~ Make ‘Cooling Centers’ part of the Resilience Agenda ~
Dear Editor,
Extreme heat warnings are becoming the norm and not the exception. People are dying from the heat. Last year in Europe, extreme heat claimed 20,000 lives between June and August.
Some of the ways to survive extreme heat are limiting outdoor activity, staying hydrated, keeping homes cool, checking on the elderly and young children.
What about the Caribbean? Have we been experiencing extreme heat? Have you noticed a change in the weather? Should we start planning for the future where extreme heat is concerned? I think we should. Better to be prepared and ready rather than dealing with the consequences thereafter.
Europe for example has been warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s. The State of the Climate in Europe 2022 report shows that decades of global heating has resulted in extreme heat, drought, wildfires, marine heatwaves, and glacier melt.
Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom had their warmest year on record last year, and the summer in Europe was the hottest ever recorded.
This cannot be considered as a one-off occurrence or an oddity of the climate. The 2022 annual average temperature for Europe was between the second and fourth highest on record, with an anomaly of about 0.79 °C above the 1991–2020 average.
Sint Maarten since 2018 has been in a phase of resilience building after the massive damage caused by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. New buildings have been constructed or re-enforced; human capital has received training; investments have been made in resources and vehicles, and the resilience building is expected to continue as the Sint Maarten Trust Fund still has some funds available to be invested this year and beyond.
As a country, we need to be prepared for other events that will have far-reaching consequences. Climate change is taking a major human, economic and environmental toll according to the report.
The report adds: “Average Sea surface temperatures across the North Atlantic were the warmest on record and large portions of the region’s seas were affected by powerful marine heatwaves. The rates of surface ocean warming, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean, the Baltic, the Black Sea, and the southern Arctic, were more than three times the global average.”
Hazards from warmer temperatures, such as rising sea levels and more frequent and extreme weather events, make the Caribbean the most vulnerable sub-region.
As a nation we must continue to build upon our resilience agenda. Public and private sectors as well as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) need to come together and consider the establishment of “cooling centers” within the community for senior citizens, families with children and other vulnerable members of our community.
Not everyone has an air conditioning unit in their home or could afford the utility bill to run one during extremely warm days/weeks. There are a number of NGOs and other stakeholders who provide services to our senior community who could play a role in transporting these vulnerable persons to “cooling centers” where they could spend a few hours a day until the day cools down and then return to their home.
‘Coolingp prevent heat-related illness. Extreme heat has become a major public health centers’ can be community centers (air conditioned) – a safe location -that could be for example utilized for this purpose where persons find relief from the heat. Senior citizen organizations could compile a list of vulnerable seniors through a needs assessment survey and put this into a database.
‘Cooling centers’ hel concern and can cause a variety of health problems, but heat-related illness is largely preventable. As a nation let’s continue to build our resilience agenda by including other potential hazards as we prepare the country for warmer temperatures in a changing climate.
Roddy Heyliger
Dear Editor,
“The Hague Plans to lend St. Maarten NAf. 60.9 million”. It cannot be business as usual. We don’t need any more loans, what we need is debt cancellation and the issuance of grants while the matter of reparations is being worked on. What the Dutch government is doing is increasing our debt.
What I find interesting is the following, and I quote: “If St. Maarten were to seek financing on its own on the international capital market it would be confronted with a high interest rate which would have a negative impact on the country’s debt tenability,” end of quote.
Can they explain to the people of St. Maarten the following: why would we have to pay a higher interest rate? It is it not so that the Dutch government is given loans for as low as 2% and 1%? And if we wanted to borrow on the international market will we not be offered the same interest rate as the Netherlands? Why do Caribbean countries, Latin American countries and the continent of Africa or the proverbial countries of the South have to pay higher interest rates?
Is it the World Bank and International Monetary Fund who determine these rates? Both these institutions are controlled by Europe and the United States of America. This is a bias structure.
The apology for slavery cannot be just a byword. Action has to follow and it starts with debt cancellation. My suggestion is that no payment be made to the Dutch government on any loans. My suggestion is that instead of paying any loans, the payments are used to invest in our island.
Discussions on reparations have begun, a report came out where the Crown earned some $600 million from the slave trade. And it was only from 1660 to 1770. Slavery was abolished in 1865 some 95 years later. Can you imagine when the research is completed regarding the Crown and it is no doubt when the entire Netherlands is included that it will run into billions, maybe trillions, of dollars.
I want to remind the people of St. Maarten that it is the same Dutch government who have budgeted some 2.5 billion euros to assist Ukraine, this is the same Dutch government whose market size for Defence in the Netherlands is estimated to be $18.1 billion.
