Dear Editor,

  These days I am frequently hearing content creators discuss what’s to be expected in our near future, and many people are sharing feelings of anxiety and foreboding. They talk about preparing for many eventualities like food shortages, economic crash, electro-magnetic pulses/solar flash, increasing censorship, and excessive government control and domination. All those who are making decisions that infringe upon natural and universal law and moral codes need to realize that they themselves will in the end be on the receiving end of all the frustration torment they have put citizens of the nations through.

  I have never seen so many people throughout the world share such extreme stress and confusion that they are living through. Our men, who are supposed to, or expected to be the support and strength for their families, are caving in or collapsing under the extra burdens that are being placed upon them. Their female companions, though also heavily stressed, are holding up better than them.

  All these happenings can really pull on one’s heartstrings. Those who continue to intentionally do this sort of injury and destruction to human evolution are ignoring and discarding the universal laws and moral codes knowing that their actions are being observed and recorded by the spiritual hierarchy for their final judgement. These ones are ignoring the fact that there are laws and moral codes higher, above any laws or mandates they implement in this realm.

  Free will is one of the greatest universal laws that must be respected. Any and everyone has the right to reject anything that goes against their conscience. Consenting to anything that does not sits well with your inner being is disastrous to your karmic destiny. Stating that “The devil made me do it” never releases anyone from responsibility or accountability.

  Now for the very positive potential future outcomes. These six paragraphs are taken from Spiritman:

  Joseph Tittel’s 2022 world predictions notes. 2022 will be a year where amazing new connections, friendships and mentors can appear to help us achieve our fullest potential and our lives soul purpose. It will be a year of innovation, amazing new ancient discoveries and truth of ancient wisdom, world changing inventions, especially new safety type of inventions keeping people, animals and Mother Earth much safer.

  2022 is a year of over-analyzing that which no longer serves us and that which we refuse to put up with any longer or simply will no longer tolerate. This is followed by an over-analyzing of what we do want, what we deserve and what we need to do to take action and make powerful changes.

  It could likely be a year with new wars, but for humanity as a whole it is the next big leap into the great awakening. The true wars will be the people finally rising up to take back our power, freedoms and soul birthrights. It is an exciting time to be alive when you plug into the beauty our lives have to offer.

  This is a great time to reflect back on the blessings that came with 2021, the challenges you conquered and the growth you experienced in return. A powerful time to hold visions for 2022 and your future. where is it you want to be? Know you are already there in the future. Celebrate it now, feel the emotion and how it feels to already be there in the future.

  “Overwhelm yourself with excitement in anticipation of the amazing future that lies ahead!” (Quote from Ester Hicks)

Only the messenger

Anyone visiting Caracas would immediately notice the abundance of both fresh and colourful fruits and vegetables all over the city. Vendors in about every other corner of Caracas lay their farm products on handmade stalls where they display several kinds of mangoes, as well as huge avocados, tangerines, tomatoes and Venezuelan papayas, which are called “lechosa” here, a lot juicier than papayas from other countries. No doubt this is the result of a huge expansion and increase in food production in Venezuela.

  Nonetheless, the sale of fruits and vegetables across Caracas pales in comparison to the ultimate exhibition and trade of homegrown food at Parque Los Caobos, near the centre of the capital city. I am referring to the iconic,

7-year-old “Feria Conuquera” that brings together once a month a community of hard-working, imaginative, urban agricultural entrepreneurs who do not just sell their products for an incredibly affordable price. They also share their wisdom, while easily engaging consumers in conversations that range from tips on how to grow certain types of food to networking and advertisement.

  In addition to the regular sale of nicely-grown agricultural products, you would see at the “Feria Conuquera” elaborated – added value – items such as hot sauces, several types of honey, breads, sweets, coffee and chocolate, among other delectable items. Indeed, it is local and community production – embedded in both urban and rural agriculture – that has staved off the aggressive economic warfare and blockade against Venezuela for the past six years or so.

  I consider myself lucky, for I spent most of my time at the “Feria Conuquera” with a particularly good friend of mine, and such a brilliant mind, Giselle Perdomo, whose beautiful 4-year-old daughter, Yara, is my goddaughter. While at Giselle’s stall, I ate coffee bread and a sandwich and drank sugar cane juice (guarapo), all prepared by her with such enthusiasm and earnestness. Giselle is one of the founding mothers of “Feria Conuquera.”

“Feria Conuquera” literally means “Small Farmers’ Fair.” However, the meaning of a Venezuelan “conuco” goes beyond a smallholding plot. The “conuco” is the place where the First Indigenous Nations in Venezuela practiced different forms of planting and harvest.

  Therefore, spirituality and ancestry play an especially important role in the economic production of Venezuelan “conucos.” This is so not only because of the history of resistance by the Indigenous people in terms of preserving their ancestral deeds to their lands, but also because – contrary to the evolution of large estates – conuco harvesting implies a healthier and organic form of food consumption. Also, true to the original spirit of “conuco” farming, just about all vendors from “Feria Conuquera” would gather at the end of their journey and barter their products, just like the original Indigenous people – and Venezuelans from the countryside – would do to maximize their work and avoid fiat transactions that tend to exclude small farmers in the first place.

  When I told my friend José Roberto Duque – both a prominent and prolific Venezuelan writer and researcher – that I was going to “Feria Conuquera,” he immediately advised me to get in touch with Carolina Castro and her partner Freddy Muñoz, small farmers from La Guaira, who would be there. After a handshake and a small introduction, Carolina kindly gifted me with some beautiful green plantains and a bunch of radishes. “You must come to our ‘conuco’ in La Guaira. It will be quite an experience,” said Carolina.

