Dear Editor,
“Ladies and gentlemen, your next singer is Mr. Joseph Brunell Peters. But in the calypso world he goes by the name of Lord Defender.” Band chorus: 1-,2-,3-,4 … “Defender comin’, Ai ya Yai!”
Comrades, I was saddened when I heard that Lord Defender passed away on September 20, 2015, (one year ago) in Holland.
About two months ago his son (Mitchell Peters) told me about his father’s passing. Comrades, Lord Defender was a seasoned calypsonian – a tough contender. According to King Jacko (Steve McCauley), he used to be uneasy during the calypso finals when he had to contend with pros like Lord Defender, Mighty Controller, and Mighty Baker Sr.
Defender, as he was affectionately known, would go up on stage with a very serious facial expression, because his social commentary songs were always of a serious nature.
I can remember when he sang “Not Them Aliens.” Back in the late 1970s immigration officials would usually go on a rampage picking up “illegal people” when crime got a little out of control. Lord Defender was up on stage with a W.I. Newsday paper in his hand singing, “When you harass the illegal, Caribbean people, you’re disadvantaging your own.” In essence, he was telling the authorities not to harass the hard-working, Caribbean people.
Fellow calypsonian King Fernando used to heckle Defender about that song – all in fun. But I will say this about Lord Defender: though he was from Montserrat, he was an honourable Dutch citizen. He was a very community-minded person; he was very obliging.
With regard to calypso, he was a purist. He strongly believed in the art of rhyming; so he would frown with displeasure when he heard singers abandoning the rules. He and I would talk about calypso from time to time. Generally, he was an aficionado of music; he loved jazz. I always enjoyed talking about music (mostly calypso) with him. Lord Defender had a good sense of humour.
When he was not assigned as “Head Judge,” some calypsonians would seek his advice. As Head Judge, sometimes he was kind of controversial. Comrades, to err is human. Comrades, Lord Defender has left our world to be inducted into a “Higher World of Music” where King Fernando, the Mighty Cat, the Mighty Greg, the Mighty Stingray, Basta Roukoo, Tony Thewet, and all the other good fellows are. My condolences to his family, his friends, and his fellow calypsonians. R.I.P. Lord Defender.
Julien F. Petty
Writer’s note: Mr. Mitchell Peters (Lord Defender’s son) gave me his permission to write about his beloved father.
(From Curaçao Chronicle)
As Venezuelan, I manifest my indignation of the inappropriateness of the statements of Lucille George-Wout, in relation to the problems facing my country, and the clear consequences these may have on the island of Curaçao, given its proximity to Venezuela.
The statements of the Governor show an absolute ignorance in the diplomatic field, in addition to my considering it particularly stigmatising. Venezuela undoubtedly is passing through a difficult time, and assuming that kind of position will not help any problem.
I suggest to the Governor to leave the diplomatic affairs of Curaçao in the hands of the Netherlands and study more deeply the history of her island, to discover that Curaçao and Venezuela’s relationship is full of mutual cooperation in economic, social and energy fields among others.
I respectfully remind the Governor that one of the fathers of Venezuelan homeland was born in Curaçao, the "great" Admiral Luis Brion.
Paulo Gonzalez Castillo
Dear Editor,
I wonder if it was not in connection with the upcoming elections that we would have read about the petition for an urgent meeting concerning Pearl of China. When it was first publicly mentioned, I reacted by noting that I do not think that that project is necessary right now, and that we should upgrade and manage what we already have in the correct way. I also mentioned that we should replace the illegal employees with unemployed Sint Maarteners.
So, let me reiterate we have to establish who a Sint Maartener is. You did not quote me, but in your editorial Existing Commitments you ended with: Before dreaming up new ways to spend public funds, it would be advisable to first fully meet existing commitments. And again, that wry smile on my face. That smile replaces what my father always reminded me of. I should never want to say I told you so. I smiled because "dreaming up new ways" and "fully meet existing commitments" reminded me of my way of assessing the situation.
Talking about assessing , I would l like to know that since it is already known that 400 jobs will be available, if in conjunction with the Labour Department assessment is being made of how many unemployed Sint Maarteners would come in consideration for a job at Pearl of China?
And also there should not be any excuse about qualification, because there is time enough between now and opening date to school our people and bring them up to par. I also mentioned that the president of Parliament should be ashamed to have us believe that she did not know anything about Pearl of China. The term banana republic was also mentioned and here again we are asking for an urgent meeting, because Members of Parliament do not even know anything about a new hotel that is about to be built in the country they run.
Yes, that they run (at least on paper) because if they know the content of the Constitution, and the Rules of order of Parliament, and other authorizations of Parliament there should never have been a ground breaking without the OK of Parliament. This is why more and more I feel strong in my quest to replace all the existing members of Parliament, because they have not learned anything from the last embarrassment that Parliament passed through, after throwing down the Marcel Gumbs government. None of them went back to the drawing board.
We are about ten years in a predicament with that White Elephant, in which the leaders of the four parties in government strongly seem to be involved, also five going on six years with a new country status and continuously Members of Parliament are proving their incompetence. Out wid dem.
If they go to work every day as they are being overpaid to do, they would be able to acquire legislation and other documentation on what transpires in what should be a transparent government. So it is their fault. The same way they use the Opinion page to their advantage, (which I often doubt) instead of representing the people in a dignified manner in Parliament, they should use it (Opinion page) to the benefit of the people and let us know about the wrong things that are happening in government.
