Dear Editor,
Some thirty years ago I was living on Marigot Hill. My neighbour was mister Roumou, an amiable policeman, keeping order in St. Maarten. He had a few very nice daughters. One year I played Sinterklaas and Judith was one of my Zwarte Pieten. I remember that she painted her face and hands even blacker with charcoal.
Well, nowadays Judith is still playing Zwarte Piet, only with one difference – she is painting the faces of our politicians even blacker than they already are. She relentlessly criticises their incompetence and greed. Her reward … jail! Why? Because she exaggerates nonsensically. I absolutely do not understand that. Nonsensical exaggeration is an art form!
Our own politicians are masters in nonsensical exaggerations; they give themselves, without permission of the people they “serve” 10,000 per month for a part-time job. The “crime” of Judith is innocent compared to what our politicians do. Compared to our politicians, Judith is a saint.
Ship-jumping (betraying hundreds of people who voted for you) is a much bigger crime than the writing of Judith. Jail? No, we just have to keep paying 10,000 dollars per month to the one who betrayed us.
So, here is my unpaid advice to our parliamentarians and ministers; take off 20 per cent of a month’s salary for one month and use that money for a statue of Judith Roumou. Where to put it? In front of our never used empty government building.
Gerard Bijnsdorp, unpaid advisor to brave crazy girls.
Dear Editor,
Last week I had the honour of joining colleagues from World Wildlife Fund, the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs and from Research Institutes and Nature Management Organizations from around the region on a research expedition to one of the most significant Marine Protected Areas in the Caribbean: Saba Bank.
Dear Editor,
Normal teenager sitting between gangsters, intelligent, thieves, smokers and drug dealers; the spoil, the needy, less fortunate and the greedy. I love and appreciate my island St. Maarten, but to see the things that are happening right now, is very ridiculous. To start off my list of concerns is: the Government that fell. Everyone's complaining about Minister Theo Heyliger, about the roads, the schools on St.Maarten, teachers and numerous more to mention. The saying " Everyone wants change, but no one is willing to change" is so true.
Everyone wants a lot of things to change on St. Maarten, yet, no one wants to gather themselves to make a plan or start changing their neighbourhood to bring the change. Everyone is blaming the government on the numerous conflicts that are taking place at the moment on St. Maarten. Have any of you ever sat and really think about what is going on and why it is happening? Numerous times we've seen in the newspapers politicians saying " They'll help the youths, they'll try to create jobs on the island for the youths and they'll invest in the youths. Yes, some of these things have come to pass, but only for a short period of time.
The conflicts that are taking place on St. Maarten are caused by hungry citizens (hungry for a better way of living, hungry to help support their families). They're so hungry that they watch the various types of movies and collect ideas on how to make money. Since the "government fall" they see this as a chance to do whatever they want to do. I am not on the side of the robberies and murders that are happening, but yes, youths, you have the brain, collecting the knowledge from the schools we're going to, why not use it to make a better living?
Stop looking and saying you want to become a druglord, or the most expensive Marijuana dealer. What happened to becoming a businessman or woman of a company, a fire fighter? What happened to all the dreams you dreamt as little kids, until society and your role models, parents changed it all? Ignorance is being built into so many, that you all block out the things you can accomplish. The most popular one: My parents can’t afford it. Work for a little while and save and ask for help from "Studie Financiering".
Life's not easy and we all know it! But why not sit and think and stop being ignorant towards certain things and analyze situations, and think of positive/better solutions to all these problems? Change begins when it sees progress being done by the human race.
My next concern is: Parents think that teachers are a piece of crap. Numerous parents look down on teachers and even question their existence on earth. But have any of you looked at yourself and questioned your existence on earth? Teachers are here to help the kids grow and develop the next missing piece to their puzzle to complete their picture.
Many ignorant parents come to schools and bully or even have bad tempers towards the teachers if their child/children is/are not doing well. Wait pause? Why should you do that to a teacher? Have you as a parent analyzed your child’s/children’s behaviour and school work and even try to make time for them? I guess the answer to that is No, because many of you have spared the rod and spoiled the child. Teachers are amazing and have the biggest war in schools. They teach the smokers, innocent ones, gang members, students with weapons, killers, robbers, geniuses and masterminds, yet so many of them might look like they haven't done nothing, but you'll be surprised on what students are capable of doing and the qualification being hidden inside.
