Dear Editor,

My wife and I have been timeshare owners since 1984 and have used our four units at Pelican Resorts, now Simpson Bay Resorts, every year since we bought our first ones. We have learned to love St. Maarten and admire the culture and the wonderful courteous drivers and people of your country.

The consistent “downer” that seems to be a tradition in St. Maarten is the lack of respect the timeshare owners receive from the local governing bodies. This seems to be a constant at St. Maarten. Throughout the years we have watched the local governments and courts rule over and over again against the interests of the timeshare owners. Listen up, guys; We Are Family. We are a major part of the St. Maarten economy and population. We really should not need an “advocacy body” because our interests are aligned with the best interests of the island. What is good for the timeshare owners is good for the island and vice-versa.

If you feel the necessity of creating a body to deal with timeshare issues, by all means do so, but we are not asking for anything the rest of the St. Maarten citizens would not want for themselves; just fair treatment under existing laws. If the government decides to create a Timeshare Commission, it is your decision, but it should not be used to further tax the timeshare owners $200 a week. Doing this will go a long way toward removing this population from your shores. This will add $800 a year to our trip. Air fare to St. Maarten is already higher than other islands and at the added rate the Island becomes uncompetitive with other destinations. .

My wife and I are getting to a stage where we may not be traveling a lot, but we would hate to see the island we love simply charge $200 per week to timeshare owners just because they can when all we are asking in return is fair treatment and protection from raiders.

Treating timeshare owners fairly is good business for St. Maarten. Doing what is right will be rewarded.

Robert and Penny Catzen

Baltimore, MD

Dear Sirs,

I read about a short visit from former Curaçao Prime Minister Mr. Gerrit Schotte to Miami, last week. I find this strange, as Mr. Gerrit Schotte (whose house was raided again by the police recently, in search of proof of bribery) has been convicted to three years in jail for, among others, money laundering, corruption and bribery.

Each time I fly to Miami, I am forced to fill out an ESTA form inquiring after any convictions I may have. It has always been my belief that I would not be allowed to enter the US if I would have confirmed such a conviction.

For this reason, I would like to inquire with you whether my belief is correct.

If my belief is correct, could you please explain how it is possible that Mr. Gerrit Schotte could enter the US while being convicted to a three years’ jail sentence? Would it be possible that he mislead the US authorities, e.g. by travelling on an old, not up to date ESTA? Would you then be able to inform the US Immigration of another fraud committed by Mr. Gerrit Schotte?

I am looking forward to your early reply.

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Margret Smeets,

Curaçao

Dear Editor,

More and more, we are witnessing the “do as I please” attitude from a certain egotistical minister who feels that he is there to please himself. Now that his feet have touched the ground the need to be accountable and transparent has become irrelevant, but who permits this to happen? It is our Parliament that is packed with amateurs who are unwilling to become scholars. This unfortunate situation is the reason why they could never demand proper and effective representation from their colleagues in the Council of Ministers!

Look at the fiasco that took place in Parliament about a week ago between a group of unprepared parliamentarians and a minister whose hobby is to conceal the truth. The meeting was a complete waste of financial reserve; a sample of habitual episodes that have become mind-numbing and questionable at the same time. How long will the people accept this mediocre performance from Members of Parliament? Likewise, how long will Parliament tolerate a minister who is reluctant to provide the people with integral and candid information that relates to his ministry?

Imagine Health Minister Emil Lee came into Parliament to clarify some pending concerns about the new hospital. Instead of being true to the people he found every excuse in the book to circumvent the truth by announcing that there is a confidential clause that prevents him from revealing the exact amount of the settlement. The Minister must be reminded that when a contract is presented it is either accepted or rejected. Moreover, whose business does the Minister manages? Is it his or the People’s? This is why Holland is like a threatening axe because of the consistent dishonesty among several members of government.

Every presentation of this Minister has become questionable now because shortly after he became a part (by chance) of this 10-seat majority his true character started to surface, but the legendary Maya Angelo describes this kind of behaviour so well. She declares: “When people show you who they are, believe them." Too many persons are hung up on the Minister’s initial approach towards the handling of his portfolio. If one examines his conduct very closely it is crystal clear that this was just the bait to hook the population into trusting him.  

