Dear Editor,
“The only thing worse than a lie is a lie that compounds it.” Regrettably, the population is being forced to tolerate this political propaganda that is paraded by UP and NA. Case in point: Ever since the 2020 elections and the formation of this coalition, the balance of power has always been odd. Even though NA was awarded 5 ministries, almost every decision and discussion are directed and controlled by the UP party.
Conveniently enough, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs continues to brag about the rock-solid working relationship that exists between both parties. But is this statement factual, or is it wishful thinking that is stemmed from suppressed embarrassment – the coping mechanism that NA uses to hold on to power, just to avoid public defeat?
Right now, the leading sentiment is that this is the worst government since 10-10-10. So, is NA the victim of their own actions, or have they been outfoxed again by UP – the same coalition partner that has opposed their principles and is now ripping them to the core? Likewise, how much longer will these spineless MPs remain trapped and allow The People’s House to go down the drain?
Unfortunately, with this glaring reality of a disabled party, NA is still trying to convince themselves and the population that they are in charge of the government and to some extent, the parliament. But over the course of time, as with everything good or bad, the truth always reveals itself.
Late last year, when MP Roland Brison’s voice note “leaked out” and the prime minister could not conceal the lie anymore, she finally admitted that this MP is the bridge that keeps the UP and NA together. Why a bridge, when the coalition is branded as “rock-solid?” And, how is this arrangement possible and acceptable, when by law, parliament is the supervising body of government?
This continuous cunning attempt by MP Rolando Brison (the bridge) to muzzle the opposition or any other MP who dares to point out the ills of government, is a clear indication that the coalition is unstable. Not only that, this situation has further revealed the gross incompetence of the government and parliament, and that they are operating on a level of serious dishonesty.
So, have parliamentarians abandoned their role that they swore to uphold, and has the government entangled itself in the same web, just to remain in a union that has defaced the integrity and democracy of this country? This scenario is like staying in an abusive relationship for the sake of the children, who themselves are living in constant turmoil.
Stability without integrity is not stability. It is corruption wrapped in deception and confusion. So, contrary to what Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs is poking down the people’s throat, this “cohesive” relationship does not hold water, and this fiction is bound to backfire, sooner than later.
Was it not in the early months of 2019, MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten declared on air that parliament is a circus and an embarrassment? Now that she is in charge of “the circus,” which has gotten 100 times worse under the leadership of the UP – the party that is devoid of any ethical principles – does she have the same impression of the current situation?
Furthermore, now that MP Rolando Brison has blatantly challenged the authority of government and parliament by persistently demonstrating the concepts of leverage, manipulation and intimidation, will Chairlady Grisha Heyliger-Martes continue to oversee “the circus,” or will she give back the presidency to MP Rolando Brison as he is demanding?
As this charade continues to unfold, has the Integrity Chamber closed its doors, or perhaps I have misunderstood the definition of integrity, and the real purpose of this institution? Similarly, is the Council of Ministers truly comfortable with the perception that this awkward situation is creating, both locally and internationally?
While everything may appear to be running on course, this peculiar arrangement, where the success of this government and parliament lies in the hands of one MP, surely exposes the awful incompetence of government and parliament. The only officials exempted from this total failure are MP Christopher Emmanuel, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, Minister Roger Lawrence and Minister Anna Richardson.
There is no doubt that the integrity of government and parliament has been seriously compromised. Now that the entire governmental apparatus has been camouflaged, which one of the MPs or ministers will have the guts to confront this unprincipled precedent, to bring back transparency and integrity to the leadership of this country?
Joslyn Morton
Dear Editor,
Numerous studies have pointed to our national challenge whereby our costs of public sector are too high and our cost of living is too high as well. If our population grows further then without a higher level of tax income our ability to avoid deficits decreases.
It is also pointed out that over the years St. Maarten has become addicted to this growth rather than enjoying an economy which can sustain itself without living standards having to decrease. It is clearly evident that there is strong political resistance to any temporary reduction in incomes, particularly in the influential public sector.
In order to break out of this addiction that was created by our original growth model we need less people who are more productive and earn higher wages which will product tax income at a higher level.
