Dear Editor,
Where is the will to do the right thing? During several discussions that I have had, I have frequently heard that “politicians do what politicians do.” I can agree with that, but donkeys also do what donkeys do. Donkeys kick, without warning, but also, donkeys do not make promises.
All I’m reading and hearing these days is criticism and reasoning but no effort for solutions. There are those of us who say that the different television networks let us hear and see what they want us to hear and see. Whether we know both sides of the story or not, I do not believe that all the networks could doctor all of Trump’s campaign speeches to sound the same. And I also believe that any reasonable person could know that Trump is speaking from all corners of his mouth.
Polio for decades now with limited research ability is successfully combated, while the whole world is upside down with COVID-19 and its variants in this day and age with unlimited research ability. In the words of my father: “Why is there enough time to do it twice over and not enough time to do it once right?” “The same energy that is used to do wrong, could be used to do right.”
Once you do the right thing there are no more worries. I believe the same thing should apply to what is happening in the world today in Ukraine. Do these leaders have a family, do they have children? Do they pause to think what goes around comes around?
I read several things in the paper of March 1 which pricked my curiosity.
In your editorial “Staying there” you mentioned that 18 additional recruits will not solve the entire problem and you also explained about the continued cooperation with the Netherlands JVO. I would have appreciated it if you had reminded us about the way in which the Netherlands called back all their police people last year.
As long as I can remember, the Dutch always negotiate with both hands out. I was taught by the Dutch in school and the following is very true. At a certain moment I was confused, because we were taught one thing in school and the contrary in Sunday school. At school it was impressed upon us “voor wat hoort wat” and in Sunday school we were taught “It is better to give than to receive.” I became a police officer, working with Dutch colleagues and there again “voor wat hoort wat” prevailed. Another thing my father would say the Englishman used to tell them. “Nothing for nothing, and very little for your money.” As I grew older I recognised the lesson in that.
The MP Wescot-Williams has been involved in every one of our governments since 10-10-’10. Her dedication to the wellbeing of the people of St. Maarten should move her to fill in those cracks in order to fortify the wall and not stand by watching it crumble, but you know why.
What astonishes me is that throughout the whole Bible mention is made of “doing good and not looking for anything in return” because “doing good” always has its reward, but we still delight in the negative. I am yet to know a politician, especially in government who does not relish that “Gotcha” moment.
When do the people really count?
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
Biden's bumbling failure of a presidency has brought on widespread suffering in the face of complete ineptitude. So, one has to ask: Are we finally ready to have Trump back?
More than half of CPAC attendees voted Trump for the GOP nomination in a straw poll, a sure sign that America is sinking fast without the strong and steady hand of our former fearless leader. Sure, he is a different kind of mix. He prioritizes beauty, demands perfection, and thrives on confrontation. However, there is no denying that the man is a loose cannon – albeit an entertaining one – when given a microphone or cell phone.
Trump led with a type of fearless honesty that had never come from the White House before, and he was not afraid to sidestep diplomacy if it meant protecting the country he loves. I only wish I could say the same about Biden. Biden's bungled presidency, commingled with Harris' gaping absence, all have had severe consequences for our economy and even the humanity of our nation.
In response to an anti-police climate, fomented in large part by the Democrat Party, organizations like First Responder Academy provide virtual education to high school students interested in one day joining law enforcement, EMS, or a fire department to help shape tomorrow's law enforcement community by starting with today's next generation. Unfortunately, there could soon be an unprecedented drought in applicants to become police officers without feeder systems like this.
After all, you cannot count on the media with largely biased reporting and too many liberal-run organizations. Biden's actions indeed defy logic, and yet Trump took a far heavier beating in the press. Worse, when it comes time for a presidential address, Biden's bumbling speech makes it supremely difficult to take our elected leader seriously when he does not appear to understand the message himself. Both Trump and Biden were PR nightmares, but at least with Trump, we received the truth – even if it was raw and unfiltered.
Forbes reports that Biden's popularity plummeted after the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, but that is far from all the damage he has inflicted on a post-Trump America. Coronavirus still rages on, there are mounting tensions with Russia and China, and gas is skyrocketing as we sit on the brink of Ukraine escalating into a potential world war.
It begs the questions – How did we get here? How could Biden screw things up so severely in such short order?
