Dear Editor,
Someone once said, “The longer I live, the more I realise the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me is more important than facts, it is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day…We are in charge of our attitudes.”
The author of this partial quote could not have said it better. He was able to pinpoint the one thing that has a great impact our lives, whether it is negative or positive. While growing up as a child, my grandma and I would have several discussions and I can recall her saying, “…but if you have manners, it will take you all around the world.”
Much of this has vanished today but certainly, the population expects better from our parliamentarians, who are the representatives of the people. The situation in parliament regarding having respect towards the chair, is beyond disgrace and pity, for some members of the former coalition.
The only one who has truly demonstrated respect is Member of Parliament (MP) Johan “Janchie” Leonard and to a lesser degree, MP Theo Heyliger. This is why there is absolutely no merit in attaching the word “Honourable” to their names. It is undeserved and outright meaningless!
Some members of parliament feel that their so-called degrees and club affiliations make them superior to the chair. But as the author rightfully said, life is all about attitude. So, I like the attitude of the chairlady Sarah Wescot-Willams, when she remarked that certain members of parliament are underestimating her. In fact, she further recommended that these members read two books in particular, that were written by real scholars, who are adept with politics.
Little do these rebellious parliamentarians know that the chairlady has studied and evaluated their behaviours and so nothing will come as a surprise to her. Like the author, she too has come to the realisation that attitude is everything and so she has refused to let herself be lowered to their level.
I am sure that chairlady smiles inside every time she is reminded that being a toastmaster, one can deliver his or her message in a short and concise way. When one does not know, it is such a pity to hear him or her speak from an egoistic position, rather than from a source of knowledge.
Those who are aware also pity this kind of attitude because the fact is the chairlady, myself and many others including the proposed Justice Minister, are the original toastmasters. We became charter members since 1994 and credit is due to Jack and Asha Stevens for introducing this organisation to the St. Maarten community.
I am sure that many would remember the aircraft carriers that used to come here and welcome the people on board. We all had our assigned tasks and we were like a family. Does anyone of us brag about our accomplishments? There is absolutely no need to because it was all about self-elevation; impressing others was never an option.
And so I am humbled by the courage, patience and authority that the chairlady has demonstrated when she is confronted by members who are overpowered by mere arrogance. Their animosity towards the chair (oh what a difference it makes when the table turns) and their desires to derail the proper functioning of parliament, have exposed them completely.
They have shamed themselves and the people, and ultimately, destroyed their political career. What is disturbing is that these renegade parliamentarians were in charge of certain departments before. Then I cannot help to conclude that this is exactly how they have treated their staff and their behaviour is just a mirror of their personal life.
As previously stated, I admire the strength of the chairlady Sarah Wescot-Williams and the way she exercises wisdom to maintain some semblance of calm within the House of Parliament. This kind of performance to persevere, with a mission in mind, not only takes patience and loyalty, but most of all, a positive attitude.
Joslyn Morton
Dear Editor,
Why a prime minister so afraid of election? Not even considering of trying to get some of his candidates of his party in. Why? You promised your cabinet will do more better than Marcel Gumbs cabinet and you don't want to prove it with election?
The decree is signed and the agreement stands firm yes yes yes we want election we want to see who wins and want to send a pure message to parliamentarians to stop breaking government. We want election to experience article 59. Oh yes it was time our ministers make use of article 59 towards the parliamentarians and bury article 33 fifty nine feet deep on February 9, 2016.
Hon. Conelius was doing good with his portfolios. He is a good person. He and Hon. Theo performing good with their portfolios but I don’t want the minister for health to have the portfolio of labour in any government.
Now we seeing this present minister for health and labour and is so associated with SHTA have us thinking somehow in the interest of all the people that works in the companies where this minister got close dealings with in the past and is holding both health and labour portfolios.
We not judging him bad but I quote it is not nice for the same minister to hold the ministry of health and labour at the same time. Please do something with this situation parliamentarians. Our ministers for health should not hold the portfolio of labour.
I know Hon. Conelius has done and is doing a lot for the health of the nation and wants to see the new hospital built as soon as possible.
I also hate to see Dutch and French St. Maarteners celebrate St. Maarten Day together. That must stop stop stop. This year make it the last.
It’s nice for the Dutch and French to keep this togetherness on another date but not 11 of November yearly with the local food, drinks, music, band, culture, arts, sports, air show, racing, facing, local artist, international artist, international bands, and so many things citizen on both side can do together.
The French has more advantage on the Dutch side than the Dutch has on the French side when both side properly develop it will be great.