It is therefore a little surprising to hear the government being enthusiastic about a project whereby St. Maarten residents might work on low paying cruise ships whilst residing on St. Maarten. If there are persons who would appreciate this employment I would not begrudge them the opportunity, but as a contribution or solution to solve St. Maarten’s longer term economic problem it makes me wonder if our government has a plan for the future that has any chance of success.
Robbie Ferron
Dear Editor,
Would that we would all be as impactful in the time allotted to us.
Family members, friends, colleagues, well-wishers, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Bonjour.
With protocol being established, let me say that it is an honor for me to be asked to say a few words on behalf of the Government and people of St. Martin Southside to honor the life, a dash well-lived, the legacy of Lin Raymond “Lino” Hughes.
For me Lino was, and will always be, a man of music, a proud St. Martin man, a creative in every sense of the word, a fearless pioneer willing to innovate with rhythms and beats impacting the sounds we all know, love and take for granted today, such as zouk, cadance, soca and many other mélanges of mainstream music that have been Caribbeanized/Africanized.
In rereading the interview with Lino published in our St. Martin Day (11-11-11) booklet of 2011 with fresh eyes, I was once again amazed – amazed at the fortitude of one man, who found kindred creative spirits throughout the Caribbean to create and innovate music.
With his bands – the Creole Stars, Lino and the Hardway, Bottle Neck Band – Lino collaborated with musicians on both North and South, learning from stalwarts like the late Mr. John Larmonie and Mr. Bobby Vlaun. He also followed up by teaching, mentoring and passing on to the next generation. Lino’s life, his dash, made an impact.
Music is a unifier and Lino created, out of his pride and love for St. Martin, a wonderful piece of history in song which will live on forever – “St. Martin is my home”.
Lino lived his life out loud, unapologetically, a bright star whose light can never be dimmed.
He was honored in life and knew his value and contribution. His legacy will indeed live on forever.
His life is an inspiration to me and anyone who knew him, heard his music, heard him speak, or read his interviews or heard about his life.
His life is a clear example that one man can make a difference, one man can cause a ripple that keeps growing.
One man, with a dream, with determination, and faith in himself and God, can realize whatever he sets his mind to, regardless of age, race or station in life, regardless of size of your country.
In his words filled with pride, love and joy to be an island boy, he wrote and he sang:
St. Martin is my home and I’ll do ’bout anything to make it bloom – we must all work to make it shine and prosper. …
I’ll think of it, dream of it in the morning, night and noon – what we think of, focus on, and work at, we can realize.
St. Martin is sweet home and to it I’ll give my life to keep on shining, like the sunshine that comes up in the morning – as the sun comes up each day, we can without fail commit to always serve her every day.
One island – One people – One Destiny!
Let’s make his words a reality in everything we do.
Let’s come together – work together as one!
Long live the legacy of Lino Hughes – He was a bright one! May we all strive to shine as bright.
Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs
Dear Editor,
I felt the need to write down this article after experiencing a serious problem with Flow’s hybrid-phone plan. Flow’s hybrid data plan is advertised as a post-paid plan of sorts with prepaid advantages. Well, I found out the hard way that their post-paid feature is nothing but a hollow phrase. The monthly invoices that Flow sends to their Hybrid plan customers are due before the end of the month of use. So, for example your April bill would be due on the 30th of April. So, what’s easier than making an automatically monthly reoccurring bank transfer online from your bank account to Flow’s bank account so you don’t have to worry about remembering to make the monthly (fixed amount) payments?
That’s exactly what I did with an automatic transfer on the 25th of each month. From my RBC NAf. account to Flow’s RBC NAf. account which according to RBC’s customer service is transferred instantly, without delay, on the day that you have scheduled the online transfer.
By law the money has been transferred, you have paid your bill, but now Flow is claiming that they did not receive their money in time before the end of the month and has disconnected me twice now due to this obviously internal problem that they have.
Each time they claimed I owed them a NAf. 45 fine for late payment. When I went to the office and submitted copies of all RBC transfers and detailed overview of all invoices/payments over the last year, they let you wait and come back several times (…) and then finally reconnect you without explaining why this is happening.
