Dear Editor,

We’ve just returned from our annual 3-week stay on the island, and I’d like to propose something that would be of benefit to all of us.

Have your tourism officials, PJIA management and building designers pack two suitcases full and then go through departure processing between the hours of 1:30-3:30pm.

As they enter the building, have them try to determine where the American Airlines ticket counter is, using only building signage. Then have them wait at the airline counter like everyone has to do.

Once they've done this, send them up a level to security, where the lines and wait are much longer. Make sure they take note of how poor (almost non-existent) the air-conditioning is on the second level.

After they've spent 30-45 minutes there, tell them they now must go to the departure waiting areas to experience firsthand the lack of air-conditioning at both ends of the building. Be sure to tell them that they need to spend at least an hour in the waiting areas, and they should try to find chairs so they can sit during the wait.

It is obvious to me as a visitor to the island many times over the past two decades that these people have no clue how inadequate the seating is or how badly the climate control is working. Then have these “tourists” ask themselves a simple question: “Is this really the kind of final impression we want these thousands of visitors to have of their island vacations?”

Frank Absher

Dear Editor,

More and more I am becoming aware of the fact that more people than I think agree with the observations that I make in my letters to you.

Not too long ago a lady saw me in a supermarket and said to me, “Mister Russell, you ever take time to analyze why the Dutchman doesn’t share?” My reaction was, “They don't share?” She continued, “I am surprised that you have never talked about ‘Going Dutch’ when writing in the paper.”

I was not sure where she was going with this so I told her that I do not write in the paper. I write letters to the Editor, knowing that it is the Editor’s prerogative to print them or not. Because I had something else to do, I excused myself, collected and paid for what I purchased and left.

As I drove to my next destination I thought of what the lady had said to me. Later on in the day I asked a faithful reader of my letters if he had any recollection of me writing anything accusing anyone of “Going Dutch” or using the term. He knows the phrase, but did not remember reading about it in any of my letters to you. He said to me, “That is not far-fetched, because it ties in with giving with both hands outstretched and I will get you one day.” Which reminded me of the passage in the bible: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35).

I will never be able to pinpoint and/or decide what was/is their agenda, but what I know is that our education system, which was among the best during my school days and shortly after, was altered in a way that what I was able to achieve with my MULO diploma at the age of 16 is more than those nowadays with a HAVO diploma. But I have always asked myself, what was their agenda when they changed one of the best educational systems in the Caribbean region and surroundings for the Mamoet wet, which up to now, after so many years, is still a confusion. Over the years when I would mention that during a conversation, my father would say, among other things, that brainwashing and indoctrination are among the most dangerous words in the dictionary.

Now this: I have not put my two cents into the formation of the new government, because I did not postulate myself and expect those who are elcted to do what is best for the country. My only problem with what I am seeing so far is that experience would tell me that integrity could not find its way into those discussions. I was reminded of the reasons why the Amsterdammetjes in the Frontstreet were removed and why the fire department building in Cannegieter Street was torn down, among other happenings from the past.

I have always stated that there is no official opposition in Parliament there are members who either vote for or against propositions.

I was about to close this letter when a lady who can know what is going on called me and asked me if I can please ask those people who are fighting for position to put St. Maarten first. It is primarily between the big vote-getters. I told her I will get back to her but in the meantime she should try to find out how that is regulated in the individual parties. What I know is that receiving more votes in a Parliamentary election does not determine your place in your party.

What I have noticed during the last elections (and as we know, we have had at least three times as many elections as any other kingdom partner since 10-10-’10) is that there is competition and backbiting within the individual parties. It is no secret in St. Maarten anymore, when it comes to people in high places in government, who is doing what. The newspaper can easily make a special archive of all who have been investigated, arrested, indicted, punished and condemned. And there are more to come. So when someone tells me that there is jockeying and fighting for position, I do not ask, “True?”, I ask, “Who?”

If I look, for instance, at the N A list, both Jacobs as well as Doran lost plenty votes. I am not sure what criteria could be used if there would be a dispute between those two who should be the party leader. As an outsider looking in, if I would look at the type of complaints directed at that party membership, I would think it would be wise to let sleeping dogs lie. Sometimes it is wise to avoid having to listen to what evil tongues say.

