Dear Editor,
In your Saturday edition you paid attention to the matter of the support provided by government for the annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta .
In a small economy like ours the government has to be in close touch with economic potentials and niche markets if we are going to compete against the many competitive destinations. In larger and developed economies, larger well-funded institutions will play a role in advancing sectors, but these are not yet in existence here. Somehow our government will need to have an understanding of high potential niche markets to influence and mentor them favourably, and our citizens are going to suffer or enjoy the consequences of how they handle these niche markets .
The yachting sector of St. Maarten has been clearly shown by impartial researchers to drive 15 per cent of the St. Maarten economy, but it is a niche market with more niches within the general category of “yachting.”
The yachting sector should be looked at by government in terms of what benefits this sector can bring to the economy of St. Maarten. Various tourism reports, including the Master Plan, have pointed at the potential of this sector to contribute to the economy; in fact, it has been the most consistent advice that I have seen in the many reports. In spite of this, there has been little or no effort to develop a strategy and a knowledge base in government on this sector. In spite of the opinions of some MPs, the yachting sector provides significant high income employment and a solid tax return to the public sector.
The Heineken Regatta is one of the obvious strong points in this industry, creating clearly noticeable benefits and should enjoy some support, and the support must be consistent otherwise it is more damaging than positive in the long run. But, there are likely to be more initiatives in this industry besides this successful event that will provide a positive long term return to our economy.
The successive recent governments have chosen to pay relatively much more attention to areas of the economy that, in the overwhelming opinion of economists, provide much less potential for return and neglected this high potential but complex niche in the economy. Providing inconsistent support to the Heineken Regatta makes no sense whatsoever; the neglect of the rest of the sector is no better and in many cases there is no substantial cost involved.
Robbie Ferron
Founder St. Maarten Heineken Regatta
Dear Editor,
Our budget will be debated in Parliament on the 29th of February and I want to be amongst those to congratulate the Minister of Finance for having prepared the budget in such a short period of time. Also, the fact that Mr. Gibson choose to send the draft budget to CFT for its recommendations prior to handling it in the plenary session shows wisdom and maturity. For this, I praise Mr. Gibson. However, I have my reservations with regard to the finance minister’s decision on selection of budget cuts. In particular with the budget cut of more than five million guilders from the budget of the ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication.
I am the first to acknowledge that the most important task of a minister of TEATT is to research the possibility and exhaust all avenues for creating economic development. However, as it stands now, our single economic pillar is the tourism industry. Cutting the budget of this ministry will seriously hamper our opportunity for economic growth. I can understand that the minister does not agree with certain spending within the TEATT ministry, but with all due respect, the minister of TEATT must be given the tools to work with.
Although I recognize the importance of traveling in order to capitalize on expanding the tourism industry, I agree to limit the amount of traveling for now and invest in building and strengthening our product. The Inspection department for example, requires urgently needed funds in order to function properly. By investing in this department, additional funds will be generated for government. Whatever measures need to be taken in order to have a balanced budget must, as little as possible include the TEATT ministry.
Cutting the budget of TEATT ministry will prove detrimental. This is our lifeline. This is how we make money to cover government expenses. To quote the finance minister’s words, “the TEATT ministry brings in the bulk of income for government”. Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg. I would like nothing more than for St. Maarten to finally have a balanced budget. Having worked as the executive assistant of a former Minister of Finance for one year, gave me first-hand knowledge of our financial predicament and therefore, I agree that we have to cut our spending wherever possible, while we create new and structural income for government and in the process of balancing our budget, systematically reduce the budget deficit of some 60 million guilders.
Mr. Gibson says that the budget for 2016 will have a surplus of 20 million guilders. Again this is welcome news. This means that if this trend is followed, our deficit will be eliminated within three years. My question here is can we not eliminate the budget deficit in four years rather than in three? This will then leave us with an additional five million guilders for each of those four years to invest in urgent and or priority projects that will faster help to contribute to our development.
I can fully appreciate the concern of The Hague with regard to balancing of our budget. However, it is my opinion that the right of self-governing is unjustly withheld from us, without concern for our priorities. Fact is that St. Maarten never had a balanced budget since we became country within the Kingdom in October of 2010. Also a fact is that we never received the 120 million guilders needed to build our country, which by the way we were entitled to.
Now I am not one to cry over spilled milk, nor to focus too long on the past. I have learned from it and am ready to move on. However, The Hague’s unjustified insistence on a balanced budget within a short term hampers in my opinion, the best way for us to move forward with the development of our young nation, which include, but are not limited to: 1. Construction of our own weather station that will bring in additional funds. 2. Construction of the waste to energy plant that will provide cheaper electricity to our populace, which in return provides for more buying power and most importantly, 3. Strengthening of our economy.
