Dear Editor,
In 2006, I was the interim President of the St. Maarten Journalists Association SJA. Our goal was to establish a proper foundation for journalists based on professionalism and mutual respect. We had discussions with the Prosecutors’ Office and Police Chief Holiday at the time to get credentials for journalists, allow access to information, and regard for honourable members of this noble profession. Prosecutor Johan de Vrieze recommended that we adopt the American Media Policy and make it our own, which they would support.
Around 2006, the Central Government of the former Netherlands Antilles attempted to marginalize the media and create a foundation led by individuals handpicked by the government to screen media publications, decide what could and could not be published, and offer censorship and sanctions to journalists and media houses. We resisted then, as we should now. Recently the government of St. Maarten has come under fire for its media mishandling. Both then and now the government failed to recognize the core principles of the media profession.
As a journalist, our role is to be the watchdog for society, and we are the "third level of Government." Whether you like the media coverage of a particular subject or not, the truth is that true democracy can only remain alive or be attainable where there is a genuinely free press.
Omayra Leeflang learnt then, and our Government must know now, that the media’s power is absolute and lies in its ability to disseminate unbiased and unbridled facts. We may not always like what the press writes, and we can at times legitimately claim foul if the media gets it wrong. As media professionals, we must ensure that we do not peddle unsubstantiated information or biasedly publish defaming claims about another person or organization. However, there are avenues through which one can seek justice or a retraction if we stray from factual reporting. I have tried to remain behind the scenes, because putting yourself in the forefront can often lead to people attempting to make you the subject of discussion or themselves the victims. It often distracts from the truth or issue at hand.
Nevertheless, journalism has been my mainstay for much of my life, opening many doors for me which would otherwise have remained shut. I also rely on the media for valuable information, and its importance was noticeable during the COVID-19 global pandemic. We learnt what the world was experiencing through this group of individuals, even during the lockdown.
Those who are presently seeking to muzzle the media today depended entirely on journalists during the pandemic to disseminate information. After the pandemic and all the theories about accurate information and fake news, I doubled down on the need to have a trustworthy, uncensored and free yet responsible press. Our already troubled world cannot sustain the further manipulation of truth for our people to digest what is left of it. While I was hoping to applaud the government for recognizing the need to give due respect and access to the media, I am afraid I simply cannot.
I consider it another missed opportunity to recognize media institutions in St. Maarten. The government’s approach seems to come from a very dark place. We cannot allow governments anywhere to dictate what media coverage is allowed or who should be journalists. At the same time, journalists must carry themselves professionally to avoid causing harm to the institution.
This government has cut through the disguise, penned their dictatorship intent in a proposed policy, and failed to consult the media professionals themselves. I regret this callous decision and urge the government to retract what the rest of the world has judged undemocratic and irrational. The men and women of the press are correct not to accept these power plays and should continue speaking out against any abuse of journalists and, in general, wherever it raises its ugly head.
Our media must restore their sense of responsibility as the watchdog for society and continue to report this very same anti-individualism and anti-freedom tactic by the government. You have become complacent and replaced investigative journalism with a casual acceptance of press statements, published only so the sale of advertising can continue uninterrupted.
Unedited and unsubstantiated information distribution through social media platforms now gets a society’s trust. The misguided attempt to control the media is hopefully the wake-up call that journalists and media houses need to recommit to being the third level of government.
The government must not be allowed to rely on the media to give credibility to its information when it suits its agenda and cast them aside when it does not. Every politician flocks media houses during elections to promote their propaganda. Yet few come to the defence of these men and women.
Are we to allow the government to use policy to remove freedom?
I applaud the members of parliament who have come out in clear opposition to this shameful move by the government, and I encourage others to speak out. Let the media unite against those who seek to stifle our long-loved freedoms.
Alfred Harley
Dear Editor,
On May 5th, on page eight I read in an article that about a month ago it was discovered that some 2022 motor vehicle tax (road tax) receipts had been doctored. This was disturbing to me, because this was since a month ago and I assume that the people would not have heard about this if the question was not asked during the press briefing of Wednesday, May 4th.
“Yes, there were a couple cases where a couple doctored receipts were quickly and swiftly identified and handled by the department and one person was detained,” [Minister of Finance – Ed.] Irion told reporters.
I had heard about this incident and because I had already commented on not being in favor of changing the current road tax system, I was waiting to hear when this incident would be made public. And according to the paper it was only after questioning that the reporters got the information.
The minister is using this negative incident and is trying to justify his reasoning for “going more digital”. And my response to that would be, “Should not the Minister take GEBE as an example instead of trying to drive through his will?” And my inquisitive mind is asking, “Why is he doing this?”
I really hope that he is not making use of this negative incident to try to prove that the digital system is the way to go. That would be a shame.
It is not me. By now we should know that cybercrime is not a novelty. Introducing a sticker system would be an invitation to falsify the sticker, which would make it much easier for those with false stickers to fall through the crack. This is St. Maarten and what works in other places does readily work here, We have known this for a very long time and motor vehicle tax payment has always been one of the areas where the police have had to pay extra attention for noncompliance.
I can guarantee anyone that the stickers system will cause more confusion. I hope I will not have to use those dreadful words “I told you so” when the time comes. We just had Carnival and I can still hear King Bobo singing “Who Next”.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
Permit me to send this letter viral because Lino was a St. Martin/St. Maarten patriot and a gifted musician par excellence.