Russell A. Simmons

Dear Editor,

Since 10-10-10 St. Maarten has gone one step forward two steps backwards.

Our parliamentarians, ministers, the justice system, minimum wage and high cost of living are the failures in the island.

Letting the two biggest parties be in opposition is not so good.

St Maarten should not accept the new Caribbean guilders, and rather dollarisation, not the new currency.

St. Maarten should be focusing on having its own central bank.

I cannot understand why our parliamentarians and ministers cannot see Curaçao wants to have St. Maarten as their colony.

Cuthbert Bannis

Dear Editor,

In the Tuesday, January 30, edition of “The Daily Herald” there was an article regarding how much time commuters spend in traffic every year, focused on Trinidad and Tobago, but acknowledging that it is an issue throughout Caribbean island nations. Here in SXM, the problem is very much the same.

Traffic congestion is caused by two distinct factors. The first is the inherent limitations of space and topography and the second, the number of vehicles traversing the limited road systems.

The first part is hard to control, as our forefathers never contemplated or planned for the growth in population and the popularity of motorized transport, not to mention the rampant expansion of tourism, bringing so many transient bodies to our shores.

The continued growth in residential units, although good for the economy, goes unabated with little consideration of how all those new owners and vacation renters are supposed to navigate the island and enjoy all it has to offer.

The second part of the problem, the number of vehicles on the island is controllable.

The Dutch government has done an admirable job removing junked vehicles, but so much more can and should be done. Junked cars litter the streets and take up valuable parking spaces that our local businesses desperately need to serve their customers and survive.

It appears that many junked cars are held in the owners’ front yards and sold piecemeal for parts, generating some meager cash flow, at the expense of beautification and sorely needed space.

To my knowledge, there is no large, professionally managed junkyard to take the place of random, front yard junkyards.

Auto theft is a significant problem, becoming more organized and sophisticated, with the end goal often to create a black market for parts.

Wouldn’t it make sense that the government collaborate with private business to provide a land lease and maybe co-ownership of a regulated, sanctioned junkyard close to the national dump? That way the government, after giving proper notice for these abandoned vehicles to be addressed by their owners, could remove the front yard eyesores, with salvage payments to the owners, allowing a real junkyard to stock parts that can be easily purchased in a legitimate setting, reducing the demand for black market, stolen parts.

One might ask how this would be paid for. All future imports of any vehicle should have a progressive duty tax assessed and collected at the point of entry. The duty fee should be based on the declared value, which should be enough to fund the removal of two similar vehicles, either to the new junkyard or the dump. The junkyard itself will create jobs and should turn a profit return to the government.

This duty collection process should also help establish a record of ownership of all vehicles entering the country and proof of payment should be required when obtaining a license, as is an inspection and proof of insurance coverage, currently.

A titling system established for all vehicles, new or used, entering SXM will allow tracking of confiscated motor bikes and other abandoned vehicles, which will ameliorate what is a problem for the police now.

Maybe after a few years of implementing this policy, we will have fewer thefts, fewer abandoned vehicles, less traffic congestion, more places to park, a legitimate source for parts and an enhanced travel experience for locals and tourists alike. The added control of ownership documentation though titling will allow more transparency on the vehicle supply side, as currently there is no control on what vehicles are coming into our ports.

Currently, there are more and more scooters arriving on island, where few rules are followed with dangerous driving risks becoming the norm. Go to the Dominican Republic to see what our roadway future looks like. It is complete mayhem. But, it is also understandable, as who wants to spend so much time caught in a long traffic jam trying to get home from work, or going to buy groceries or just being a tourist headed to a beach or out sightseeing? Scooters weave their way dangerously around the long, stalled lines.

The negative effect on the tourist experience will be the death of the economic engine that drives SXM.

Something has to be done to regulate the number of vehicles, which we can control easily, in conjunction with improved road systems and maintenance, which is more difficult.

We have a new administration, hopefully for the next four years. Please let this be a priority and if I can help in any way, I’ll volunteer.

Paul Speece

Simpson Bay