A strong economy brings funds to the coffers of Government. Paying non-urgent debts depletes the coffers of our Government and seriously jeopardizes the stabilization of our country. And so, there are other urgent and viable investments for Government to make. With these and other new revenues for the coffers, Government can focus on, for example, housing development, which is desperately needed. This also includes the repairs and maintenance of the houses under management of the St. Maarten Housing Foundation.
When our hospital is built, service cost of SZV will drastically reduce, based on funds saved on overseas referrals, thus structurally regulating their income to meet their financial obligations. This will in all likelihood provide profit for SZV of which, dividends have to be paid to Government. This dividend can be used to service the debt that government has outstanding with this institution.
In the meantime, Government can focus on other necessary and urgent development projects. It is the job of our Parliamentarians and Government to make Holland understand that, with all due respect for the Dutch politicians and in the spirit of a harmonious kingdom working relationship we need to be given room to develop our country with the oars that we got. I also agree with the present Minister of TEATT that traveling for the purpose of marketing of our destination is imperative for the enhancement of our tourism industry.
However, it is my strong belief that we need to have an attractive product to market before we market it. Walt Disney built Disney Land and then fully focused on the marketing campaign and strategies. So did the people of Maduro Dam and so us too, when we decided to build a bigger and attractive port and airport. But what we see now is that the rest of the Caribbean is competing with us by doing the same. We were once one step ahead, but we have now lost this competitive edge.
We must now think creatively and out of the box to offer a better product so that we will remain one step ahead. This means that we have to think on something that will be unique to St. Maarten and impossible to copy by other destinations. First, let’s invest our financial resources in niche markets. Once this is done, we can focus harder on marketing our destination. The construction of a boardwalk and breakwater for the Maho beach is such a project.
This beach which offers a spectacular view of airplanes landing and taking off is an attraction that no other island or country in the world has to offer. However, it poses potential for serious accidents, which guaranteed will jeopardize our industry and therefore we must safeguard it from any and all incidents. Also, this is a project that Government with the input of the Harbour and Airport, in cooperation with the Police Force Traffic Department, must embark on and not leave it up to private investors that will most likely set unfavourable conditions. And so, other creative ideas must be brought to the table and realized. Let us take pride in what is ours and have the satisfaction that it was done by us and for us.
Louis R. Engel
Dear Editor,
You’ve got to give honour to whom honour is due. The Honourable Minister Emil Lee stepped out from the comfort zones of his air-conditioned office and upscale neighbourhoods and visited one of the homes in Middle Region that has been experiencing hell when it comes to running sewage and mosquitoes. Though I applaud his visit to that one location, I am curious as to what steps are being taken or even considered to bring an end to that deplorable situation.
This should not be the last visit by the Minister of VSA. I am not the Minister of Labour, Health and Social Development, but I’ve taken the opportunity to visit several homes that have been affected by constant running waste. I’ve listened to the complaints of residents who feel betrayed and forgotten by politicians and the different departments. Unfortunately, those residents continue to pay taxes so Ministers can be paid their monthly salaries.
It may not be an entire community, but make no mistake it always starts with one home. There are similar and maybe even worse issues of running waste throughout several neighbourhoods that have been neglected. South Reward, St. Peters, and Cay Hill are areas that I have been informed where such problems exist and where residents live in fear of an outbreak of viruses like the Zika virus. At time of writing, there is one confirmed case on Dutch St. Maarten.
One home, then one neighbourhood, then one community, and eventually the entire island. Yes, focussing on one home is important. I have seen the dirty water running into the backyards, into homes and even inside one’s kitchen where food is being prepared. In some areas, I was welcomed by ridiculous swarms of mosquitoes, where no man, woman or child should be living under such conditions.
Those neighbourhoods do not have abandoned pools in their backyards, but they do have raw sewage constantly running in front their gates. The place called home should offer a safe and relaxing atmosphere for all the residents of St. Maarten and not just a chosen few.
Unfortunately we have several residents crying for help. Minister Lee, don’t you think it’s time you roll up your sleeves and start doing something about the illegal leakage of sewage water? We understand you were not the last one, neither will you be the next one, but right now you are the current one and the job is in your hands.
Armand Meda
Dear Editor,
For everything that's in darkness shall come to light. It might take a few years, but light always wins darkness no matter how much they fight.
