Dear Editor,
Two years ago or longer we had a big “Donkey issue” where many donkeys died of starvation that were fenced-in without food or water. It was all over the Dutch and even global news. Persons came from Bonaire to help with the issue and did continue to assist.
Last year, we had another food problem, due to the dry weather. Sorry, but I have a big problem with the discrimination that‘s going on between two sets of donkeys. One set of donkeys is being sponsored and also by Bonaire. That one set of donkeys are getting all the needed care and it’s being said that, “the fencing was cut this time”.
Last year, I did my part as a citizen, by giving mangos along with other persons to help feed these donkeys, due to the very dry weather. But at that time they were fenced-in. My big question is: Why do we have two different sets of donkeys? Why can’t all the donkeys be together? We are not speaking of hundreds of donkeys. For many have already died of hunger and thirst. Bonaire is being funded by the Dutch government for their donkeys. Why can’t all the Statia donkeys be funded like Bonaire, as both islands have donkeys?
My people, let’s get serious! All these donkeys are Statia donkeys; they are part of Statia’s pride and history. Their ancestors have served as the cars and trucks that carried all your cargo and people once upon a time. These donkeys are intelligent creatures. They even carried blind persons to their plantations and back to their homes. Even Jesus rode on a donkey when he was on earth.
My suggestions are: Why not put all the donkeys in one habitant like Bonaire, where tourists and children can visit and pay a fee to ride on a donkey, and persons can even get married on a donkey cart? Make it a great tourist attraction and at the same time a good project.
Having them roam the streets is not an option. We have enough problems with the roaming cattle that are tagged and have owners, who don’t live up to their responsibilities of taking care of their life-stock or other animals.
It been asked: “What is our local government doing to solve this problem”? To answer that question: it’s no big secret that our local government can’t even order water without the approval of the Dutch government (BZK). Maybe our Kingdom Representative can use his powers to help our “dying” donkeys that are in great need of food, water and a home like Bonaire. Our donkeys need help today; tomorrow may be too late! Please save our donkeys!
“Even when these donkeys were abused, they helped plough the land for planting. They carried the heavy loads on their backs. They were the eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. They are also one of God’s creation, just like you and me”!
Brenda van Putten
Concerned citizen
Dear Editor,
In The Daily Herald of March 26, an article under the title “Catholic college in the DR bans gay US Ambassador,” “The Catholic Bishops of the Dominican Republic recently sent a strong letter condemning the behaviour of the openly gay US Ambassador, who they accuse of using his post to promote his lifestyle and the homosexual agenda.”
Well, well, well... How moral. I’ve not heard any protest from Catholics about the thousands of priests and bishops that have molested thousands of children under their care. Or is that perhaps fine according to the Catholics?
While this US Ambassador has been chosen for the quality of his work as an ambassador, he does not molest other men or children while thousands of Priests and Bishops and other “men of the cloth” have molested children in the name of Jesus or God is quite despicable.
The Vatican for decades have tried to hide this fact by replacing these child molesters to other locations or even taken them into the Vatican to protect them from prosecution by the law. In many cases this did not work and the Vatican has paid hundreds of millions of dollars to the victims of the church.
One might ask themselves what is worse, a male ambassador who has a male partner or a Catholic Priest who molests hundreds of children leaving them scarred for life?
God created us all in his image (Genesis 1:27)! Perhaps you could draw the conclusion that God is heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual and perhaps not sexual at all. But if you draw the conclusion that homosexuality is a sin based on Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Romans 1:26-28, then one should conclude that God is NOT perfect! Or did God make a mistake creating homosexuality?
To me it is very clear that Catholics have different measurements for different people. It’s just hypocritical to state that being born a heterosexual is perfect, and being born a homosexual is a sin and one will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
I am not gay, but I have met many gay people and some of my friends are gay. I know that most of the gay people are very understanding to people’s problems and helping others instead of condemning them, like the Catholics do.
It’s even worse than this; While Catholics state that gay people will not enter the Kingdom of heaven (period) they will allow rapists, mass murderers and many other criminals, even the ones who were so bad they got the death sentence, as long as they accept Jesus as their Saviour.
