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,
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,
Last Monday, the answer of Minister Plasterk on behalf of his colleague Minister Kamp directed to the General Assembly in the Netherlands was made public. He indicated in his answer that at this moment, the time and opportunity to explore geothermal energy is lacking. His leading argument seems to be that the installation would generate 100 MW while the direct need of Saba is limited to only 2 MW. The surplus should then be transported to St. Maarten through a cable that is not only very costly, but also would consume a lot of installation time. As an alternative therefore the use of solar energy and wind energy is promoted as being a short-term solution.
On first glimpse, this seems to be the logical conclusion from a well-thought out policy. The only problem with it is that it is totally false and on top of that: both ministers could have known this fact. Since the question and need arose during the Inter Parlementair Koninkrijk Overleg (IPKO), Notus, a 100 % Caribbean company, has supplied all delegations of the participating islands and the Netherlands with information about geothermal possibilities and technology.
We indicated that it could be an important economic stimulant for the islands within the Kingdom, and that it, besides being cheap energy, could provide an incentive for profiling, employment and knowledge level of the islands. We indicated that we can provide the technology, the capacity and the possibility to supply this geothermal energy at any desired scale. Besides a confirmation of receipt and the message that the information was distributed to the delegates, we unfortunately, did not receive any reaction.
Notus, in cooperation with Geostrom (a Swiss company), has developed a revolutionary one-bore hole technology that enables us to produce electricity making use of the earth's dynamics. Without making use of the controversial fracking techniques, it makes use of the internal heat of the earth in combination with thermal dynamic convection processes that are taking place as well.
Due to this enhanced geothermal technology, the system can be used anywhere. The system is 100 % renewable and risk-free. Besides the production of electricity the rest warmth can be used to be converted into cooling with the use of heat-exchanging technology, for which many suitable uses are available. Since the use of this technology is already economical at small production rates, the installation of a 2- or 3-MW energy plant would be very feasible. It would be low in cost and can be realized within a short time frame.
The provided conclusions of both Minister Plasterk as well as Minister Kamp are most likely based on offers received from the French consortium that is active in Guadeloupe. This company is operating an energy plant using "old fashioned" fracking-based geothermal technology. This technology is indeed only economical when generating a large output and also creates significant environmental problems and risk. The Notus/Geostrom system eliminates these risks and supplies stable electricity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year without any CO2 emission and impact on the environment.
The offered alternative of wind or solar energy is not able to provide a base load supply, since the production is limited by the availability of wind and sun (in the right quantities and strength). Since the availability is limited and also is fluctuating in the produced current frequency, a back-up system consisting of fossil fuel-based generators will be required at all times. In fact the dependency on fossil fuels will remain.
Hopefully this reaction will contribute to a review of the position and policy of the involved politicians in the Netherlands and on the islands and that it will open the eyes for the positive effects geothermal energy can contribute to the local communities. Notus will always be prepared to provide additional information or presentations.
Frits van de Sande
Curaçao
Dear Editor,
Last Monday, the answer of Minister Plasterk on behalf of his colleague Minister Kamp directed to the General Assembly in the Netherlands was made public. He indicated in his answer that at this moment, the time and opportunity to explore geothermal energy is lacking. His leading argument seems to be that the installation would generate 100 MW while the direct need of Saba is limited to only 2 MW. The surplus should then be transported to St. Maarten through a cable that is not only very costly, but also would consume a lot of installation time. As an alternative therefore the use of solar energy and wind energy is promoted as being a short-term solution.
On first glimpse, this seems to be the logical conclusion from a well-thought out policy. The only problem with it is that it is totally false and on top of that: both ministers could have known this fact. Since the question and need arose during the Inter Parlementair Koninkrijk Overleg (IPKO), Notus, a 100 % Caribbean company, has supplied all delegations of the participating islands and the Netherlands with information about geothermal possibilities and technology.
We indicated that it could be an important economic stimulant for the islands within the Kingdom, and that it, besides being cheap energy, could provide an incentive for profiling, employment and knowledge level of the islands. We indicated that we can provide the technology, the capacity and the possibility to supply this geothermal energy at any desired scale. Besides a confirmation of receipt and the message that the information was distributed to the delegates, we unfortunately, did not receive any reaction.
Notus, in cooperation with Geostrom (a Swiss company), has developed a revolutionary one-bore hole technology that enables us to produce electricity making use of the earth's dynamics. Without making use of the controversial fracking techniques, it makes use of the internal heat of the earth in combination with thermal dynamic convection processes that are taking place as well.
Due to this enhanced geothermal technology, the system can be used anywhere. The system is 100 % renewable and risk-free. Besides the production of electricity the rest warmth can be used to be converted into cooling with the use of heat-exchanging technology, for which many suitable uses are available. Since the use of this technology is already economical at small production rates, the installation of a 2- or 3-MW energy plant would be very feasible. It would be low in cost and can be realized within a short time frame.
The provided conclusions of both Minister Plasterk as well as Minister Kamp are most likely based on offers received from the French consortium that is active in Guadeloupe. This company is operating an energy plant using "old fashioned" fracking-based geothermal technology. This technology is indeed only economical when generating a large output and also creates significant environmental problems and risk. The Notus/Geostrom system eliminates these risks and supplies stable electricity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year without any CO2 emission and impact on the environment.
The offered alternative of wind or solar energy is not able to provide a base load supply, since the production is limited by the availability of wind and sun (in the right quantities and strength). Since the availability is limited and also is fluctuating in the produced current frequency, a back-up system consisting of fossil fuel-based generators will be required at all times. In fact the dependency on fossil fuels will remain.
Hopefully this reaction will contribute to a review of the position and policy of the involved politicians in the Netherlands and on the islands and that it will open the eyes for the positive effects geothermal energy can contribute to the local communities. Notus will always be prepared to provide additional information or presentations.
Frits van de Sande
Curaçao
Dear Editor,
Thank you for Monday's article that St. Maarten now has a Nissan Leaf on its roads and giving this news front-page coverage, complete with photo. The Rosens are to be commended. You may be also interested to hear that, as with many things, Anguilla has beaten St. Maarten to it – the Masons have owned and driven a Leaf around Anguilla for a while now, even without front-page coverage in The Daily Herald.
Another instance of where "Anguilla has beaten St. Maarten" predates even most readers of the The Herald.
I am reliably informed that what is now called St. Maarten, used to be part of a much larger island called Anguillea or "Greater Anguilla" (whereas Anguilla appears never to have been called part of "Greater St. Maarten/Martin"). Publications of studies of a giant (bear-size) rodent (Amblyrhiza inundata) which lived round here refer to "Greater Anguilla" for example.
When referring to political groupings, the word you seem to be looking for is "factions", not "fractions". You manage to get this right when you are inserting copy from outside news wires, but in local coverage you inexplicably seem to prefer the word with an "r". To be clear on this, a fraction involves a numerator and a denominator, such as ⅗. Whereas, according to the Oxford Dictionary, a faction is a "small organized dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics".
Finally, I seem to recall that in Mr. Snow's previous newspaper ("The Chronicle"?) there was a memorable weather report and I wonder if it could be repeated in The Daily Herald at some point. It went something like: "As the weatherman is off-island, there will be no weather today". (This was subsequently published in the now-defunct humorous Punch magazine in the UK.)
Keep up the good work!
Graham Crabtree
Greater Anguilla
