Dear Editor,

Sometimes I think the governments of the last thirty years have intentionally not made sure that civics was not one of the focal subjects in the schools on St. Maarten. Consequently the people have permitted government to get away with derelict of duties all those years.

It seems as if the Minister of TEATT has also been bitten by that bug, because according to what I read the Minister did not hesitate to encourage bus drivers to determine the bus routes and also look for an adequate spot to put down a bus terminal. WOW! Mr. Bannis in his limited view of how government should operate has done much more than what government should be doing. Sorry to say that is exactly what those people who earn the big bucks are paid to do.

They should not let so called amateurs fool around with projects concerning the whole population as well as tourists. The TEATT Minister should not have fooled those bus drivers into letting them believe that they are the authority in public transportation, which should be set aside for St. Maarteners in the first place any way. I hope that “company-owner” agrees with me in this case. The next thing would be, if things do not go well the Minister will say: "Not me, the bus drivers." And should I be surprised if the VROMI Minister permits them to lay out bus stops? Even if the Ministers concerned do not know, their legal staff should tell them that they are committing boo boos.

All of what is taking place in public transportation these days should have been in the works since 10-10-'10. Drastic changes should have been made in the public transportation ordinance and a transition period should have been implemented to regulate the compensation for certain permit holders.

This should not be difficult because real figures would come to light and the rightful taxes will be paid also. By now so many people know of the wrong things that have been going on in public transportation and who were and are still involved. I do not believe that the Minister concerned is of the opinion that giving it a quick fix before elections is the way to go about regulating the public transportation.

It cannot work. It has been and continues to be proven daily that bus drivers do not give service to the public, but are hustling to avoid each other from making a dollar. Should we really trust people with an attitude like that to fix our public transportation? Mention is made of drivers learning the history of St. Maarten.If these jobs were set aside for St. Maarteners, would not the history of St. Maarten have already been taught to them in school?

The Prime Minister continues to permit his fellow ministers to govern in this unprofessional manner. Has all of the integrity and fraud predicament not taught them to be better safe than sorry? Commissioner Elton Jones for years had a great plan for our public transportation system, but again “there was nothing in it for me” and the powers that be did not cooperate to have it carried out. We need a complete revised transportation law, which will give back the reigns to government and implement a transition period so that eventually public transportation would be back in the hands of the public. Election year or not, it is time for the public to be able to make good use of what belongs to the public. Especially the seniors.

Dear Editor,

I’m writing this letter before any unfortunate event takes place, like someone being hit by a 2x4, because afterwards all we can do is lament.

I am seeing construction debris sitting unprotected, but in neat piles next to construction sites on the island, even though we are already into Hurricane Season.

Don’t the owners/site managers realize that gale force winds don’t care about their neat piles, but will pick off the plywood full of nails, the 2x4s, the tiles etc., one by one and turn them into dangerous weapons?

I hope we are doing more than asking people to clean up their sites. This is an urgent matter of public safety and laws need to be in place and strictly enforced – now, before it’s too late.

Concerned citizen

Name withheld at author’s request.

Dear Editor,

Very good and excellent move by Minister for Transportation and Bus Drivers Association to hear buses will be soon running Middle Region. When you all start running Middle Region again please don’t stop running in Middle Region

Let us all hope this excellent move is not just because of election because I feeling something election coming. We the people at Middle Region highly appreciate this move. Thanks in advance, don’t let us down Minister for Transportation. I think it’s time to legalise gypsies and let them pay US $50 to US $100 per month to Government to help build the bus terminal for bus drivers association.

All gypsies vehicles should be painted same colour, oh yes some gypsies should get out from the road there are too many Gypsies.

As long gypsies are legalised they too should be able to get insurance for them and family and maybe they will be able to even get good second hand vehicles deals.

Also we the people at middle region wanted Middle Region Road from the Tamarind Tree to Romeo Drive resurfaced and bus stop shelters at the Tamarind Tree entrance and one at the entrance from Middle Region toward Dawn Beach and Oyster Pond.

Government must focus more on the east side of the Island in every district. Middle Region got one of the best district names.

We use the Dawn Beach and Oyster Pond Road daily for exercising. We want our Government to uplift the Oyster Pond border areas from the Oyster Pond border drive all

through towards Dawn Beach to the entrance of dawn beach near the car wash.

It is too dark, there urgently need more lights on the road and there is a very very very bad piece of road to fix urgently.

The excitement of election is here September 26 it is the big day when article 33 and article 59 clashes that the first time Ministers ever retaliate and send back an article 59 on the roof of parliamentarian building.

All St. Maarten politicians improving, our Justice Department improving, hope they put a small claim court.

Very soon for us in St. Maarten there’s a lot of bad pay masters on the Island especially on the construction area.

If a mason, painters, plumbers, carpenter, tiler, joiner, electricians, steelman or a welder work in the burning sun and cannot get paid and have a family depending on him why the police here often tell the workers get a lawyer our Justice Department must do something with these kind of situations or give our policemen more power to teach those bad master a lesson then for sure these policemen will do an excellent job with this kind of bad people.

Cuthbert Bannis

Dear Editor,

We are now at the beginning of the 2016 Hurricane Season with quite some activity in the Gulf of Mexico, which is no surprise. This usually is the announcement that the season is here. We can see changes in the wind pattern in the North Eastern Caribbean.

The comfort zone we enjoyed for quite a while is getting capricious. Hot days with moderate winds at times are replaced by strong winds followed by welcomed precipitation.

Florida and the Eastern Seaboard are paying attention to tropical updates, and we have to do the same. It pays to take a look at what happens at the west coast of Africa and the Cape Verdes islands also.

Usually early, at the beginning of the season, adverse weather conditions do spring up in the Southern area of the Gulf of Mexico. However, there are indications that tropical activity is brewing in the panhandle of Florida, and rather close to the Atlantic coast of Florida. Floridians had a good reason to be aware of tropical weather close to home for the last couple of weeks. When Florida is taking early steps, this is a warning for the NE Caribbean to initiate early basic preparedness and to be active in a short time to prevent damage to the home, persons and pets.

By all means, follow the instructions given to the public, unfortunately sometimes, the elusive public obedience crowd. What the public has to remember is that every person who lives and works on this island should have an I.D. card ready to show pertinent authorities when asked for.

St. Maarten/St. Martin is known to protect the island and their indigenous families. Because of that other people find this island being best prepared compared to other islands of the CARICOM.

Therefore, before, during and after a storm or hurricane, the islands may be surprised by an ‘increase’ in population. The island’s finances are not that strong to spend money where money should not be spent. Awareness and preparation should take priority in our minds and activity.

And, from now on, since the season is actually in full swing, most entities whether government, including the Coast Guard, and public organizations; the NGOs, should be on call so to speak. Have your hurricane map ready. Listen to the authorities. “I had no idea, I did not know,” are words that not too many people are willing to understand, in fact these are the words that are utterly annoying.

There is a lot to learn by reading the clouds. Clouds store a lot of information. Ask the computer folks.

Rudy Dovale