This is why the majority of MPs doze off whenever the Minister sings his lullaby because they don’t have the intellectual capacity to detect a slippery politician nor the guts to cross party lines and demand proficient representation for the people. It was so amazing to listen to the two obsolete members of National Alliance, who were a complete failure in the then Nederland Antilles. In the same breath, Chairlady Sarah Wescot-Williams mishandled the proceedings when she failed to participate actively in this vital discussion.

It does not matter if her party supports the Minister in question. The Chair must remain impartial, which includes giving an unbiased contribution towards this settlement. Just a year ago when UP was in government the Chairlady switched her position with the first Vice-Chair and riddled the UP government with questions that pertained to the same hospital. Why is it different now? This is the why MP Frans Richardson refused to work with the Minister from the beginning. And, it was also plain to see the hypocrisy of MPs who supported the Minister, but failed to form a quorum for the conclusion of the discussion.

Furthermore, why does government consistently settles for these kinds of agreements? For far too long the people are being forced to bear the burden of politician’s negligence. Up to this present moment no one has truly informed this public of the reason why the Government Building stood unoccupied for years and who is responsible. Not too long ago the Harbour took a similar course of action and now it’s another tango with this bidding company. Who is benefiting from all these projects that are going belly up all the time and when will this irresponsible behaviour cease? The population is fed up and government needs to quit testing the temperament of this community!

Minister Emil Lee feels that he is untouchable because he has the backing of the President of Parliament and a few self-interested people within the community, but if the MPs would take a moment to compile his actions in chronological order they would realize that the Minister is not working in the interest of the people. There is a hidden agenda behind his unstable behaviour.

Who vex could stay vex, but parliamentarians must remember the famous quote that says: “Your belief does not make you a better person, your behaviour does.” If Minister Emil Lee is refusing to answer to the representatives of the people, then it is time to give him a vote of no confidence and get rid of him!

Joslyn Morton  

Dear Editor,

The “Prime Minister” of “country” St. Maarten left the shores for a diplomatic encounter with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands and the Minister of Kingdom affairs. This is obviously how the editorial might read in the future but as fate has it today it’s simply factual to say an island territory considered an upstart for trying to determine its own future met with the colonial master to plead for some kind of consideration for their position.

While much was expected by some I cautioned that nothing will be achieved for it is ludicrous to expect a colonial power to respect its property whose people by extension are also considered property. It is now not the time to say I told you so but we should find common ground to a united stand for St. Martin. It is high time we put an end to the constant meddling with the under-the-caption “accept or get out our Kingdom.”

The Dutch are constantly using the islands of the former Antilles to promote their own political machismo in Holland and speak us ill internationally. No man has a right to usurp the right of people to determine their own future or lead their country in the way they envision. In the fourth decade of decolonization set by the United Nations it is unacceptable and insulting to a people that the colonist are appointing their civil servants to dictate to our elected officials.

We must persist in our argument that the so- called “slot verklaring” is not applicable as we never got or enjoyed any debt relief. We had to start from the bottom and build everything from scratch with or own measly resources. We were forced to present deficit free budgets which we did without a cent from Massa. Their sudden interest in our island is mind boggling considering that they were absent for over a century and in actuality didn’t invest here.

I hope our people and leaders will take me up on the offer to lead a demonstration whenever they try to implement their instruction. It’s our airport and port so let’s deny them landing rights we don’t want any rude and disrespectful colonists on our shores. If Mr. Marlin has the intestinal fortitude, our civil servants should still be forbidden from cooperating – we must show that we can and will remedy our own short comings.

The despicable statements of selling us on E-Bay or sending us our independence by mail and Mr. Rutte’s absurd attempt at humour daring us to give him a call must be dealt with once and for all. The right to self-determination is not of the colonists and they can’t decide when we use it or not.

Please, I beg you, let’s inform our people what’s truly happening as it concerns attempts by the colonists to take us back 300 years. Examples abound but just look at Bonaire and St. Eustatius where they don’t seem to be helping any people but their own by putting them in charge of everything. I fail to see any chance of reconciliation with their attitude of what we say goes or you go.

Nothing has ever been gained in the realm of human freedom by pleading and begging. For the sake of international recognition let’s have a referendum affording our people the opportunity to bid the colonists good bye. The time is now colonialism and Dutch dictatorship must end. The ball is now in the court of PM Marlin and Parliament. Lead and your people will follow for what has long been a just cause.

Elton Jones