A month later the same thing happened again even when I now transfer the payment on the 20th of the month. After going come back, going come back, no supervisor willing to come out and talk to you, many of you can probably relate to this “don’t want to deal with a problem” attitude, it is then when I decided to post this letter. I believe the public should know how Flow is treating their Hybrid customers before they choose to buy this plan. A treatment which I believe is illegal, simply because my instantaneous bank transfers are made well before due dates.
I forgot to mention that Flow disconnected my phone number while they are still in the possession of my initial security deposit of NAf. 54 which is even NAf. 9 more than the fine they illegally charge!
Thanks for taking the time to read my letter about my wonderful Flow hybrid experience.
Paul Ideler
Dear Editor,
With every breath we take, we are connected to the ocean. The ocean gives us oxygen, provides us with food and livelihoods. It stabilises our climate, absorbing most of the heat trapped in the Earth’s system. Billions of humans, animals and plants rely on a healthy ocean. But the ocean’s health is in trouble.
Rising carbon emissions are making the ocean more acidic, weakening its ability to sustain life underwater and on land. Plastic waste is choking the ocean. And if we continue on our current track, more than half of the world’s marine species may stand on the brink of extinction by 2100. Solutions exist to restore the health of the ocean, but they will require action from all parts of society, from world leaders down to every one of us.
There can be no healthy planet without a healthy ocean, and the ocean’s health is measurably in decline. Having said that, I wish to emphasize that 2022 can be the year we stop the decline.
To illustrate that assertion, 2022 is the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture, and both aquaculture and artisanal fisheries are central to our quest for sustainability. Very importantly, last year also saw the launch of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration to support and advance the realization of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. In addition, we have the decision of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow that ocean considerations must be built into UNFCCC’s ongoing work, giving cause for optimism that solid progress will be made on addressing such issues as ocean warming and acidification. These in turn will improve the ocean’s health and secure its unique capacity to sequester carbon.
But on top of these positive factors, and all the other positive ocean action meetings taking place this year, there are six international gatherings which taken together can really stop the decline. One of those meetings has already been held – the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA5) which in the first days of March in Nairobi consensually agreed to begin negotiations for a binding global treaty to end plastic pollution. We currently dump 11 million metric tons of plastic into the ocean each year and are projected to double that figure by 2030, tripling it by 2050. But we can stop that trend of outrageous pollution through the proposed treaty.
Secondly, the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference takes place in mid-June in Geneva where, after two decades of negotiation, the WTO has the ability to ban harmful fisheries subsidies. 20 to 30 billion dollars of public funds go to such subsidies every year, mainly for the enjoyment of industrial fishing fleets, in an exercise described by many as the most harmful thing we do to ocean ecosystems. Do the right thing in Geneva, and the ocean’s health will be given a new lease on life.
Thirdly, this year’s resumption of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity Beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) presents the opportunity to conclude a robust and operable treaty for governance of the high seas, thereby safeguarding one of the planet’s most critical global commons. If only Member States can reach consensus, we will get the BBNJ job done in 2022.
Fourthly, the Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP15 to be held later this year in Kunming, holds the promise of the adoption of a new target to protect 30 per cent of the planet by 2030. Such a decision at the COP this year would be a major game-changer for marine protected areas and thereby the ocean’s health.
Fifthly, we have the UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by the governments of Kenya and Portugal, in Lisbon, June 27 to July 1, where we will launch a great fleet of innovative, science-based solutions. These solutions will be carried forward in well-funded partnerships, representing effective implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 to conserve and sustainably use the ocean’s resources.
And lastly, at UNFCCC’s COP27, in Sharm-El-Sheik in November, we must all deliver on the ambition and political will for the climate adaptation and finance required to bend the curve in the direction of security, equity and sustainability.
If we are to halt the decline in the ocean’s health this year, we have to do the right thing at all six of these meetings, and while “we” primarily refers to Member States, it also refers to every one of us. We must not squander the unparalleled opportunities presented by 2022’s confluence of moments for decisive ocean action.
Let us all commit to redressing our relationship with Nature to one of respect and balance. Let us do this for our children and grandchildren, that they may live the good lives we wish for them.
Ambassador Peter Thomson
UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean
