(Curaçao Chronicle)
Congratulations! The Curaçao Corps Consulaire has a new board consisting of Dean Karel Frielink – Honorary Consul of Germany and members Margaret Hawthorne –Honorary Consul of the USA, Ivan Moreno jr. – Honorary Consul of Belgium, Paul van de Laarschot – Honorary Consul of Hungary and Paul Pradin – Honorary Consul of France.
According to the latest press release of the Curaçao Corps Consulaire, 33 countries are currently accredited via an “honorary” consulate or mission on our island. This figure may not impress many people as there are 195 recognized countries in the world, but it quickly becomes daunting when we realize that the official 33 accredited missions in Curaçao represent about half of the world population, 3,500 million souls.
This is something that we should definitively not underestimate. Dean Karel Frielink gave a good and strong introductory statement in which he emphasized the importance of our Foreign Office in Willemstad to be equipped with the necessary manpower to do the job. I would have added to this phrase: “highly qualified manpower.”
We cannot afford to repeat the diplomatic blunders since 2010. First and foremost, we need people who have what it takes to give (political) guidance to foreign affairs. In my view, the importance of foreign relations lies in good cooperation among countries in order to have a safer, more prosperous world and to be good world citizens. To achieve these there is an important and active role to be played by the Curaçao Corps Consulaire.
When I was member of the UN diplomatic corps we had regular meetings with other foreign missions as well as representatives of local Governments. The latter is clearly not the case in Curaçao. This needs to change. In my view the Curaçao Corps Consulaire needs to engage some of these areas in the coming period using diplomacy as a tool for good governance, human rights, inclusion, climate change, more economic opportunities and amplifying of our own foreign networks.
Foreign relations have changed in ways our forefathers never anticipated in 1954. We must be bold in order to rack up the gains from the new opportunities out there. Let’s do it together.
By Alex Rosaria
Former Member of Parliament
Dear Editor,
I foresee 2017 as a very challenging year for St. Maarten in which it is going to define the future of our beautiful island and our leaders. We are right now in the eye of the storm which is January, where there is calm before the storm.
Mr. Editor, this letter is not to scare our people but to prepare them for the hard and uncertain times we're living in. These are times where we have to stay strong for the tough times that lie ahead of us. The good thing about going through the eye of the storm is that the tough times don't last forever because we are resilient people that rise above these times, but as good leaders we have to prepare our people and trust God during these difficult times. No matter what is going on we need to remember what Jesus said “the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke18:27)
As good leaders we have to prepare our people for the challenges ahead and the only way we can get out of these difficult times is by us working together as French and Dutch people and as one island.
St. Maarten is at a crossroad and this year will determine if we are moving forward or backward as an island. If we don't get our act together and our leaders and elected representatives don't step up to the plate in the general interest of our people then we need to buckle up our belts. The only way to move forward is by Government making firm decisions and addressing the priority issues with their Governing Programme and a plan of action for 2017.
Parliament also needs to get active and start legislating laws which is lacking tremendously as newly-elected representatives of the people. It is about time to start doing at least something this coming week by updating the people of the recently concluded IPKO meeting of why the Kingdom Government endorses their version of the Dispute Regulation proposal, while the proposal by the Dutch Caribbean islands was not handled. Simply amazing way of working together by the Dutch.
The Dutch has a master plan for this island in which some of us brought upon ourselves and they are going to continue to embarrass a lot of our leaders and local people in 2017 through the justice system, and tarnish our image internationally to divide and conquer St. Maarten.
Mr. Editor, I was doing some research and reading about the Dutch Tax Office Chief who resigned after reorganization failures to revamp the Dutch Tax Office, which collapsed into chaos after thousands of staff signed up to leave the service. Imagine the Dutch who pride themselves on integrity appointed the same person as Quarter Master to lead the non-existent Integrity Chamber in St. Maarten. This is simply amazing.
Imagine we are fighting each other and arguing over the petty issues while the Dutch are strategically planning and looking to see how they can take over the hub of the Caribbean, St. Maarten, and reposition their people here to lead and do their pirates-of-the-Caribbean works in St. Maarten. When one of their own breaks the law they repositioned them with a good pay or send them to one of the Dutch Caribbean islands. Imagine the Finance Ministry of Holland who pride themselves on integrity issues said in a written press statement that the job no longer match his expectations.
I have never seen anything like what is happening now in St. Maarten among us as leaders of this island. Some can't pass the screening or owed taxes but want to lead, Parliament on a stand still, the French and Dutch Governments are playing this power struggle among themselves while their people are suffering. Where is the unity and working together for the people?