But no. "If you don't tell on me, I will not tell on you" is prevalent among them, until one does not get his or her share. Note I did not say due, because their due is already in their pay. Even two years after they are not reflected.
I have worked for 41 years, and now, ten years after, I am still paying taxes and they go in for four years and get two extra years’ salary for not doing anything. The proof is there, and I will continue to challenge all, and I repeat all of them, to show me one iota that they have done for the betterment of life for the people of Sint Maarten. We still do not know the ins and outs of the Causeway, but we are paying for it; our pension money is being used to bail out the white elephant, but our pension cannot raise.
There is the building of a new hospital in the pipeline for which, again, we have to pay. The Vorst land saga is not over yet, but we the people are still in line to pay for that. Again that wry smile, because I am pondering if that could be part of the reason for throwing down the Marcel Gumbs government.
The term "endorsing" is used in general during elections to determine whose policies one favours. But because voting is still secret, which I greatly respect, I will not say who I will vote for, but I endorse Claude "Chacho" Peterson. I like what I hear and read from him. Voting should always remain secret so that every Member of Parliament should feel obliged to represent every member of the community.
Because only citizens with Dutch nationality, eighteen years and older, who are not prohibited to vote for whatever reason, can vote. It is imperative that children and the legally employed, etc., and definitely those who openly campaigned for a party which is not supporting the government, should also be represented.
I would recommend, especially those of us who have been loyal to certain political parties and have not seen any progress, to vote for a new candidate. Out wid them. Out with the old and in with the new. We need completely new leaders in this country.
Russell A. Simmons
(From Amigoe.com)
Leaders are responsible for the environment we live and work in. On this ‘baranka’ we think leadership is about the results. Wrong! We as people respond to our environment around us. Therefore leaders need to take care of our environment. A leader is responsible for the people who are responsible for the results.
So, if you take care of the people and their environment, things will work out just fine. We (as in Kòrsou)... got that totally confused.
A simple example: we throw people in jail and hope that they come out better just by a miracle... we must be out of our minds. If the environment is bad, people will turn out bad. It really is that simple.
A lot of us think that because they have a higher rank they are leaders; so not true. We all know lots of people (way too many if I am really honest) who sit at the higher ends of organizations. They have authority and we do as they tell us, because they have authority over us, but we would not follow them.
And then there are people who we will follow in a beat, because they are courageous and show responsibility for our well-being. Look around you, you know those people as well. Those people are the real leaders. They take care of the people with whom they work. It is a practice, it is a skill that can be learned, and it does require practice!
Leadership looks a lot like parenting. Not everyone wants to be a parent, has the capacity to be a parent or should be a parent. With leading it is the same, some just do not have the capacity, want to be or should be leaders.
The scary thing is that a lot of people scream ‘jump on my boat’. But, please ask before you jump, what boat and who will be the captain, who will take care of me on that boat?
To be a leader, you need courage and courage is external. You will feel courageous when other people have your back, when others support you. That will give you the push to move forward. We are people and we are still social animals. We all can care a lot more about our society, our youth, and our people.
True leaders take responsibility for their people.
KAMLA DE HAAS
Curaçao
Dear Editor,
This September 26, a new Parliament of St. Maarten will be elected to office. Each vote cast will help elect one of the 15 Members. That vote expresses the confidence the people have in the candidate of their choice, to be their voice and to handle the interest of the people of St. Maarten, in accordance with their mandate.
Essentially the campaign can be considered the job interview and the voting on September 26, the selection process after which the vacant 15 seats in Parliament will be filled with the best candidates for the job.
Members of Parliament have no fixed 8-hours work day; no exclusive location to work; they don’t clock in and out; no system to prove that there is any actual work being done for the salary. In other words, a parliamentarian must be sufficiently disciplined or at least care enough to show up to work, because the only people checking are the voters and they only get to hire and fire every 4 years when elections come around.
In my experience the job of a member of Parliament is 24/7 and if done right, consistently with the people in mind and with the cooperation of all involved, budgets can pass on time, legislative amendments and proposals can be made on a regular basis, Ministers can be called to Parliament to give account of their actions on how they are spending the people’s taxes.
Moreover meetings can be set at 8:00am when everybody else is expected to work and if members show up on time and sign in, it is even possible to be home for dinner. All this by saving the tax payer the cost of: overtime for civil servants, utilities, food and beverages etc. I say that to say this: Parliament can work much more efficiently with respect to time, taxes and results.
What does it take? People who take the job seriously, political maturity if you will, true concern, knowledge of the job and experience. Ideally it takes a combination of them all.
Though probably sounding like a broken record, I emphasise that whoever is elected to do this job and of course I am working towards being elected, is the result of the people’s decision.
If you are reading this and are convinced but know of others who treat their voting power as trivial, I say to you it is our collective responsibility to convince these people of the power they hold in their hands – that it should not be sold cheaply for a few bucks … No, it would not surprise me that it’s still happening.
Your vote is mighty indeed, so much so, that if you don’t use it you are guaranteed no change, no stability in government, no possibility of improvement and frankly no reason to complain about it. There are very few certainties in life, except for not voting of course, which will certainly render no results.
I have demonstrated to the people of St. Maarten that I do handle the people’s business with the knowledge that is required and the dedication and seriousness it deserves. Then at least there is an opportunity for results.
Your vote is mighty indeed. Please use it on September 26.
Maria Buncamper-Molanus
Candidate #5 on the United St. Maarten Party (US Party) list
