Dear Editor,
If we truly want to make St. Maarten a better place for our children and grandchildren, letters to The Herald's Editor like the one in Sept 11th's edition under the caption "They have a right to" should become a thing of the past and so should graffiti like the one on the Government Building wall yesterday (thankfully removed by those in charge of Government Facilities). The non-indigenous born-to-be-here St. Maarteners (including me) are here to stay.
Let's all get along. Many of us came here as young children and instead of hiding behind excuse after excuse for failure, as many do today, we grabbed opportunities that we were presented with, worked our "tails" off and certainly made the best lemonade out of any lemons life threw at us. I am proud to be one of "the locals that ran Mullet Bay when it was the Flagship of the Caribbean", together with greats like Lou Peters, Keith Franca, Vernon Jacobs, Zephanie and Pedro Fleming, Olga Williams, Bobby Bouwer, the late Robert James, Clarice and Vilma Hodge, James Richardson, the late James (Fats) Hughes, Alphonso Danny David, Pedro Koeiman, the late Louis Wescott, Minder Rismay, Delphine David, the late Joe Brooks and many, many others, a fabulous mixture of Born-Here and Born-to-be-Here St. Maarteners, who never questioned "where we were from."
Some did very well, most did quite well, some did satisfactorily and some did not do so well for a variety of reasons. As St. Maarten started to become a player on the world stage, many of the "indigenous" families sold their land, their houses, their properties to some of the same Indians and Guyanese of which this "concerned citizen", (who not-so-bravely asks for his/her name to be withheld) now says "They don't have a right..."
If we are to become a great little country, we had better learn to respect, tolerate and embrace each other. None of us must ever accept to be treated like a second class citizen, especially here in our "own" country, but we should certainly stop blaming all others for what may be our own shortcomings. And let us make a concerted effort to expose those unscrupulous ones amongst us that take advantage of those that are most vulnerable.
Keeping employees on repeated short-term contracts and paying them the minimum wage is abuse, plain and simple. Everyone has the right...... to a decent life, to a roof over their head, to three square meals a day and to be respected.
Michael J. Ferrier
Dear Editor,
For eight years I've been directing basketball camps in the U.S., and no experience has compared to the 2014 Island Hoops camp in St. Maarten. The kids' attitudes were fantastic and they were totally receptive to all instruction. It was apparent that many of them did not have much experience playing organized basketball or getting high-level basketball instruction prior to the camp, but for the two days we had together, they picked up on everything almost immediately. The energy and intensity was awesome.
On behalf of coordinators Paul Bell, Noah Sheer and Ahrii Shumpert and everyone else behind the scenes, pro-players Iman Shumpert, Chris Copeland and Corey Williams, and myself, it was truly special to communicate across cultures and watch the beautiful game of basketball transcend all of us.
We're grateful for the way St. Maarten has embraced us and plans for next year are already under way.
Quinn 'QP' Peterson
Island Hoops Camp Director
Chicago, IL
Dear Editor,
It bothers me when all these intellects say "they have a right too..." I also don't like when they try to make a political point or a point on immigration issues, they always use the USA or Europe as measuring sticks.
First of all we're not a country with tens of millions of people; we are 16 sq. miles on the Dutch side with a local population of about five to six thousand people. Why is it we brag about our 120 plus nationalities, it makes them feel so proud. The country they like to use as example, the United States of America, don't even want to discuss comprehensive immigration reform, because the white majority wants to remain the majority in their country.
So why are we so proud to be the minority in our country? The faces of St. Maarteners will change in the next 20 to 30 years. The locals with their head above water don't even care, because their interest is about the here and now. If you're a local you better be working for GEBE, the airport, harbour, Government or own some jet-skies or beach chairs in order to survive on our island paradise.
We don't have opportunities in the private sector for big economic growth; you have to be Indian or Italian to be afforded that opportunity. You don't see locals at the helm of big business anymore. When locals ran Mullet Bay it was the flagship of the Caribbean. The two richest families on the island are Indian and Guyanese...They don't have a right too...
Concerned citizen
Name withheld at author's request.
Dear Editor,
For eight years I've been directing basketball camps in the U.S., and no experience has compared to the 2014 Island Hoops camp in St. Maarten. The kids' attitudes were fantastic and they were totally receptive to all instruction. It was apparent that many of them did not have much experience playing organized basketball or getting high-level basketball instruction prior to the camp, but for the two days we had together, they picked up on everything almost immediately. The energy and intensity was awesome.
On behalf of coordinators Paul Bell, Noah Sheer and Ahrii Shumpert and everyone else behind the scenes, pro-players Iman Shumpert, Chris Copeland and Corey Williams, and myself, it was truly special to communicate across cultures and watch the beautiful game of basketball transcend all of us.
We're grateful for the way St. Maarten has embraced us and plans for next year are already under way.
Quinn 'QP' Peterson
Island Hoops Camp Director
Chicago, IL
Dear Editor,
It bothers me when all these intellects say "they have a right too..." I also don't like when they try to make a political point or a point on immigration issues, they always use the USA or Europe as measuring sticks.
First of all we're not a country with tens of millions of people; we are 16 sq. miles on the Dutch side with a local population of about five to six thousand people. Why is it we brag about our 120 plus nationalities, it makes them feel so proud. The country they like to use as example, the United States of America, don't even want to discuss comprehensive immigration reform, because the white majority wants to remain the majority in their country.
So why are we so proud to be the minority in our country? The faces of St. Maarteners will change in the next 20 to 30 years. The locals with their head above water don't even care, because their interest is about the here and now. If you're a local you better be working for GEBE, the airport, harbour, Government or own some jet-skies or beach chairs in order to survive on our island paradise.
We don't have opportunities in the private sector for big economic growth; you have to be Indian or Italian to be afforded that opportunity. You don't see locals at the helm of big business anymore. When locals ran Mullet Bay it was the flagship of the Caribbean. The two richest families on the island are Indian and Guyanese...They don't have a right too...
Concerned citizen
Name withheld at author's request.
