support.
Perry Geerlings
Member of Parliament,
Democratic Party
Dear Editor,
And the people and the Churches fear God. Turn your lives to God. Remember the time of Noah and the cities of Sodom and Gomorra. The people have to turn away from their evil way. This is what no one would like to hear: Stop their wicked ways.
Three hurricanes that take down an island that was number one on the map. People, open your eyes to the Lord. Give your hearts to Him.
One lady went to the Government for help last year September and this year so they could help her and her family since she was homeless because she lost her home on auction. Look around and see the hands that hit this island. They could not find a way to help this lady and her family. She gave all her life to Government, 45 years of service.
But today, one year later, the same Government has 40,000 people homeless. What are they going to do? The same lady is begging the Government to help her and her family. They know who she is. They really need to help the people of this island, the ones who really can’t afford to help themselves.
Turn away from color to people. God bless the people who are homeless and hold on to the hands of the Lord. He will see us out of this. Believe in the Lord Jesus.
I know what it is to be homeless. God bless the people of St. Maarten. We need Him in our lives. Thank You, because I am holding on to His hands. I am not going to let go.
Rosalind Avril Gumbs
Dear Editor,
I have been a prison officer for 22½ years and have been through many hurricanes while working.
As Hurricane Irma was coming, being the main breadwinner of my family I did my best to prepare. However, the roof of the apartment that I am renting blew off. My family and I covered the roof and tried to secure what was left of our belongings.
Having done so, I reported to work and reported my situation to my superior officer. Actually, after not coming to work no one came to see what was going on.
Having worked for a few days and no one had approached me to enquire about my situation I asked one of the directors if the Ministry had anything in place to help those of us who had received damage. His response was the Minister of Justice was aware and had not met with them as yet, nothing is in place for us.
As Hurricane Maria came and went, due to the fact that my roof is tarpaulin I again got damaged so this was a big setback which I reported to my superior. To say the least, up to now no one has offered temporary shelter, social aid or at least counseling for my family and me. Being a civil servant should have its benefits. This has not taken place.
There are quite a few of us at the prison who have been affected one way or another and we need help.
My reason for writing this letter is 'to get some attention for those of us that need.
It’s not easy to be working and having to worry about your family, when it rains, if another hurricane is coming, if your landlord is going to fix back the place that you are renting, the health of your family for those members that are already sick, etc., etc.
To my colleagues who stayed at the prison until relief came: GREAT JOB.
To those inmates that assisted in the time of need, Thank you all.
Antoinette C. Blanchard
Dear Editor,
We all passed thru Irma and living this aftermath, is great to see we have all this high energy and self-esteem to move on, we are proud to stand by ourselves and start moving without help, but we cannot miss the focus and act like a town with no rules or law.
I know there is the feeling we have to survive and do it because no help is expected, but we need to channel this energy in a positive way, with respect for each other if we want to rebuild the island properly.
Business owners, professionals and commercial community, take the right way. Showing the spirit on high, with a positive attitude that inspires others, they start cleaning up and open their businesses by themselves, making a big effort with their own pocket and working hard to move SXM forward.
We cannot take this survivor energy and use as excuse to disrespect all, loot, drive aggressively, park wherever, take land or spaces not belonging to us, build bar and block the street. The anarchy just drives you to lose more, your next job or the future of your family.
We need the effort of each one to revamp the island and we have just one way: hard work, decency and respect. The good ones will be on top at the end, be “The Friendly Island” again.
Douglas Hernandez
Pointe Blanche