Comrades, during his lifetime Raymond "Lino" Hughes produced quite a lot of memorable music to showcase our lovely island. And I would like to add, to his credit, that I believe he was an integral member of "Creole Stars" band. And his big band "Lino and the Hardway", everybody remembers that band. The band could play, plus it had an amazing brass section. It was with that particular band that he produced his signature tune "St. Martin is my home", which prominently displays the abiding love that he had for his country.
I think it was during the year 2015 when I sent my letter to the Editor with the caption "The Sunshine-City, Guava-Berry Sound". Comrades, I gave out copies of that letter to all the St. Martin/St. Maarten outstanding musicians and artists that I thought of. But I could not in good conscience leave out Lino.
As fate would have it, I had the good habit (at that time) of hanging out on the Marigot waterfront with the taxi drivers and vendors almost every Saturday. And one day Lino (for lack of a better word) came on the scene. But I did not have any letters with me. Nevertheless, I approached him cordially and I told him my story. And I let him know that I would really like for him to have one of my letters. And that I looked forward to meeting him on the waterfront the following week-end. Unfortunately, he did not come the following weekend. No big thing, I understood his situation.
I cannot recall when it was, but one day he came on the scene. I greeted him nicely, we shook hands and I handed the letter that I had for him. He told me that he would not be staying; we shook hands and he left. A couple of Saturdays later he came on the scene, and he came directly to me. We shook hands, as usual, and he thanked me. He told me with a big smile on his face that he liked the letter. Your comrade was overjoyed to know that I made Lino feel happy. And he never forgot me. Whenever he would come on the waterfront and I was present he would acknowledge me. And we would sit and have a chat. I feel ecstatic to know that I gave him his flowers before the good Lord took him in the sweet bye-bye.
In closing, I would like to wish his family well. Keep the faith!
Julien F. Petty
Dear Editor,
With the current IPKO meetings scheduled for this week being of such importance, we would like the Dutch IPKO delegation to answer the following questions:
Is the Dutch IPKO delegation aware that the International Court of Justice in its Advisory Opinion of 2019, stated that "A people under authority cannot exercise genuine free will"?
Is the Dutch IPKO delegation aware that the Dutch State declared before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2018 that "the right of self-determination of peoples is not exhausted by a one-off exercise, but is a permanent, continuing, universal and inalienable right with a peremptory (‘dwingend recht’) character"?
Is the Dutch IPKO delegation aware that the right to self-determination is a peremptory norm (“dwingend recht”) from which there can be no derogation?
Is the Dutch IPKO delegation aware that the Dutch State declared before the ICJ in 2018 that "it must also be concluded that the decisions on the political status and the economic, social and cultural development are made by the people itself, or its legitimate representatives, not by others. Moreover, such decisions shall be made in full freedom, without any outside pressure or interference"?
Can the Dutch IPKO delegation confirm that because the right to self-determination is also a "jus cogens" or peremptory norm (“dwingend recht”), that it prevails over the Rijkswet COHO – there is no lawful way to circumvent or derogate from a peremptory norm?
Can the Dutch IPKO delegation confirm that the right to self-determination also prevails over the Kingdom Charter or "Het Statuut"?
On April 28, 2022, we sent a letter with similar questions to State Secretary Alexandra van Huffelen with an expected reply within three weeks of said date.
Pro Soualiga
Dear Editor,
In 2021, our world suffered the deaths of 55 journalists. These men and women were murdered while they carried out their profoundly important profession, seeking the truth wherever it may be found, and at a cost to their families and their lives. During the last week of February 2022 two journalists were murdered in Mexico, with several of their compatriots murdered in 2022. The seeking of the truth has been a dangerous thing to do historically, and the enemies of truth, honesty and justice seem to be prevailing in their efforts to distort and manipulate or hide the reality of our world. At least 14 journalists have died since the Russian-Ukrainian war began.
We all know that healthy, professional news media are essential for the proper functioning of civil society and democracy at the local, regional, federal and international levels. In fact, UNESCO has declared World Press Freedom Day as an annual observance each May 3rd. The media usually are challenged by many factors, one of which is that they are businesses that need to make a profit.
Communities across Canada have lost more than 250 established news outlets due to closings or mergers between 2008 and 2022. The pressures of survival within this medium continue to grow, eliminating many historically important local newspapers, or replacing them as satellite division of greater corporations that dictate their message.
Many nations’ media outlets are state-controlled and operated as propaganda tools, issuing state-approved information to their populations. The truth or reality of these nations are often manipulated or hidden. The needs of the state often supersede those of their population.
Many nations recognize the need to protect our free media. Canada’s federal government acknowledged in its 2019 budget that “A strong and independent news media is crucial to a well-functioning democracy,” and many governments both local and state attempt to protect these precious institutions. In Canada, at least 29 municipalities – home to roughly 13 million people in nine provinces across Canada – have passed motions voicing support for journalism in aid of democracy.
In 2022 Reporters Without Borders RSF reported 65 Journalists were killed, 50 professional journalists, 7 citizen reporters and eight media workers doing their jobs, hunted down by corrupt politicians, the drug cartels, military death squads and criminals. 1035 professional journalists have been killed in the past 15 years.
The journalism of ideas, presenting what has been investigated, vented and thought out, and then presented logically, creatively to the world … precious. Journalism is not what Rebecca West claimed to be, “that journalism is the ability to meet the challenge of filling space,” but rather “when students/citizens learn to make sense of their world, they become the people who will transform it.” (John Spencer)
Journalists can be agents of social and political change, social mavericks or the very roots of democracy.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