Of course, it all depends on who you ask. While U.S. News calls Trump "a falling star," The Hill says that "more voters would pick Trump" today. In fact, a Politico poll found that more Americans want Trump as a 2024 presidential candidate than Biden. Biden's age also remains a concern, with even Biden aware of his own mortality as he says, "If I'm in the health I'm in now, if I'm in good health, then, in fact, I would run again."
Should Biden bypass re-election, it likely means we are stuck with Harris as his back-up, and that thought is perhaps even more terrifying. Harris, tasked with securing the border, has primarily been a ghost, appearing masked during press conferences, but rarely doing the people's work that she so vehemently promised during campaigning.
One thing is for sure – very few expected Biden to fail this spectacularly. He is only laying down the yellow brick road for a former nemesis who is chomping at the bit to get back into the oval office to get America on the right path again.
Lena Muhtadi Borrelli
Dear Editor,
NATO, the European Union, the United Nations and the Security Council should declare by Tuesday, March 1, Ukraine now a full member of NATO if they have not done so, and intervene to end the war between Russia and Ukraine by midnight, March 2. The majority of nations are not in favour of this war.
Very, very soon there is even an opportunity for a new democratic government for the Russian people.
Putin is hurting both the Ukraine and Russian people future generations. He should stop now.
Cuthbert Bannis
Dear Editor,
Democracy is a birthright! It’s a human right! There should be no condition attached to this and the people of St. Eustatius should not be negotiating the return of democracy.
It was wrong for the Dutch government and parliament to impose this type of draconian measures based on erroneous and baseless accusations that were leveled against our government. The Wiseman Report, which was an articulation by political detractors of the Progressive Labor Party that governed the island Between 2015 and 2018, was used as an excuse by the Dutch to remove the lawfully elected government from office by means of a coup d’état.
Four years later, after the serious and baseless accusations that were leveled against my administration, the Dutch government has failed up to now even after various investigations to bring forth any credible evidence to substantiate their decision that led to the takeover of the government on February 7, 2018. I was disappointed that with the coming of State Secretary Alexandra van Hufflen, we would have been able to turn a new page and improve upon the relations between The Hague and St. Eustatius. By refusing to restore democracy it was an outright rejection and disrespect of the will of the people as expressed in the elections of October 2020.
It is clear that the people of St. Eustatius are being punished because of the dislike by The Hague of an individual or a political party. I refer to statements made by the state secretary and other senior officials which suggest that they wanted to be cautious in avoiding a repeat of the past. What was the problem in the past? The only thing I can think of is that during the governing period we worked towards making Statia more sustainable and less dependent on handouts from the Netherlands.
I am convinced that the sole reason for the takeover of my administration by the Dutch was based on their decision to opt for a full measure of self-governance in keeping with the agreement signed by the Dutch in 1952 with the United Nations.
The Hague should not determine which political party or individuals can be elected on the island and who become commissioners, this is totally up to the people in a free and fair election.
When we look at the ongoing invasion by the Russian government in Ukraine the NATO alliance which the Dutch forms apart of is publicly condemning this assault and dubs it a violation of the democratic rights of the Ukrainian people. I wish to ask, what is the difference between that situation and the coup d’état that was carried out by the Dutch government where a lawfully elected government of St. Eustatius was removed?
I find the Dutch very hypocritical and inconsistent in their actions.
After 4 years of Dutch occupation and with 3 appointed commissioners and their expert teams running the affairs of island, they have failed miserably at every level to live up to their promises made since they took over the government. Even in conversation with the common man on the street they would tell you that the situation of the island and government is the worst that it has ever been.
Our people are dying for proper medical care, poverty is continuously rising, inflation and the cost of living is at an all-time high and we are being taxed heavily despite the worsening economic situation on the island.
I call on the Dutch government, the upper and lower houses of parliament, to honor and respect the democratic principles and the human rights of our people and restore democracy forthwith to free and fair people here on St. Eustatius.
Councilman Clyde van Putten
Dear Editor,
In my letter to you “Stop it”, I ended it by suggesting that Anna and Grisha should come together for the good of the country.
I was not addressing the President of Parliament and the Minister of Justice, I was offering fatherly advice to them. Even though I am very aware of my sense of decorum, I took them out of the government for that moment and brought them back together on the Friendly Island. I am writing this in response to the way in which the letter to you, “Hypocrisy in Immigration”, was written concerning the handling of blacks as opposed to whites.