Numerous of us know what our responsibilities are in St. Maarten. What I don't really understand is why say the things we already know; why not come up with something different, say for instance: Where do you want to work, study or live when you're finished with your secondary education?
Why not say the different things you would like to study for when you're finished with school? It’s not acceptable in our country, because the older heads are not coming down from that position, or must I say we're overqualified. Is that really even true?
Your presentation stated this famous quote by John F. Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. In my head I was brain storming all sorts of things you can think about, but I thought, why didn't you mention a few of the things you've accomplished for our country?
Or why the government keeps falling? Yes, you did mention that, but why not tell us the truth. On how really does the government fall, and politics is an amazing thing, but some people just get too greedy and try to develop the island/country when it's nearly time for an election, or when they see it's beneficial for the public to speak about them to gain more popularity. Yet again, a mother never tells all the secrets of their children to others, so I guess that's why not much truth and actions are taking place.
I was kind of disappointed on how the presentation went and what you really came to speak to us about. I was really expecting an eye opener on different things happening on St. Maarten. How can you develop the teaching skills and the parents acting as if the teachers don't really do their jobs? How can we as teenagers better ourselves and even try to become better and wiser; and which politician hears the cry of his people.
Also my ears were eager to hear different important things prior to Civic Responsibilities. Don't get me wrong, the different sectors that were mentioned were okay. Governor Eugene B. Holiday, it was a pleasure of you visiting and speaking to us about things that we may know a little too much about. But as we grow older and there aren't any blind folds on our eyes, we can see practically everything and we're brain storming about how things are being done in St. Maarten.
And how can we better understand, and solve different circumstances that arise in our country? For every glass house must have a crack and all the glass will be shattered, then we will really see what has been happening on the inside. Just an opinion of an average teen!
An MPC student
Name withheld at author's request.
Dear Editor,
It will be very shameful and disgraceful of Emil Lee to sit in a public office and don't have a master plan for the east side of St. Maarten at the Dawn Beach and Oyster pond area.
Oh my God! Why can’t these politicians not see the Dawn Beach and Oyster need to be beautified; this area urgently needs some beautification, and if Emil Lee is not pushing to have Dawn Beach and Oyster pond area beautified he should step down from public office.
There are businesses in the area of Dawn Beach and Oyster Pond such as hotels, Captain Oliver’s Mariner, restaurants and nightly activities, a casino and many more at Dawn Beach/ Oyster Pond location east side of the island. Where one of the most beautiful hotels in St. Maarten and the Caribbean is located. We are calling on government to give this area an urgent lift.
Hundreds of people use this area early morning and evening hours; we the citizens are calling on St. Maarten’s Government for proper sidewalks and street lights from the border through the Oyster Bay hotel entrance through Princess Heights, though the Westin hotel. The road is too narrow and urgently needs enlarging.
I, Cuthbert Bannis, will like to accompany these politicians to show parliamentarians and ministers areas on the east that urgently need up lifting and beautifying. Check the bad spots on the road from the hillside; let’s take down some of this hill and open the road
from Oyster Pond through Dawn Beach through Guana Bay to Philipsburg. By doing so the east side can be as busy as the Maho area.
Plan now to fulfil by 2017. Theo Heyliger promised to build a water tank at this area for Middle Region, Dawn Beach, Oyster Pond people that is good development. One of these things l keep begging the parliamentarians and ministers is to uplift the east side of the island and help get the Christian Kingdom Credit (CKC) union clients get back their money since 2010 CKC closed its doors with the remaining of the clients’ money. Up to this day the clients have not received any money not even from the Central Bank who they said was the trustee. Keep a meeting with the clients, l just don't know why St Maarten doesn’t have its own Central Bank?
William Marlin campaigning, approving everything. Why doesn’t Emile Lee have a master plan to beautify the Dawn Beach/ Oyster Pond area and see to that the cost of the project passes in 2017 budget.
I know Emile prays for Sarah Wescot-William. Oh my God, Sarah did her best to get Emile Lee in office; also William Marlin and Marcel Gumbs don't pray for each other may be still election or they might never pray for each other, but l pray for all of them especially our governor, we all must pray of him. He works very hard concerning Article 33.
Now St. Maarten has seven opposition in Parliament, each of them representing a day in the week: Franklian – Sundays, Leona – Mondays, Tamara – Tuesdays, Johan –Wednesdays, Lloyd – Thursdays, Cornelius – Fridays, Theo – Saturdays.
I am also calling on Frans Richardson, parliamentarians and minister for justice it is time St. Maarten has a small claims court; and help civil servants own their own home.
Cuthbert Bannis