Our illegal debt is around 1.4 billion guilders which amounts to a mere $650 million. This amount should be cancelled immediately. No more loans.
Member of Parliament George Pantophlet
Dear Editor,
The United St. Maarten Party (US Party) firmly advocates for a collective effort to tackle the pressing issue of paedophilia and child abuse within the community of St. Maarten. I would like to highlight the urgent need for stricter measures and increased awareness to safeguard the innocence and future of the island’s younger generation.
The US Party is concerned about the increase in the violation of the rights of minors within the community. We acknowledge the significance of protecting children and firmly believe that this issue should be of concern to every citizen.
Engaging children and teenagers in inappropriate sexual activities is unequivocally wrong, legally, ethically, morally and in the eyes of the Lord. We cannot deny the presence of God in our lives. The more we disregard our spiritual connection, the more susceptible we become to lawlessness. We need to apply a strong moral compass in addressing this grave issue. The community has a collective responsibility to shield the younger generation from predators who prey on the vulnerable. Regardless of ethnicity, the protection of all children of St. Maarten should be an overarching concern.
We must send a resolute message to the world that St. Maarten cherishes its children and will not tolerate any form of inappropriate behaviour toward minors. Perpetrators found guilty of such acts must face the full force of the law, serving as a deterrent for others who may contemplate similar actions.
Concerns have been raised about the rising incidence of sexual misconduct involving minors, particularly in workplaces or secluded areas where abuse can occur. A comprehensive legal framework is needed that empowers law enforcement agencies to address these issues effectively, ensuring the apprehension and psychological intervention of those in need.
Moreover, I am determined to address the current gaps in the legal system, which often lead to impunity for offenders. There is also an alarming trend of pushing early sexual orientation agendas, which may inadvertently expose children to sexual exploitation. I would like to see a critical examination of initiatives that could inadvertently contribute to the abuse of minors.
Respecting individuals' sexual preferences should not be equated with tolerating the coercion of minors into inappropriate acts. We as the US Party are very much aware that in order for predators to be trailed properly, the laws have to be in place. That’s why we have proposed a reinforcement thereof since last year March 2022.
In addition to legislative changes, in my capacity as President of Simply Masters Foundation, which has been active since 2013 in enhancing positivity amongst the youth (Facebook Simply Masters Foundation), we will be offering guidance to parents and the community to help protect children from harm.
Parents, remain vigilant and pay close attention to your child's behaviour before and after school. Recognise that changes in character, such as withdrawal or extreme rebelliousness, can indicate significant emotional distress. Be at your child’s extra-curricular practices and analyse the surroundings. Teach your children values, including the importance of spiritual connection, open communication and trust, on an age-appropriate base.
Life out there is forcing each one of us to better prepare our children for what they will encounter out there, which is sad. It’s almost like force ripping, but if we want to better mentally and emotionally equip the children of this country to face the atrocities happening out there, we all need to sing in one accord.
It is important to age-appropriately educate children about life matters, including discussions about sex and distinguishing between good and bad individuals. We must also instil resilience and a strong work ethic in children, discouraging them from compromising their dignity for material gain.
Furthermore, I propose practical measures such as: improved road illumination, securing abandoned buildings, mandatory self-defence classes in schools to prepare the mindset to combat not only bullying but possible intimidation; regular trimming of bushes for enhanced visibility, and enforcing appropriate dress code, especially for minors in public areas.
There are much more protective laws that the US Party would like to propose in order to enhance safety of this and all other vulnerable groups within the society, like pensioners, unemployed, orphans and single parents.
The United St. Maarten Party pledges its commitment to combating paedophilia and child abuse in St. Maarten. I call upon the public to support the party’s efforts to amend existing laws to ensure a safer environment for all children. Together, we can protect the innocence and well-being of our children, creating a stronger and more secure future for St. Maarten. For whom are we making St. Maarten better? It’s for the children, the next generation after us, so we can’t have a broken generation.
Pamela Gordon-Carty
Leader United St. Maarten Party
Dear Editor,
The summer tends to be the most profitable season for U.S. airlines because it’s the busiest travel season for them. The desire to travel for many in 2023 is high.
Airlines for America, an American trade association and lobbying group based in Washington, D.C., that represents major North American airlines since 1936, estimates that 256.8 million passengers will fly between June and August. This is a one per cent increase when compared to the same period in 2019.
Online travel agency Hopper reported that the demand is much stronger for Americans who want to travel abroad this summer holiday season, which has resulted in higher airfares to Europe and Asia.