Cuthbert Bannis
Dear Editor,
I commend the Marlin Cabinet for looking into projects that during the last minute before the swearing in of the new Cabinet were signed off by the former Minister VROMI without a plan being in place.
The new Minister of VROMI will also pay attention to these matters. As a representative of the people and a former Minister of VROMI, I was very amazed by the outgoing Minister of VROMI’s list of accomplishments in his thank you letter to the people since being Minister of TEATT and Minister of VROMI. This is not a tit for tat, but the people should know what is what.
It is sad to note that all his accomplishments were for ongoing projects and for most of them he changed the plan since I was Minister about 11-months ago, and all he could have done was to initiate them for 11 months instead of completing any of these projects for the people. My question is, what was he doing in the 11 months in office other than changing former plans and listening to others make decisions for him.
As a Member of Parliament, and I would like the new incoming Minister of VROMI to look into this; if a decree and letter was given to a hotel developer for 4’300 square metres of land at Kim Sha Beach in return for developing the joint sewage plant project for the area of Cole Bay and Marigot?
Government has a responsibility to protect our beaches and not give them away. How can we give away 4’300 square metres of our beach to a hotel developer if this is indeed the case? As the school children are saying, the hotel developer that has received the land has apparently informed La Bamba (a tourist and local hot spot) that they need to vacate the area once they get the people’s beach. This is simply amazing coming from the former Minister of VROMI who should be protecting small businesses instead of closing them down, if this is really so.
As a representative of the people, I am pleased to hear that the Prime Minister is carrying out an inventory of all these outstanding projects that the former Minister praised himself about in a thank you letter to the people and take them back for the people among other matters and decisions that were taken.
Government needs to look at the other alternative plans with other local landowners for the joint sewage plant for the island in which the agreement between the Dutch and French side should be finalized in December 2015.
This Government will be getting back to basics. We have to stop giving away our beaches, historical parks and landfill, and start working in the general interest of the people.
We need to start making firm decisions not for self-interest, but instead in the general interest of the people of St. Maarten.
Maurice Lake
Member of Parliament
Dear Editor,
In The Daily Herald of Thursday, November 19, 2015, on page three the headline read “Today is deadline for permit to access town during closure.” I concluded that this was an ongoing process and that that was a reminder. I did not recall reading anything about that so I proceeded to read the article. The article stated that the letter to the businesses was dated November 16 (Monday) and that the applicant had until today, Thursday, November 19, to submit the application for a permit to access the restricted areas.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be processed. I do not know who wrote or approved that letter to the businesses and residents of the Philipsburg shopping area, but if the original letter was written in the same style, I am not sure that the responsible person is the right person for that position. That letter sounded as if it came from the desk of a dictator. It began with the margin of days (Nov.16-19) and continued with “the need to undertake stringent safety measures to enhance the safety and security in Philipsburg area immediately requires no elucidation.”
There are a lot more things that are happening which need no elucidation, but are not addressed. This sounded like the head commissioner of police putting the emphasis on the measures to be taken while talking to his staff. I would have rather read in that letter to the clients of the COCI something similar to this. “....due to the latest increase in armed robberies in the shopping area of Philipsburg, especially during shopping hours the COCI in cooperation with the justice department have resolved to take among others the following measures in connection with access to Philipsburg shopping area during the 2015-2016 tourist season...”
And then there is a permit “granting restricted access” which is confusing to me. Does that mean that the permit of each person will specify which area he is limited to. “No application will be processed after November 19, 2015. The same day the article appeared in the newspaper. Again, who is that dictator. I believe that this is information given to people whose daily living will be disrupted by measures taken as a consequence of negative deeds of which several of them are the victims. Besides that this is not an emergency.
I am not getting soft; on the contrary, but it is time enough for all of us to realize that our tone also has influence on the environment. Those in position of decision making should learn that the position already affords them a certain sense of authority and if they do their job in a serious manner they do not have try to impose on people.
Now my other question. Because that decision taken will hamper many residents in their everyday movements would it not have been easier to keep an informative meeting with the residents rather than to order them around. The residents of Philipsburg shopping area are not the criminals. Now this. Permit me to say that my colleague looks like Denzel Washington in that Monday, November 23, 2015, picture. Either that or it is the result of the old saying “let sleeping dogs lie.’’ And then that reaction. Some people try to make a joke, Many other nervous ones laugh.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
I am bipolar. I am not abnormal, just different. Persons who are bipolar suffer at times from very severe depression. At other times they are euphoric. Most of the time, their mood is like that of other people (normal?)
