Dear Editor,
I entered the labour market right after high school. Like most youth, I believed that having a job meant that life was going well. That is nothing but folly. What I came to realize is that the labour market is simply a modern-day plantation, where labourers are under- or misrepresented, disrespected and undervalued by their managers or employers. It’s a plantation, because just like in the 18th and 19th centuries, workers are being grossly underpaid for their hard work.
Added to this, many workers are unaware of their rights, which permit employers to exploit them. There are those who do know their rights, but won’t speak out because they know at least 10 people are eyeing their job. Thus, one is left to be satisfied with crumbs from massa’s table.
There is a great imbalance in the distribution of wealth in this billion-guilder economy, which is built on the backs of workers on the island. Therefore, the injustices we face have to be circumvented by government. It is their responsibility to make sure that laws and regulations are upheld, so that there is a balance of power between employer and worker. As history has proven, no barrier can stand against the tide of our struggle for justice.
However, our politicians focus a lot on economic growth and very little on the people’s development. This means that only those with capital are able to profit from the growth, including the parties who are financed by those with the capital. They profit because they can increase productivity in their business sector and neglect your development, since they have the means to invest elsewhere.
As Dr. Gordon Rohlehr wrote in Calypso and Society, "Money is King” begins with the assertion that if a man has money, people will overlook his leprosy or crime and grant him the highest social status. But if you are poor, de people tell you 'shoo’ and a dog is better than you'. That’s why certain individuals can get away for committing crimes while a worker or his child receives complete punishment by the law.
I guess that’s the reason why not one of the 5 governments we’ve had in the last 5 years, did anything of significance for the people. Each one had a hand in the nepotism and ship jumping that took place. Electoral reform cannot reform broken men, who lack political maturity and morale. Over the five years, we’ve witnessed a (D)own (P)ouring of hardship. Everything has gone UP except our salaries. Quality leadership is (N)ot (A)vailable and far too many (U)nchallenged (S)etbacks keep us from further development.
So, what are the solutions to our problems? Love is the first step. We must first love ourselves, and love our brothers as we love ourselves. In loving ourselves, we assert our human rights and ability to seek upward mobility. With self-love comes confidence, pride, determination and self-realization. With this in mind we’d no longer tolerate the disrespect and unwillingness on behalf of those we trust with our livelihood.
In loving our brothers, we create unity and strength among ourselves, which is necessary for sustaining equality in our society and respect in our communities. We must stop selling out each other, underestimating our power and challenge the status quo.
Our ancestors toiled enough land, cut enough cane and picked enough cotton for us to remain subservient to the owners and bourgeoisie of this modern-day plantation. It is time we work in our favour. Workers on the island must know their rights, invest in their children and stand up against corruption. Our challenge today is relinquishing the fear of defeat and betrayal. Remember that you also pay your bosses salary by the service you render. We are the ones who elect officials to work, and we must not be afraid to hold them accountable, not just to their words, but to our needs.
I ask of you to hold out your hands for St. Martin to see, but first ask yourself if you put them to use in her favour. What have you done to protect her? If your hands remain without a scratch, then maybe it’s time to pick up your tools. With love comes great sacrifice, and this plantation can no longer remain as it is. Let us begin to work for our island. St. Martin will make sure our work prevails.
Ralph Cantave
UNESCO Youth Representative
God save we queen
We kalipso queen
Ah mean
Fourty six years we jamming
We finally get ah queen
But we can never forget
The work of love and labour
Of mighty Barbara
And Singing Olivia
They paved the way
For you today
Big up to them pioneers
They were we queens
Without ah crown
But thanks to them
We are still Around
This year tis your turn
Shakiya
Because you are ah real Diva
So cheers to you
Our first queen of kalipso
Hoping that others will
In your footstep follow
For them macho men you outshine
With, more pep
In your step
And prove to them
Yes woman can
More than just a wine
For when it comes melody contents, And lyrics
You leave them men way behind
God save we queen Shakiya
Ah real St. Martin Diva
Raymond Helligar aka Big Ray
Dear Editor,
Please allow me some space in your newspaper to address the Board of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library.
Members of the Board: On April 19, 2016, at 5:00pm, I received a disturbing phone call from my 13 year old daughter who visited the library, telling me that she was inappropriately touched by a young man who seemed to be ‘dirty, un-kempt and violent looking,’ while she was looking for a book for a report that was due at school.
I hurriedly left my job, which was fortunately a minute away from the library, to finally meet my daughter all alone and scared at the far end of the check-in counter at the library.
I immediately asked where the man had gone. Luckily for him, he had already left. I then sought the assistance of one of the administrative clerks, who then called the director so that I could speak to her.
Upon speaking to the director Ms. Monique Albert’s, she initially apologized about what had taken place but after several questions posed to her, she explained that this gentleman apparently was banned from the library already for touching someone else’s daughter. Yet somehow he managed to find himself back at the library, undetected by the staff and was able to yet again inappropriately put his filthy hands on my child.
My daughter who was so scared, walked away quickly towards the front of the library but was hesitant to react due to the violent look of this person.
When I asked Ms. Albert’s that “if this man was already banned, why was he still allowed to enter the library”? She responded that “there was no security at the time and that the security comes in at 5:00pm,” (at this time it was already around 5:15pm and no security guards were in sight.)
When asked, “what about the safety of our children who frequent the library from 1:00pm to 5:00pm when there’s no security available?” She responded that “security is very expensive and that this could have also happened on the streets”!!!
On the Streets? Well, Ms. Albert’s you are absolutely correct! The only obvious fact was that this incident did not take place on the streets, but within the apparently ‘not-so-safe’ walls of your establishment!