Let me first say this: We can blame all kinds of things on our parents and our environment when we were growing up. But when we become adults and know better then we should accept to be responsible for our deeds. Let me also state this: On my mother’s side my grandfather was white and on my father’s my great-grandfather was a white. I know it’s maternal and paternal but in this case leh we stay here.
The name was withheld on request of the author so judging from the contents of the letter I will assume that this is a cowardly white person who is trying to stigmatise St. Maarten. “That coward” wrote, “Let’s make that clear Madame Justice Minister Anna, Hypocrisy, Racist. That’s what you are.” To that I say “It takes one to know one.” And if Minister Richardson is a racist by carrying out the law, then history would show that those laws were originally written and ratified by white people.
Those are very strong words from someone who, because of the claim one would think that that person would affirm it with a name. Instead that coward chose to throw stones and hide his/her hand. I believe that it takes one to know one.
Not me, it is worldwide known that Trump used social media to perpetrate lies. So, don’t even go there.
I would like to caution “that coward” that this is not North America and that our laws are not the same as in America. Immigration of this country is not in the hands of America and everyone who intends to come here either on vacation or for work is handled according to the provisions and conditions in the laws of Admission and Expulsion. Regardless of the color of your eyes, hair or skin or whatever “that coward” wants to apply color to.
By the way I believe that the history of black and white relationships in St. Maarten is very clear. I also know that all over the world it has been proven that white people are the racists, so that should not even be the point anymore. What should be the point is that the one with the better qualification (and that does not always pertain to higher education) should be given preference.
St. Maarten is still known to be The Friendly Island. Again not me, our guests constantly let us hear that, but this can run the risk of changing if we permit people like “that coward” to openly and clearly accuse our Minister of Justice who is merely enforcing and carrying out the laws which were, like I mentioned before, spearheaded and written by white people.
“That coward” singled out America and also accentuated that education is obviously lacking by individuals who consistently blame the white man for all the problems. (Could “that coward” mean like lynching a black man for jogging on the public road in America?)
.About the education, Does anybody know the statistics of who is the best one-on-one with equal education and age between the white man and the black man? That would be a little difficult to find out, but what about who officially invented the majority of everything that made life easier for everybody all over the world. That can be Googled, “coward”.
My intention is not to write a book, but I must write this. “That coward” is clearly making a distinction between how blacks and whites are treated here, so I do not think that it would be mischievous of me to write the following of a white traveller to St. Maarten.
I am sitting in my office at the airport on a Saturday afternoon observing the handling of the visitors by the Immigration officers. I had just finished trying to get something that was irritating my eye out, when one of the officers entered the office with a napkin in her hand. She obviously noticed my watery eyes. So, one can imagine the comical scenario. She with a napkin in her hand, seeing me with water in my eyes and asking me why I am crying. When I told her that I was not crying but that I will accept the napkin, she said to me, “Read it,” as she handed it to me.
Written on that napkin, which was from a restaurant at the airport in Puerto Rico, was the name, address and the rest of the personal information of that passenger signed by a notary who we were told was at the airport in San Juan. On speaking to that passenger, I gathered that that passenger had discovered at the airport in San Juan that drivers’ license and credit card were missing.
For the information of “that coward” I must add that in those days US citizens were permitted to travel to St. Maarten with a valid US ID and were not obliged to show any kind of money at the Immigration, as opposed to the people of the Caribbean who were obliged to have a passport and also were obliged to show that they were in possession of at least 600 US dollars on entering St. Maarten. I took the decision and sent back that passenger on the next AA flight to San Juan and Monday morning I was called to the boss’s office and told that I would be transferred from the Immigration at the airport to the Immigration in town.
That was only one episode. I can write a lot more, but unlike some people that I know, I believe in keeping the dirty wash inside.
“That coward” should not believe that because the name was withheld, everything is cool. I am a strong believer in Luke 12:2-3. That is why I always add my name to my letter and I always write the truth, because I cannot erase what is black on white. “That coward” should go and tell the Minister of Justice that she is a racist to her face so that “that coward” could experience what it is not to be a coward.
Don’t bring that to St. Maarten. Do not openly call anyone in St. Maarten a racist. That is not who we are.
Russell A. Simmons