Our late ancestors and deceased leaders such as Dr. Claude Wathey and Dr. Petit are turning over in their graves at the way our current leaders are behaving and acting as representatives of our people who should be living up to the Concordia Treaty by displaying harmony and togetherness between the two sides of the island. St. Maarten is unique, I am born French and Dutch and I will continue to represent the interests of the people on both sides of the island as a member of our island community.
Mr. Editor, we need to do a study to see how many residents are living on the Dutch side of the island for us to build the necessary infrastructure, housing, medical facilities, improve our tourism product, tax system, safety and security system and quality care for our people.
We also need to get serious with immigration control because our districts are over populated and have become a major burden for Government, and certain districts are in a deplorable state and need to be upgraded for 2017. Government needs to change where the upgrading and beautification of Front Street and Back Street is concerned, which falls under the Minister of VROMI. This is not the time to play politics and games with our livelihood and tourism product. We need to start putting the right professionals in the right positions with the right checks and balances to get the job done to move St. Maarten forward.
In closing, we need to wake up and smell the coffee and plan and lead our people better for 2017. We need to start making firm decisions in the general interest of our people instead of self-interest.
Our ancestors paved the way for us with integrity while our parents brought us up with similar qualities and principles, but my generation (including myself) the 40 plus needs to step up to the plate and lead and be a better example for the future generations to follow. Today’s generation needs to get away from the adopted culture of slander through social media, bad talking and self without contributing anything back to our community.
We have become a complaint society where everything is Government’s problem instead of theirs and self-society rather than what our grandmothers taught us of working hard with integrity, pride and respect. Our ancestors (which are our original culture) are different than the adopted culture we teach today’s generation. We need to start teaching the future generation our history and culture in the schools for them to know their destiny. We need to start believing in ourselves and our own professionals by giving them the opportunity to grow.
We have a long way to go for 2017, but let us start getting our act together and clean up our mess with integrity and come together as one nation for the difficult times which are ahead of us. God bless St. Maarten.
Former MP Maurice Lake
Dear Editor,
Never met the man and probably never will, but I am impressed by the presidency and achievement of President Barack Obama. History will confer the appropriate accolades in time and future generations will reap or chafe. Impact is certain; miraculous seemed his appearance and rise on the world stage in just the past 12 years; some may even say divine providence. God works in mysterious ways.
The unlikeliest of candidates embodying both the heartland of America and the heartland of Africa; educated in Muslim Indonesia and ivy league Harvard; community organizer in Chicago; this black man rose to the presidency with audacity.
Yes, a black man, but president of all Americans. He was elected to office by Americans of all races and of all economic ladders; he represented a vision, a dare, a risk and a challenge, and reality. He has proven again that black leaders of great calibre do exist, and that blackness is not an obstacle to success. His presidency also proves that blackness will excite passions in some societies, in various directions, among some groups.
The hope of so many, he also became the poster child for everything that is still wrong about the country and the world. Republicans vowed from day one to make his life miserable and determined he will be a one-term president. They obstructed him in every way and at every turn. Elected it seemed to make sure the president (and the country) fails. Yet he prevailed against the odds on many occasions; yes, the black boy from Chicago saved the auto industry, saved the economy from a second Great Depression, passed health reform that gave millions healthcare for the first time, and he laid Osama bin Laden to rest, and more. He was elected to a second term.
At the same time, Barack Obama brought out the demons hiding in the hearts of many. Reminding us that evil forces are forever lurking just beneath the surface in the hearts of man. It takes very little for these to bubble to the surface; you don’t have to do people anything it happens automatically when they think they are losing ground, when they believe they are governed, threatened by those who look or think different than them.
So, President Barack Obama was a force for good but also a reminder of what is still to be accomplished in this world. God uses the least among us to teach us these important lessons; he seeks out the unlikeliest of characters to represent him among our peers. Barack Obama has done what he came to do; a President for his time. The rest is up to who comes after.
You came, you saw, you conquered. You held the office with decency and distinction. I wish him and his family well. Sayonara!!!
Glenn Schmidt
Statia
Dear Editor,
Another year has passed and one of the few changes is that we were able to seat a government without too much drama. Of course, we witnessed the performance of our person of the year chosen by a member of the fifth estate (Press) based on their impact on the society; don’t think they took into consideration that they have yet to hear of successful convictions of all these supposedly corrupt politicians and vote buyers and sellers since 10-10-10.They have heaped so many charges on our people while in the end maybe two hold any weight according to the court.
They would have us believe this organization is a beacon of integrity and honesty. This is the same office a few years ago that planted drugs in the car of a citizen to set him up so that the super prosecutor could carry on an affair with his wife; and one who collided while driving under the influence in the Middle Region area. There was also the case of one member charged with domestic abuse. No mention is made of how many people lives are affected by drummed-up charges that panned out to be nothing, or the seemingly unending time it takes for the accused to have his/her day in court. (Justice delayed is justice denied).
