Dear Editor,

An alternative suggestion for the associated problems with the jet blast and the entrance to Beacon Hill, is to build the previously discussed boardwalk. Properly designed, it could eliminate or substantially reduce the on again off again tidal wave of sand that virtually closes off the only entrance to Beacon Hill; provide the Jet Blasters with a safe distance to enjoy their experience, with the only danger being blown into the ocean; create a safe walkway for pedestrians versus their current balancing act on the low concrete curb or roadway; allow benches for enjoying the sunset and plane arrivals; and still provide a beach which could be protected from erosion with the addition of a floating breakwater.

This is not an original idea, as I believe Mr. Rudy Engel and others have brought it up to various Ministers over the years, but with the most recent tragic and avoidable accident that occurred recently time is of the essence to come up with a viable solution to a problem that won't go away on its own.

Bill Olliver

(Curaçao Chronicle)

I am a dissident, but the outcome of the elections of last year has proven that there are thousands of dissidents with me, mainly among the voters of the PS party, which I do not belong to. Whiteman, the then Prime Minister of Curaçao, pitched a fastball by way of an election stunt. But it backfired! More than half his voters have turned their backs on him, as became apparent from the outcome of the election.

In his perpetual wisdom, Whiteman has decided - for us, about us, on behalf of us, but without us - that the salvation of the economy of Curaçao lies in an MOU with China, in which he has offered China on a silver platter the control and exploitation of our two most important natural resources, our two deep-sea ports.

Under the pretext of the infamous tunnel vision, i.e. the modernization of Isla refinery, which China is prepared to finance, Whiteman, without any advance broad-based public debate, signed an MOU in which he offered the entire direction of our future economic development platter to a foreign entity in a most rash and thoughtless manner. Not only will China get control over our two deep-sea ports, no, our entire energy chain will also be taken over by China.

China is prepared to invest US $10 billion (or so they say) in our economy, and in the view of most of our “ruling politicians,” we should be very grateful for this. The fact that Curoil, CPA and Aqualectra will be pushed out of the market and will lose their right of existence, is something they conveniently fail to mention.

Where modernization of the refinery alone is concerned, China is prepared to invest 3 to 5 billion USD. The fact that after modernization, 90% of the brand-new refinery will be computer operated, with a required staff of no more than 400, is also something they conveniently fail to mention. Perhaps our politicians can explain to me where lies the rationality of an investment of US $ 3 billion that will unavoidably result in such a loss of jobs, while all political parties so strongly advocate creation of employment.

With the offer to modernize Isla, China has thrown out small-fish bait to catch a really big fish, because the unwavering demand of this investment is that the oil terminal at Bullenbaai is inextricably included in the deal of Isla refinery. However, inextricably connected with the oil terminal and also inextricably connected with Isla are the huge water parcels bordering on the oil terminal and Isla. As such, with the oil terminal and Isla, China also gets control and exploitation of our two deep-sea ports.

What our politicians also conveniently fail to mention is that there is a fully-worked-out plan ready for large scale industrial development of the back country adjacent to the oil terminal at Bullenbaai, where a variety of industrial establishments will be provided with a variety of investors (locally and internationally), which could create tens of thousands of jobs with a risk-spread because of such intended diversification, since Curaçao will then not be dependent on one big foreign investor.

What our politicians also conveniently fail to mention is that this large-scale development of the back country at Bullenbaai will be doomed if Curaçao does not maintain control and operation of the deep-sea port at Bullenbaai itself, because without the deep-sea port to facilitate the development, the latter will be like a still-born child.

One spicy detail, which has also been conveniently left unmentioned by our politicians, is the fact that the large-scale development plan was explained to the Council of Ministers in a Power Point presentation on May 7th of last year, and at which occasion all the ministers had nodded in approval, full of praise for the large-scale development plan under our own control. Nevertheless, the Council of Ministers has deemed it useful, necessary and desirable (please see the National Resolution signed by them) by way of an election stunt during last year’s election campaign, to pull this MOU with the Chinese out of his hat.

And beware she who dares to have a different opinion and propagate this opinion.

Well, the undersigned has had the audacity to disclose her opinion as referred to hereinabove to the public, and therefore she “does no longer fit on the team”. Well, so be it! I am a dissident and I shall remain a dissident. However, the outcome of the elections has proven that with me, there are many thousands of fellow dissidents. What does he mean by the “will of the people”?

Marguérite Nahar (LL.M.)

