Dear Editor,

Following years of tracking by the Israeli foreign intelligence service, Mossad, Adolf Eichmann, the logistical brain, architect and one of the major organisers of the Holocaust, was captured in Argentina on May 11th,1960. Eichman was thereafter flown to Israel where he was made to stand trial and subsequently convicted for the gruesome murders of millions of Jews killed in the extermination camps during the operationalisation of Nazi Germany’s final solution. It was during Hannah Arendt’s coverage of the Eichman’s trials that she coined the phrase, banality of evil. Incidentally, Arendt was a German-American novelist who at one point in her illustrious and celebrated career became stateless.

Arendt’s conceptualisation of the term, Banality of evil, popularised in her book, “Eichman in Jerusalem”, provided scathing insights and depth of understanding into the psyche and moral world of Adolf Eichman. Arendt concluded from her analysis of the testimonies and actions of Eichman that he wasn’t necessarily an inherently charismatic murderous villain, but instead was blindly following orders, executing his duties without questioning the moral implications of his actions - the essence of the term banality of evil.

Eichman for his part, on all occasions when he was asked to plead during his trial, promptly pleaded not guilty to the crimes he was being accused of committing against humanity: he confidently maintained his innocence by merely proffering he was simply following orders and so wasn’t personally responsible for his morally complicit behaviour. Adolf Eichman’s desecration and attempted annihilation of the Jewish people was reportedly a deep source of pride and joy to him since as it is documented that he on occasion exclaimed that he would happily leap to his grave knowing he had six million Jews on his conscience.

It is horrifying if not nauseating to entertain the thought, even cursorily, that us humans possess such horrendous and diabolical capacities to commit such atrocities on scales that boggles the very mind that does the conceiving. If we were to survey the current global political landscape seeking to examine the moral turpitude of potential candidates vying for political office and those too who have already attained and dangerously consolidated political power we might very well unearth albeit frighteningly potential Eichmans in our midst.

If true, meaning, there are Frankenstein the likes of Eichman already in our presence, how do we vigilantly guard against the repetition of one of history’s darkest hours? How many likely Eichmans may be lurking silently in the shadows awaiting the battle call in service of their enablers, sinister political agendas and dystopias? Adolf Hitler’s orchestrated plan to exterminate the Jews and repopulate the territories of Europe with the purity of the “Aryan race” was for the most part aided and abetted by Adolf Eichman - the once average student who eventually found his “calling” in the industry of efficient mass killings.

Fascist and totalitarian regimes are enabled and perpetuated by those who, according to Hannah Arendt, refuse to critically examine the moral correctness of dictates emanating from authoritative figures. Blindly conforming to commands without self-reflection and robust interrogation requires the voluntary suspension or refusal to employ a critical aspect of what essentially makes us human - our capacities for agency and moral reckoning.

Eichman’s moral failure wasn’t necessarily an unprecedented low point in the brief history of enlightened and civilised man, as daily we continue to witness - albeit on a smaller scale - and at times are affected by the actions of those whose sole role in existence it seems is to unquestionably execute what they are instructed to do.

The banality of evil interpreted in the context of Eichman’s horrors highlighted the bureaucratic, routine thinking devoid of independent thought which made possible the misery of the holocaust. As a theoretically useful conceptual frame for examining the actions of Adolf Eichman the term banality of evil in my considered view doesn’t provide an absolute explanation of Eichman’s and his peers behaviour. As since it is quite plausible to conjecture that Eichman could have indeed critically examined and found wanting the orders he received to exterminate the Jews but was nevertheless motivated by a greater cause, namely: to aid in the realisation of a world ruled and populated by a “superior Aryan race”.

So, while some among us may find laudable Hannah Arendt’s mental labours to coin a theoretical construct to explain Eichman’s actions, does this in itself make the outcome or product of critical thinking as advocated by Hannah Arendt adequate enough to dissuade us from exhibiting incorrect moral behaviour? Or are we, despite our critical efforts, continuing to remain at the discretion of other yet unknown factors or forces deluding us into thinking we are agents morally responsible for our conduct?

As Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “don’t let us forget that the causes of human actions are usually immeasurably more complex and varied than our subsequent explanations of them” logical reasoning or critical thinking is just one mode of apprehending and examining ourselves and the world we inhabit. There are those among us who don't employ critical thinking for reasons known and unknown to us as a basis for ethical and moral guidance.

Orlando Patterson

Dear Editor,

I’m raising this matter publicly because it affects too many of us to remain silent any longer. The ongoing issues with the quality of debit, credit, and Maestro cards issued by Mariel Curiel Bank Bonaire (Statia) are now more than a minor inconvenience; they're a serious disruption to everyday life and business, especially when traveling abroad.

Like many customers, I’ve had to replace my card multiple times – four, to be exact. Each time, the card simply stopped working after limited use in and out of one’s purse or wallet. This pattern isn’t random. It signals a quality issue that needs immediate attention.

In the meantime, customers are being charged a $5 transaction fee just to access their own money at the bank counter often because they have no other option. On top of that, a replacement fee is applied for cards that fail through no fault of the customer And then we wait a week or longer for a replacement, only to repeat the cycle.

This is not about casting blame. It’s about responsibility and responsiveness. A modern bank must be able to issue lasting quality and reliable cards. It must recognize when something isn’t working and act quickly to fix it, not pass the cost on to customers.

I’m urging Mariel Curiel Bank Bonaire (Statia) to take clear and visible steps to upgrade the quality of its cards and to waive any related fees until the issue is fully resolved. Customers should not be penalized for a problem they didn’t create.