What an ignorant comment! It left me literally at a loss for words, not only from the lack of measures taken by the library’s director Ms. Albert’s, but also by her nonchalant demeanor and inability to establish a system that doesn’t really need to tap into the libraries finances to create a safer place for our children.
I am a mother of three girls, 6, 12 and 13 years old, who all frequent the library several times a month for book reports and/or projects due at school. Am I supposed to chaperone my girls to the library several times a week or shouldn’t measures be set in place that would allow our kids to feel and be safe?
Although I am aware that the library is a public place and banning someone from the library might not be such an easy task, I ask myself, is it that difficult to have professionals take affirmative steps to ensure the safety of our kids? Is it that difficult to have precautionary measures in place for all children and library patrons alike?
How difficult is it for a staff to be more alert of their visitors/patrons and surroundings and keep an eye out for suspicious behaviour? Especially dirty, violent-looking un-kempt individuals walking into a building and passing directly in front of the staff’s reception area. This incident took place in the isle a few feet away from the check-in counters, you are able to see directly in that area even from the outside on the streets!
The library environment can be compared with that of a school environment, it is a place where children congregate, do their homework/projects etc. all year round and Ms. Albert’s response to me is that this could have happened on the streets.
Although this incident was reported to the police and a complaint filed, it doesn’t change what has happened to my daughter, to those previous to her, and what will continue to happen to other young innocent girls unless serious measures are taken.
Should the situation get violent or someone’s daughter hurt before we act? Do we want another situation where a child was beaten on the streets almost to a pulp by some psychotic person as had happened a few years ago? Because as Ms. Albert’s put it, it could have happen on the streets also as if saying being in the library is the same as my daughter being on the streets. Again bringing us back to the safety of our kids at the library!
Who looks out for them, who cares about them, who will put their safety first?
Failure to take adequate action can cause far more damage to a situation rather than take simple preventative measures!
A simple and non-expensive measure would be to enforce a policy where all visiting adults are asked to register with a registered ID before being able to enter or access the library. This way any pervert who really isn’t there to do anything productive might think twice before entering, knowing his information has been registered and he could easily be pinpointed after acting out his sick fantasy with another one of our innocent children.
A few words of advice for the library’s director Ms. Alberts:
If you suspect and/or know that there is a safety problem, especially involving children, take personal responsibility for doing something to address it. This means speaking up persistently and widely until effective action is taken to fix that problem. Don’t just tell someone, even if that person is in a position of authority, and assume that your responsibility is at an end. Follow up to see what is happening. Realize that children and young people who are being targeted or abused need help and protection – and that anyone who is abusing them needs to be stopped.
I pray that the Board of the Library will take immediate measures to ensure and put the safety of our children first! Hopefully sooner rather than later!
Bertil Acuna-Lopez
Dear Editor;
I read the article about the Christian Council objecting to the Carnival Parade being held on Sunday, May1, and decided to lend my two cents on this issue for three reasons – 1. There is some misinterpretation of the whole truth. 2. I detect some selfishness, and 3. The Christian Council have some issues they should be thankful for.
Let me start with No. 1 – I know that some years ago the organisers of Carnival agreed not to hold the J’ouvert morning jump up and the Grand Carnival Parade on Sunday, but they also made it clear that the Grand Carnival Parade was dependant on which day of the week April 30 fell.
The Christian Council stated in their letter that they object to the parade being held on “the Lord's Day” and that “Sunday is a day that has been set aside from ancient time for Christian worship” and that Sunday is “a day of rest.” This is why I say it is a misinterpretation of “the whole truth.” It was indeed set aside for Christian worship, but not by God, but by man. According to the Bible, God created heaven and earth in six days and on the seventh day He rested.
In the 10 commandments God said “Remember the Sabbath Day” referring to the seventh day. He forbade working on that day and instructed to keep that day holy, thus making it “the day of rest,” which was later changed from the seventh day of the week to the first day of the week by man. Nowhere in the Bible can it be found that God made that change. It was man who changed it. So, based on God's word, the day of rest is the seventh day of the week and based on man's words, it is the first day of the week. I stress that God never changed it, and that will remain my belief until someone can show me where in the Bible it is stated that God changed it, while I know from history (not the Bible) that man changed it.
2. There are denominations on St. Maarten who worship on Sunday as well as Saturday. I am sure that those that worship on Saturday are also members of the Christian Council, yet when the J’ouvert morning jump up or the Grand Carnival Parade were held on Saturday; the Christian Council had no objections. I ask myself, “Why not?” Is the Christian Council representing only the denominations that worship on Sundays? I don't think so. Then, I find it selfish of those who worship on Sundays to neglect the issue when it affects those that worship on Saturdays.
3. The Christian Council should be thankful that they operate on St. Maarten where the date of the Grand Carnival Parade can be adjusted. What if they were operating in a country where they have “Carnival Sunday?” For instance in Aruba and Curaçao, just to name two, the Grand Carnival Parade is held every year on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, just before going into Lent. What does the Christian Council in those countries do? Don't they deal with the fact that the Grand Carnival Parade is held on a Sunday? So, our Christian Council should be thankful that they live in a country where the date of the Grand Carnival Parade can be adjusted to suite them.
In closing, I want to make it clear that I am not condemning the actions of the Christian Council. They are doing their job to maintain moral standards in our society, but I think that, instead of criticizing Carnival, they should get involved to bring it to an acceptable and decent standard, if they feel that it is not at that level. We all have our parts to play in this society. So, Christian Council, play your part in the whole St. Maarten society.
Fernando Clark
Dear Editor,
On Saturday evening I went to the Carnival Village for the Night of the Hit Makers show.
I wanted to see Tsunami, the band from Aruba perform, so I got into town early as they were the first performance for the night.
To my horror, when I got into town, I noticed that all (and I mean “all”) public parking facilities were closed, including the public parking on the Clem Labega Square.