Based on your (Catholics) hypocritical beliefs, I would never want to go to heaven (Psalm 26:4) to walk next to rapists, murderers, hypocrites, priests, bishops and other criminals. I’d rather go to Hell were all the good people are. Besides, heaven must be really boring as nothing happens there. Hell, however, is a constant party with BBQ fests, dancing and other frolic acts that the church condones.
But all this doesn’t really matter as I am an atheist and I don’t believe in fairy tales, unicorns, talking snakes, the tooth fairy, apples of wisdom, immaculate conception, miracles or an invisible superman in the sky.
TS Garp
Today Mame Yvette Fleming Hodge
Scored her century
One hundred years
Of living in her native island
One hundred years of caring
For St. Martin
L C Fleming Hospital is standing
Because she was willing
To give her land to permit the building
Most St. Martiners have a home
Because she was willing
And able to permit them the purchase a piece of land
When the price was sky high
And no bank would give them a loan
Thank you Mame Fleming
For all you have done for St. Martin
Happy birthday to you
And may that same spirit
Of giving
Continue through your
Offspring
The Name Yvette Fleming
And that of Saint Martin
Have one thing
In common
That is the love of sharing
Thank you for sharing
One hundred years
With us in St. Martin
Happy birthday
And congratulations
To you
To your Family
And To Saint Martin
Raymond Helligar aka Big Ray
Dear Editor,
I would like to comment on the reply from the Port, on Friday, April 1 in The Daily Herald on the parking issue on Great Bay Beach.
It is a blatant lie that the cars are only there on the Wednesday Power Hour. Every Friday night and any other event on the WPS is open season for cars on the beach. The Port does not address the issue at hand, but instead advertises its agenda, which is a great initiative by the way.
Young and upcoming entrepreneurs should also be aware of the 1994 Beach Policy. How can you be an upcoming entrepreneur when you don't even abide by the law?
There are at least 5 security guards around the square at one time and let's not forget the public alley, so you would think that the Port and their WPS supervisor should be able to instruct the cars, which they allow onto the beach, not to park behind the Ocean's building.
Annemarijke Nieuwenhoven
Property manager Ocean's
Dear Editor,
On reading a letter sent to you with the heading "Don't miss the simple solutions," I was wondering whether that letter was to really get the pedestrian crossings painted or if it was directed to those of us who write to you regularly.
Let me say this. Writing to you is not an obligation of anyone so no one decides what should be written or not. I do not react to individuals because I maintain that everyone has a right to his/her opinion. Even when my name is mentioned in letters to you, if no further explanation is necessary, I do not react. I do not question peoples' reason for writing or not writing.
By now I think that government is aware that government is responsible for the maintenance of the roads and the signage. I have written many letters to the editors of newspapers, but I have never written anything about boating or the lagoon, which I very well can because I was among the first members of the Maritime Police and even before that dealt with several cases in Great bay and the lagoon. But let bygones be bygones.
Maintaining the painting and signage on the roads are simple things and should be constantly done for the safety on the roads, but in all fairness, just like those thousands of drivers who use the cell phone while driving, not paying attention to the process of the traffic, too often drivers are confronted with pedestrians who go along their merry way disregarding the traffic crossing the street while talking on the phone.
I write about a lot of things but not simple things that are obvious; those I leave for knit-pickers or those who want a stick to beat a dog. I get on the phone or go personally to those involved. Incidentally, about two months ago you could have noticed workers painting the border around the sidewalk by GEBE yellow. That happened within a week after I spoke to the gentleman in charge of that department by GEBE. MP Maurice Lake could attest to the fact that during his tenure as Minister I pointed out several places that needed to be painted and he had it done.
I am a sticker for doing the little things. Let me repeat myself for the umpteenth time. In issuing permits to businesses, government should "make a deal" if not make it a condition that those businesses should maintain the roof of a school or paint it, maintain a section of the road, etc. I know that painting is an essential part of boating, so probably the author of that letter could consider the maintenance of some street markings since this is low hanging fruit in the long process of making St. Maarten as great as it can be.
Russell A. Simmons