  Such openness, healthiness, solidarity, camaraderie and humanity, while purchasing food, cannot be found in your regular supermarket.

Álvaro Sánchez Cordero

Venezuelan Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago

Dear Chairman and Members of the Committees I&W and KR,

  Much has been written about intra-island connectivity but very little is actually happening. The impression exists that the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has no interest in or responsibility for the Dutch Caribbean.

  For a lot of money passengers can travel from St. Eustatius to elsewhere. In practice this “elsewhere” is limited to St. Maarten, from where people can travel on to various other destinations, including the Netherlands and the United States, but also St. Kitts and Nevis and other islands in this area.

  Winair is the airline that in principle gives shape to this connectivity (to and from St. Eustatius). Three comments on this:

  Winair knows itself to be a monopolist and behaves like one: outrageous fares (for a relatively poor population) in return for a very unreliable service.

  Where a few years ago the trip to St. Maarten v.v. could be made several times a (every) day, it is now a lottery with many staples and changes (which moreover are often only announced at the last minute).

  Recently there is the much-talked-about ferry of which the good observer can see that in practice the crew of the boat is a significant part of the number of people on board. In other words, there are almost no (paying) passengers. However, this letter is mainly concerned with connectivity by air.

  And so it can happen that already for the second time a delegate from Fontys college has to cancel his trip to St. Eustatius because he has no chance of being transferred from St. Maarten to St. Eustatius.

  But then again, who cares. After all, it’s only St. Eustatius. There are prospective students on the island who would have liked to have had contact with this Fontys representative but – thanks to Winair, the monopolist maintained by the Dutch government – that visit is now cancelled for a second time.

  In the European Netherlands there is always the possibility of a real-life orientation to the new school when preparing for a follow-up study. On St. Eustatius one has to rely on the Internet and information. The latter is now again denied to our students-to-be.

  The task neglect law of February 2018 aimed for better governance with an eye for the needs of the residents. The notion that at some point it doesn’t matter if you get bitten by the dog or the cat makes residents, who on average may not be highly educated but have certainly developed a razor-sharp sense of whether leaders are really there for them or are more focused on themselves (and their own wallets).

  For example, I don’t know exactly how things work but I understand that a can of “influencers” have been opened up to talk favorably on the various social media about the investment being made by Mr. Barnhoorn on the island. I can’t imagine that this group of “influencers” will be hindered in any way. Problems with transportation to and from St. Eustatius? With a lot of money and a focused island government, these inconveniences will surely be prevented.

  There is a chance that you – the reader of this letter – think that I am setting a somewhat sour, frustrated tone. However, I can assure you that my feelings are not frustrated, and that they don’t really matter. Furthermore, I am of course also one of those Dutch people who are not directly affected by this connectivity issue.

  What matters to me is the prevailing feeling that the Dutch and local government is actually not making any effort to stand up for the Statian people. Winair’s interests rank one, two and three; the interests of the Statian people rank 9, 12, 23 or much lower.

  The only thing I am aiming for with this letter is for you to understand how The Hague policy is being implemented on our island and to what undesirable result this leads. I say undesirable because in my view good governance should lead to broad, social gains for the residents in particular. But maybe I am just witnessing a very refined policy whereby the small group of elite is enormously benefited in line with the policy set out by The Hague. Well, who knows? …

  May I once again wish you much wisdom with your supervision of government policy?

J.H.T. (Jan) Meijer

St. Eustatius

Dear Editor,

  I reiterate my position that the rights of the people of country St. Maarten are not being upheld, promoted, nor defended by the current NA/UP coalition.

  Good corporate governance practices are conveniently ignored depending on who is involved, while the fundamental rights of the people rooted in the constitution of country St. Maarten are placed on the back burner in place of frivolous ideas that do not address the realistic challenges our people are facing.

  The recent turn of events at PJIA is a prime example of selective enforcement of good corporate governance practices and selective enforcement of rules and regulations. The 500-page dossier submitted by the COO [chief operating officer – Ed.] has yet to be addressed by either Government or Parliament. The law and rules of engagement should never be subjective, it is of the utmost importance for the sake of transparency that their implementation remain objective.

  According to Article 44 of the St. Maarten Constitution, Parliament represents the entire population of country St. Maarten which means they have a legal and moral obligation to seek the wellbeing of the country as much as possible not on a temporary basis but long term.

  The 12.5 per cent cut in so-called benefit is causing more harm than good and it has not been proven to have any other effect on the people of country St. Maarten other than increased hardship. This is contrary to Article 44 of our constitution and needs to be reversed on that basis.

  The promotion of Bitcoin without any legislation being put in place is counter-productive and in direct opposition to Article 44 of the constitution because without legislation government’s coffers are bypassed and by extension Articles 18 and 19 of the constitution of country St. Maarten.

  Article 18 - 1. The government’s constant concern is directed at the protection of children and young people and the promotion of their right to education, welfare, cultural development and leisure activities. 2. The government’s constant concern is directed at the protection of elderly and persons with a disability and at the promotion of their health and welfare. How is this to be achieved without the collection of taxes?

  Article 19 - 1. It shall be the government’s constant concern to secure the means of subsistence of the population and to achieve the distribution of wealth. 2. Rules concerning entitlements to social security benefits shall be laid down by or pursuant to national ordinance. 3. Dutch nationals residing in St. Maarten who are unable to provide for themselves shall have a right, to be laid down by national ordinance, to aid from the government. How can this be achieved if selected groups are encouraged by parliament to participate in unregulated monetary activities?

  Responsible governing should entail that decisions taken contribute positively to government ability to promote the fundamental rights of the people based on the constitution. Decisions made contrary to these principles will stifle our growth potential today and for generations to come.

Pamela Gordon Carty

Leader of the United St. Maarten Party