Parents, each and every one of you needs to sit the hell down and make time for your kids, even though at times you can be a pain-in-the-butt and show them compassion. The way you carry yourself and do things are a reflection when you stand and look at your kids.
Last but not least, my concern about the Police on St.Maarten. Police were placed to have order on each and every island or country. But the police system is very bad and as the saying goes, "Cash rules everything". You all need to stop doing what you're doing either secretly or publicly taking money and/or covering up stuff or even telling the public an investigation is taking place. We all well know that if something happens on St. Maarten, it's either a lost case, or not even a touched case. Police, you are more than that and should be Police and stick to the "Wetten en Regels". Police should have a rule that no money is accepted under the table, and if caught, should be thrown into prison.
The immigration system is terrible and all of a sudden you all want to raid the island. Yes, maybe the island is getting overpopulated with illegals, but raid in such a way that you aren't doing harm to the innocent and hard-working ones. I've seen people stay in their house for days and they're very scared to even go to the shop to make a daily bread for their kids/families. Rush after work just to get home and be safe. What happened to the hard- working people, who come here to make a better/positive living and dealing with fake/ reasonable money pulling, asking people to get valid papers to stay on this Paradise. You all should check who you're picking up more properly. You let the thieves and so-called well- known people that you all are good with get away and the hard-working ones leave here to go back to a state that they were trying to get out of.
Police of St.Maarten, I respect and stick to the rules, but don't let an intelligent, not having nothing much, enthusiast, hungry-for-change person ever step foot in the Police force, Government or any other organization that can help bring change, because they'll become so eager for change and accomplishment not even to the bribery will change their mind, they'll be married to the change that only death will do them part.
Stop the one-minded mentality and crab-bucket mentality and let your peers shine so that they can help make a way for you to shine and everything will change.
Parents stop being donkeys and have some respect for the teachers; they are the only ones who see potential in your kids, while you are busy shunning them or paying them no mind. The good always withstand, no matter how much evil or ugly there is. Good Always withstands.
An MPC student
Name withheld at author's request.
Dear Editor,
Short- and sweet! Our congratulations, admiration and sincere thank you go out to all the stakeholders, who made Thursday’s, October 22 people’s massive protest against the PLU a historical and significant achievement. To paraphrase Shujah Reiph, St. Martin people are good people, including our politicians.
At the climax of growing and escalating tensions, parties managed – in the interest of St. Martin people – to find their common St. Martin identity and humanity, and to signal to the world, that St. Martiners can come together in defence of their country.
For this milestone, our thanks and respect go out to all the members of ‘Wake Up St. Martin Movement’, the president and vice-presidents of the Collectivité of St. Martin, the protestors, the talk-show hosts, MSR television crew, the St. Martin callers, who supported the peaceful blockade, the police and Gendarmes for their measured approach, and to all those not mentioned here, but who played their role as well. Collectively – in the interest of the St. Martin people - each of you have made your contribution under very tempting and difficult circumstances.
In addition, you, the Wake Up St. Martin People Movement, have done just that; awakened many out of their slumber and given us the much-needed sense of pride, hope, encouragement and empowerment to regain ‘lost territories’. You deserve a very big thank you!
Our St. Martin Grassroots People Movement looks forward to us all learning from the past. Especially that we all realize that there cannot be any St. Martin, North or South, without recognizing St. Martin’s specificity and without respecting the indivisible one-ness of native indigenous St. Martiners, our cultural identity and heritage, our traditional way of life (Read 1963, A Landmark Year by Daniella Jeffry) as the only bedrock, or foundation for sustainable development, lasting peace and tranquillity, and for great progress and prosperity for all ethnicities.
We recommend all local authorities, North and South, that henceforth, as part of all developments and projects that have a significant impact, to find a way to include competent, professional native men and women in the conception and execution phases.