It is not enough to say oh yes we are grossly understaffed. for when you parade people in front of the press you should explain that beforehand. We have yet to get an explanation for the “Gestapo like” behaviour of this office breaking down doors and destroying people’s property while already in the residence, or creating the impression that these people are guilty via the press to influence public opinion while they have not been to court and as it is won’t get there for years.
When are we to hear about the investigation of a person being gunned down in the custody of the state without as much as a call from this office that is to serve the people to his wife, mother or father. While I would like to forego choosing a person of the year suffice it to say that this organization can only enjoy this honour in a military state, a dictatorship or in a colony run by a country with a long and bloody slave trading and owning past.
We have also heard of the planning for an IPKO that should have been cancelled, but after all the Dutch has election in March and what better campaign issue can you have than to show how you put the islands in line. So we waste the taxpayer’s money to allow the Europeans sometime in the sun and talked about a very amicable and informative meeting. Within a week we hear the Dutch have appointed a Quarter Master for the integrity chamber that doesn’t exist and to date has not had the ordinance amended to meet the concerns of the Constitutional Court.
In IPKO after IPKO the islands have been crying out for a dispute regulation and have even presented legislation to that effect, only to have the Dutch masters inform you that they have adopted a regulation that suits them and they will look at yours later. The right of initiative also comes to mind that also won’t happen for it would allow the islands to impact their politics.
For the good of me I can’t figure out what it will take for us to realize and recognize that we are colonies and not equal to the colonial master as we like to believe. Contrary to popular belief the Dutch has no hidden agenda, it is clear for all to see they want uninhibited control and placement of their civil servants with powers superseding that of the elected officials here. Our continued parading as Prime Ministers or Presidents of Parliament or the false notion of being equals in the Kingdom is nothing but an illusion of grandeur better suited for dreamers and fools.
Elton Jones
Dear Editor,
It is with enormous sadness that my husband and I learned of the recent court ruling against Lee’s Roadside Grill, despite the long-term lease that Lee Halley had been promised and honoured and that Mr. Halley had been operating under for years. This seems to be an arbitrary application of the law that disregarded that agreement in favour of development that will only serve to line the pockets of the developer, at the expense of small business and the character of St. Maarten. What a terrible loss for the local and tourism communities of the island.
As frequent visitors to St. Maarten, Lee’s Roadside Grill has become a place of great significance for my husband and me. I know that we share these feelings with many, many people and to say that we are devastated by the court’s decision is not in any way an exaggeration. Lee’s is a very special place. It is not just a restaurant or a charter fishing operation. Lee’s is locally owned, locally staffed and locally patronized. It is a draw for thousands upon thousands of residents and tourists all year long. The food is distinctly, deliciously Caribbean and the entertainment is perfectly-suited to all of its loyal guests.
Furthermore, Lee’s is part of the rich and wonderful culture of St. Maarten. The fact that the culture has thus far remained intact is one of the main reasons we have come back for years. It is a big part of the reason that we chose to invest on St. Maarten, instead of the plethora of other Caribbean islands. What we love about St. Maarten is simple: we love its people, its culture, its traditions, its beauty and especially, its uniqueness.
All in all, a visit to the island and to places like Lee’s is priceless. If authentic island restaurants like Lee’s are not deemed to be culturally significant, protected or preserved, then I believe that St. Maarten will lose a huge part of its identity. This can only result in an additional huge loss of the island’s appeal to many of its vacationers. How long before St. Maarten turns into something so cookie-cutter and bland that people start looking elsewhere for a unique vacation destination? We were certain that this could never happen on St. Maarten, but sadly, each year, more and more of the things that make the island special seem to be disappearing.
Personally, we are not interested in going to a place where there are big hotel chains blocking the beaches and generic restaurants serving mediocre food catering to basic tastes. We don’t want to visit an island that is best viewed through the tinted windows of tour buses making a quick drive around a few curated “places of interest.” We don’t want to visit a destination that has reinvented itself to look just like the towns at home that we were hoping to escape for a while. Orient Beach should serve as a cautionary tale. It used to be so vibrant, filled with interesting shops and beach bars and restaurants. Now, it’s a series of uninteresting, government-built sheds, differentiated only by the colour of their paint, with no other distinguishing features. Long-time tenants vacated and long-time visitors are dismayed at the change. If Simpson Bay becomes a row of non-descript, half-occupied concrete buildings, who would bother visiting?
We urge you to reconsider your decision and to allow Lee's Roadside Grill to continue operating at its present location. The island is better off for it. Very best regards,
Jill and Danny
New York City