The community is watching and hoping for change on this, not just words, but action. This is a chance to turn frustration into progress, and I believe it’s possible.

Concerned citizen

Name withheld at author’s request.

Dear Editor,

It appears as if pensioners are the ones who are carrying the load when it comes to the paying taxes. They are seemingly the ones pursued more than ever because of being the low hanging fruits. I am yet to have a discussion with a pensioner who is not complaining about the manner in which they are being taxed.

If I am not mistaken I heard the Minister of finance state that they are working on a law to exempt our SZV income from being taxed, a good gesture indeed but when will this happen. Can pensioners bankrupt government if the taxes they owe are cancelled, can pensioners bankrupt government if some of the taxes owed are reduced, can pensioners bankrupt government if they are allowed to pay what they can afford instead of insisting they that they pay large amounts within a short period of time regardless of their financial condition?

What makes matters worse, we are in 2025 your taxes have been filed and up to date. Then you receive a summons saying that you owe taxes for 2020?? You are told that it must be paid within the shortest time possible. Whose fault is it that they are way behind in their assessments? And now they want you to pay almost immediately or prove that based on your income and expenses the amount they request you to repay is unreasonable and that the requested period is not feasible. In my opinion it is immoral and insensitive.

I will be the last to say that it is not our responsibility to pay taxes but assessing one 5 years after the fact is very unprofessional and demanding almost immediate payment? This has been happening for too many years, the laws and the system is too outdated and does not reflect reality. Especially at present with rising food prices, electricity bills, building materials and the list goes on which will put a large dent into our income. A pensioner said to me about two or three weeks ago that it seems that they wait until you reach the pensionable age to harass and stress you.

I am quite aware that government derives the majority of her income from taxes but reality is that there are those who are still not paying their share. Tax compliance has been a discussion for ages and that is all, no action to address this very serious issue.

Sorry they are working on it by pressuring the pensioners. What is government doing about the casino and lottery fees? If I can recall, some casino fees in the millions were written off because of COVID19.

But I have a problem, which is the following; some 14 to 15 years ago during a budget meeting, I found out that the ordinance governing collection of casino fees of 50 thousand guilders a month was established in 1989 some 36 years ago and to date has not been changed, but going after the pensioners seems to be much easier. Government is losing millions by not changing this outdated law.

There is a lot of complaints about the turnover tax but are they paying the right amounts? How is government controlling or not controlling this? Or are they depending on the good morals of businesses?

On another note, is Government still repaying the illegal debt of 12.7 million guilders? It can better be used to pay our law enforcement officers, our teachers and, yes, other social responsibilities. But of course it is not important, just keep it on the backburner. Can pensioners bankrupt government?

George Pantophlet

Dear Editor,

We, the concerned residents of Carbon Grove, officially known as Broadleaf Tree Drive in Cole Bay, respectfully submit this petition to urgently seek your assistance with several critical infrastructure issues affecting our community.

Over the past few years, our neighborhood has been facing serious challenges, including:

1. Lack of Proper Utilities (Water and Electricity):

We urgently need proper and reliable access to running water and electricity from the utility company GEBE. Many residents continue to experience inconsistent or inadequate services, which severely impacts health, safety, and daily living conditions. Water is a basic human right, and no citizen should be forced to live without reliable access to it in the year 2025.

2. Unreliable Internet Service:

Limited and inconsistent Internet service has disrupted the education of our children and the ability of residents to work from home or run small businesses. We kindly request government support to ensure Internet service providers deliver consistent coverage to our community.

3. Deteriorating Road Conditions:

The road networks in Carbon Grove are in dire need of repair. Potholes, poor drainage, and lack of proper paving have made it difficult and unsafe for vehicles and pedestrians, especially during the rainy season.

4. Retaining Walls and Infrastructure Stability:

Several areas lack proper retaining walls, which poses a serious safety hazard to residents, especially those living on slopes. Without these essential structures, there is an increased risk of soil erosion and property damage during heavy rains.

It has been extremely difficult for many residents, as some have invested their life savings into building a home and now have nothing to show for it. Others, who were fortunate enough to acquire a deed, are still living in turmoil due to the actions of the developers of Carbon Acquisitions Group – Dwayne Carbon, Dwight Carbon, Felix Carbon, and Don Barran. These individuals took people’s hard-earned money under the promise of building condos and townhouses, which were paid for in full or in part by many residents. To this day, those developments were never completed, and in some shocking cases, the same units were sold two and even three times to different buyers.

What makes this situation even more distressing is that some residents are still paying mortgages to the bank for properties that have no structure on the land – nothing but empty lots or incomplete buildings. This financial burden, paired with the emotional stress of being misled and left in limbo, is unacceptable and deeply unfair.

We believe that addressing these issues will significantly improve the quality of life for residents and contribute to the overall development of the Cole Bay area. We humbly request that the government consider allocating resources or collaborating with the relevant ministries and agencies to initiate immediate improvements in these areas – and to also investigate and bring accountability where necessary in relation to the development scandal that continues to affect so many.

We trust in your commitment to the well-being of all communities on our beautiful island and hope that this petition will lead to prompt and meaningful action.

Thank you for your time, consideration, and dedication to serving the people of St. Maarten.

Sincerely,

A concerned citizen

On behalf of the Residents of Carbon Grove (Broadleaf Tree Drive)

Cole Bay, St. Maarten

Name withheld at author’s request.