In concluding, let us native, indigenous St. Martiners also admit to ourselves that too long we have been too passive and only become reactive when others act where we have failed to assume our own sense of personal and collective responsibility and to be pro-active.
The time is now! A people without a vision is doomed to perish.
Leopold James
President of the St. Martin Grassroots People Movement
Dear Editor,
As a Board, we are very disappointed with the constant misrepresentations and falsehoods coming from, especially, the leader and deputy leader of the UP party. Since the valid vote of no confidence the leadership of the UP has been doing whatever they can to make an unconstitutional call for new elections.
From our point of view, we agree with MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, in stating that Article 59 should only be used when either there is unwillingness in Parliament to form a coalition of eight, or if the Parliament is making a mockery of our institution by jumping back and forth. Neither of these situations are presently valid and the UP leadership should do the honourable thing and take up their positions in the opposition benches.
It’s the highest form of hypocrisy for Deputy Leader of UP Franklyn Meyers to be calling for electoral reform now that they are in the opposition, when after the election in August 2014, the very same method of “ship jumping” is what had them in Government in the first place. The arrogance of the UP leadership is astounding in insinuating that we only need electoral reform when someone “jumps ship” from the UP, but all is well when someone jumps ship to the UP.
The people of St. Maarten have sat through a year of inaction, corruption and nepotism that seem to be the modus operandi of the UP. We, as the Board of the NA, would like to ask the UP to state just one thing that was done for the people of St. Maarten. We do, however, hear of countless deals that are established to enrich the leader of the UP, his family and friends.
The UP leader should explain to the people of St. Maarten why he is hell bent on forcing GEBE to take a 700-million-guilder loan for a waste-to-energy plant and other upgrades, when under former Minister William Marlin a more advanced and environmentally safe waste-to-energy plant was costing GEBE and the people of St. Maarten nothing to construct. The conversion of the GEBE generators to LPG gas also included friends of the UP yet again.
Under this UP-led government, a private company was simply given US $10 million as a payoff to drop a court case. What kind of responsible governing is that? Instructing the harbour to settle a lawsuit caused by administrative errors of the UP Leader Theo Heyliger. Now the Harbour Group of Companies owes SZV $10 million. If this continues, SZV will eventually join the Harbour Group of Companies in financial difficulties.
After purchasing the Vorst property for NAf. 5.5 million, the UP-led government is prepared to lease the land to Algemene Pension St. Maarten (APS) for a symbolic price of one guilder for 60 years. Not one guilder a year for 60 years mind you, but just one guilder. Indications are that APS would then contract a construction firm with close ties to the UP leader to construct social homes. Another UP plan with self-interest dripping all over it.
This land could be leased to young professionals to build their own homes, which would lead to more economic activity for all and not the selected few.
The above is only a small part of what has transpired over the past year; yet not one project to assist with job creation for the young people. Where is the new hospital the UP promised? Once elected the hospital was put on the back burner for a number of projects with questionable prices, ulterior motives and self-interest.
Additionally, Justice is a mess; safety and security, due to the rise in crime, is a concern to our population. There is a serious tack of proper training and equipment for our police corps. The education system is suffering due to lack at schools – increasing challenges in meeting the needs of learners in a highly technological world; and, a lack of qualified teachers while the present government can’t ensure proper continuing vocational education. There is also a lack of promotion of cultural and sports development, coordination with other stakeholders in meeting the needs of our youth, and protection of our vulnerable groups, all while the UP supports a health ordinance which robs the seniors of basic health care instead of assisting them.
For the UP leader to claim that the new coalition was formed for self-interest is simply not valid. It is a gross attempt to once again fool the people of St. Maarten. It is clear that the year of inaction, negligence, incompetence, secrecy and greed on the part of the UP leadership is what ultimately led to the vote of non-confidence. The “ship jumpers” have taken the first step in taking St. Maarten back from the few and giving it back to the people. They are to be commended for taking such a bold step.
We, as the Board of the NA, would like to ask the people of St. Maarten to give this coalition a chance to work in the best interests of the island. This is not an oligarchy controlled by the few wealthy families, but a democracy controlled by the people.
Team National Alliance