Kaya Alonso de Ojeda 57

Saliña Harbour View

Tel.: 461-8020/667-1430

Dear Editor,

Firstly, my deepest condolences to the family of the lady that tragically lost her life last week attempting to “surf the jet blast.” It is hoped that their loss will serve as a reminder to all who have ventured and to those who undoubtedly will venture to participate in this dangerous “sport,” that this can be deadly! Standing on the actual beach sand west of the road according to me will give you the same “rush” and if you get “blown,” you will fall on sand. In a worst case scenario, you may get blown into the Caribbean Sea. So all you Jet Blast Surfers that cannot swim, wear a water life jacket before attempting the jet blast thrill.

I am not a lawyer (obviously) and certainly not an “ambulance chaser,” but for the life of me I cannot understand how anybody else except the adult that engages in the “sport” is responsible for such an accident, taking into consideration all the signs and precautions put in place by the SXM Airport PJIA. Laws should be anchored in our legal framework, but must also be based on common sense, you would think.

Lawyer Kock argues for the removal of concrete blocks that divide the road at the location. This divider was placed on that road back in 2000 when on my request the then Executive Council, of which I was a member at that time, approved a workable and simple plan to prevent selfish airplane/sunset gazers to park on that road, reducing the only access in and out of the busy Beacon Hill community down to a one lane stretch, causing massive traffic jams and creating serious hazards to landing aircraft, as well as for the inhabitants of Beacon Hill in case of a medical emergency, fire or other calamity.

The divider worked and traffic on that piece of road has since then flowed reasonably well, except for when the occasional taxi driver “trolls” the stretch for passengers they hope need to “go back to their cruise ships.” So a divider there is a must. Now, of course I can agree with maybe replacing the concrete divider with say, plastic tubes fitted on rubber bases that cause a division between the two sides of the road, but are flexible to move when something or someone slams into them.

However, knowing how things often work on our beloved island, I guarantee you that such plastic dividing posts will be broken off in less than six months (not all at once), but just like the short white ones on the side of the Route National from the Cole Bay border to St. James, they will disappear, causing the pre-2000 traffic jams in and out of Beacon Hill to resume with greater vigour!

My suggestion for the problem: Let’s consider re-routing all the traffic in and out of Beacon Hill along the south fence of the airport, up past Mary’s Boon Hotel and onto the Airport Road; then extending the east west airport fences (both sides of the airport property) all the way to the beach edge west of the present road leading to the Alegria front gate. Allowing for foot traffic on the entire beach, the Jet Blast Surfers will still be able to hold on to the fence, but this fence will now be on the western side of the present road, and those “blown” will end up on sand or in the sea (hopefully with a life jacket on).

Alternatively, before we consider any other tunnel (with all due respect to our Prime Minister’s plan), let’s find the funds to build the most simple viaduct (á la Montserrat new airport access road) and channel regular vehicular traffic underground, plane/sunset gazers onto the beach on foot and fence off the present Beacon Hill Road with a locked gate on either side (North and South), so emergency vehicles can still get in and out of Beacon Hill if need be.

One thing for sure, the spectacular SXM Airport landings are greatly contributing to our Tourism product and that show should go on, albeit that we have a collective responsibility as Government and Private Sector to do all we can to protect us from us.

Michael J. Ferrier

Dear Editor,

St. Maarten’s justice system is improving very well thanks to all local Justice Ministers, and we have confidence we will get justice done if the Transport Minister will get the buses to run in Middle Region again.

The willingness to the take the Transport Minister to Court still stands, but because she just took office the decision came to give her a chance.

Government must stop turning a blind eye and a deaf ear towards the people of Middle Region; don’t block progress towards Middle Region.

Legalize the “Gypsies” or get them off the street day and night. Middle Region people are travelling on gypsies and 90 per cent of the gypsy vehicles are old. It’s costing Middle Region people US $10.00 to $14.00 per day for only one passenger. It’s not easy; it’s hard!

By 2018, Middle Region should have a proper community centre, post office, gas station, a fire station, offices to pay utilities bills, ATM machines, and low income houses to better serve all the businesses in Dawn Beach and Oyster Pond.

A bridge is urgently needed at the border in Oyster Pond, and it is too dark from the Oyster Pond Border through Princess Heights; please put 20 more lights.

Many thanks to Princess Heights for the containers you all painted, and we are calling on Government again and again to put some asphalt on the hill at Dawn Beach. We cannot walk down or climb it when it rains. Middle Region people and tourist use this road daily driving or for exercise.

Cuthbert Bannis