Allianz Partners USA’s annual Vacation Confidence Index*, a travel insurance provider, stated that Americans’ total spending on summer vacations is likely to cross the $200 billion mark. The figure represents approximately a 10% increase over 2022, a 39% increase over 2021, a staggering 261% over 2020, and remarkable 111% increase compared to pre-pandemic spending in 2019.
“Americans are taking a no-holds-barred approach to summer vacations this year and prioritizing their PTO days. Allianz Partners USA’s 15th Annual Vacation Confidence Index* reveals that consumer vacation confidence is continuing its three-year trend with 61% of Americans intending to book a summer trip of 100 or more miles away from home for at least a week (up one point from last year, 19 points since 2019). The survey also revealed three-quarters (74%) say that an annual summer vacation is important, up 14 points since 2019.
“Since the pandemic, a paradigm shift has occurred in the American consumer’s mindset around the importance of taking time off to recharge and the invaluable benefits a vacation offers,” said Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. “This switch has propelled Americans’ confidence in taking a vacation to its highest point in our 15-year survey and indicates a new standard commitment to travel.
“While down two points from last year, Americans ages 18-34 are the most confident (67%) they will take a summer vacation, compared to 35-54-year-olds (64%, no increase year over year) and 55+ (53%, up 3 points).”
What does this mean for the Caribbean? At the moment there are “sky-high prices” to travel to the Caribbean this summer. There are a number of factors playing a role at the moment. The lack of airplanes (capacity), airline staff (pilots, cabin staff), lack of U.S. air traffic controllers are some of the reasons given for airlines to meet demand. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has asked airlines to cut back on the number of flights that they offer during the busy summer season.
The Caribbean region must rethink and develop a resilience plan that would positively influence more demand and travel to the tourism-oriented economies. Regional governments along with tourism and hospitality sectors will have to look further ahead as well and plan for different contingencies.
For example, current high airfares to the region may be for the short-term and all fingers are crossed that things will settle down and the various challenges as noted above that airlines are facing would have smoothed out by the upcoming high season – 2023/2024.
The Caribbean region tourism destinations will have to start thinking and planning for airfares to rise to fund decarbonization of the aviation sector as the costs will be borne by passengers as the airline industry transitions to net zero, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
At the 77th IATA Annual General Meeting in Boston, [Massachusetts – Ed.], USA, on 4 October 2021, a resolution was passed by IATA member airlines committing them to achieving net-zero carbon emissions from their operations by 2050. This pledge brings air transport in line with the objectives of the Paris agreement to limit global warming to scenarios below 2.0°C. Having agreed to a Long Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) on climate at the 41st Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in October 2022, governments now share the same target for aviation’s decarbonization.
Now is the time to evaluate and prepare for the future of travel.
Roddy Heyliger
Dear Editor,
Reading the newspapers of late and hearing of the demands of government to the Dutch, which is not my indication, made me question the situation. Our demands are quite adequate and reasonable compared to the atrocities bestowed on our ancestors in slavery. At the same time our demands for recognition, reparation and equality would be quite justified if we applied those demands among ourselves.
For instance, it is a known fact that others (foreigners) get a better treatment than we, locals, get. On the other hand we have workers (“illegal?”) in service and when time comes to pay, we call Immigration, who then ships them out and that is a legal action.
All Caribbean countries should be in support of Haiti and do not leave it up to others. The catastrophe of late in Haiti was reported in the papers on page 5 or 6. Our neighbours, brothers and sisters in distress.
Listen, The United States of America comprises of 50 States that are bonded. The European Union, comprising of 27 countries are bonded. We, the Caribbean, consisting for an extremely large number of descendants of slaves cannot bond? At a reparational meeting, visited by a vice president of CARICOM we were told that we could not be a member because we could not pay the membership fee. No Caribbean country or island, should be left out of such a Community based on the fact that the membership fee cannot be met. As decendants of slaves, knowing what all they had to go through, we should be loving, compassionate, honest, helpful and respectful to our brothers and sisters.
By the way, the remark made by the organizers of the Slave Museum, to be constructed by the Netherlands in Amsterdam, was extremely incorrect. They said slave heroes and fighters and others, like Tula from Curaçao will be represented in the Museum. Correct, but not the slave owners. However, without them there would not have been any slaves and therefore no Museum!!
Without Hitler there would be no Eisenhower, nor Rommel, nor Churchhill as such, and the devil is also mentioned in the Bible.
Considering all that is mentioned are we hyppocres?
George A. Scot
