As a citizen who is being victimized by the Minister of VROMI [Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure – Ed.], Mr. Egbert Jurendy Doran, I address this public plea to you with the sincere hope that you will stand up for us, the common men and women on this island, and ensure that an impartial investigation is launched into the wrongdoings of Minister Doran, his colleague minister(s) and his subordinates within the Ministry of VROMI in regard to all matters surrounding the so-called Vineyard Heights Project in the Over the Bank area, based on the following:
* Prior ministers issued official signed government documents indicating the intention of government to issue specified parcels of land to several citizens;
* These citizens made payments to the Cadastre upon indication of a former Minister of VROMI, Mr. Angel Meyers;
* The Cadastre issued certificates of admeasurement to these citizens, which were provided to the Minister/Ministry of VROMI;
* The then Director of the Cadastre, Miss Marcia Richardson, is actively involved in the current process as the new Head of the Domain Affairs Office and is fully aware of the payments that were made and certificates of admeasurement that were issued;
* These citizens were informed that the land would be issued when Government won the court case. This has not been done;
* Over the years contact was made with the ministry, ministers and civil servants, as well as complaints filed to the Ombudsman to get the matter finalized. It has not been finalized;
* Minister Doran stated in an interview on Lady Grace that our decrees expired and we therefore have no claim to the land. We find this to be a wrongful act towards us, as the delay is due to Government inaction. We could not get a deed passed at the notary without Government involvement;
* Minister Doran has decided to disregard our rights and chosen to reissue the land to 25 other people, one of which is his first cousin;
* Minister Doran secured renderings for his project in a questionable and possibly illegal manner, according to information released in the media and mentioned in the Parliament;
* According to documents released publicly, a public tender for the renderings was held and a bid was accepted for NAf. 3000, whereas all parties involved knew that this was not a “real bid”, given the real costs of such renderings;
* According to these documents the bid of NAf. 3000 was submitted to solidify the role of the company in the development project, which according to media reports was agreed upon with an official of the VROMI ministry;
* Minister Doran has chastised the Ombudsman for trying to investigate the matter to ensure our rights are protected;
* Although serious concerns have arisen, Minister Doran has not made any statements of halting the ongoing process until matters have been cleared up.
I am thankful that the Ombudsman is making serious efforts to investigate this matter. However, given the reaction of Minister Doran and the questionable actions in the ministry where it pertains to the bidding process, I am fearful that the land will continue to be granted to the 25 new individuals and we will be left with our hands empty.
From past investigations you have launched into the fires on the landfill and the management thereof, as well as the inquiry into the harbor, it is clear that you have far reaching authority to look into matters that are directly impacting the population. In this case I am convinced that there could possibly be criminal factors involved that warrant your urgent attention.
I beseech you as a citizen of this island to please intervene and ensure justice is served, as Ministers and civil servants are there to work for us, the people, and not to abuse their power and work against us.
M. Blijden
Dear Editor,
My heart broke when I heard that more than 50 dogs were poisoned in St. Martin on September 16th.
They were not all stray dogs. Many were family pets. I can only imagine the pain these people experienced on losing a member of their family.
I learned about this from my friend Ursula Oppikofer, who runs I Love My Island Dog in St. Martin. Ursula relies on private support to help her dogs. She is enterprising and arranges for tourists to adopt dogs in her care and take them home to the States.
Ursula and I both know that this is a dangerous situation. Both the FBI and the Humane Society of the United States have research that indicates that people who abuse animals go on to harm people. The citizens of St. Martin should be very concerned.
I am in touch with President Daniel Gibbs about what needs to be done. He is aware of the problem but has many issues to deal with on the island.
The stray dog population is a serious threat to the tourism industry. Visitors don’t return; others don’t book a trip to St. Martin when they see on social media the packs of dogs roaming the streets.
In addition to building a shelter and veterinary clinic to replace the one destroyed by the hurricane, the government should hold people accountable if they don’t spay or neuter their dogs. All dogs should be licensed. A $500 fee should be levied on dogs found without a license that have not been fixed. The government can raise money from these efforts and put it towards building a shelter.
Through the Cathy Kangas Foundation for Animals, I sponsored a spay/neuter campaign in St. Martin where I have spent memorable vacations. I will help again, but the government needs to step in as well.
It shouldn’t take the poisoning of more than 50 dogs to call attention to the stray dog problem in St. Martin. I urge the government to take immediate action to help dogs in St. Martin. It is good for the residents, helps the tourist industry and is the humane thing to do.
Cathy Kangas
New Canaan, Connecticut
Cathy Kangas is a member of the Board of Directors of the Humane Society of the United States, the world’s largest animal welfare organization.
Dear Editor,
There are certain things even though I do not agree with them, that I do not readily voice my opinion about. One of them is gender preference. But when I read a letter written to you in which the writer ended with “I will continue to denounce ignorance and the hate from the pulpit every Sunday,” I thought that was going too far.
Let me first continue by saying that I honestly do not know that writer even though he made sure that everyone should know who he is by the way he described himself along with all his achievements. Having been a Minister of Economic Affairs, even though he sure was not economical with those accolades, he could be standing next to me I would not know, because I do not know the person. So my reaction to that letter is solely on what was black on white, which I believe after seeing all those accolades was to make sure that we know how educated he is.
By making sure of mentioning all those titles, led one to believe that he does not feel recognized with just a simple Alex Rosario. On the other hand, he might be trying to let us know that his titles entitle him to know everything.
What I know is that a whole lot more people who listen to the hate and ignorance coming from those pulpits know how to be humble throughout this life even without titles and accolades. If he is so well versed in theology he would know that God hates the sin, but He loves the sinner.
This is not meant as a joke, but if God wanted homosexuality I believe He would just make another Adam and let them have their way. The problem with that would be the multiplying of the world, so He created the appropriate species Eve.
I can remember my aunt and her brother (my father) having a discussion about a pair is two. My father told her a pair is two of the same objects though complementing each other. When none would accept, my father told my aunt, “Ask Noah then.”
I personally believe that because language is living and continually grows, plenty of original words which had one meaning adopt additional meaning according to the country which adopts them. This I believe is the case with “pair” and “couple”.
Is it because of hate and ignorance that millions of people ask for a priest or a pastor to precede the funeral of a loved one?
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
This is three times in a very short period that I find myself having to write to you concerning what I consider not-so-becoming behavior of those from whom one should not expect it.
Even though it should be discreet when done privately, our people in public office and in government whether past or present should never think it is alright to publicly discredit or demean others. I do not know if this one is a case of copycat, but this is still St. Maarten where everybody is due to respect. St. Maarten is not one of those countries where women are treated like a floor cloth.
I am aware that matters of the people are public, But publicly letting everyone know what kind of involvement a woman had with how many men and how many children she has for how many men is far below anybody’s standard, much more so for this rhetoric to be carried out by a minister of government. Yes, I believe that the present Minister of VROMI is on his way to creating a precedent. I believe if I do not address this I will be contributing in creating a tolerated policy.
When I read what was written between quotation marks about what the Minister said, I, a citizen of St. Maarten who for years (even before that Minister was born) has been trying in my way to enlighten the people in matters of life, I feel disappointed to know that a Minister of government in Sint Maarten could be so radical with his language.
What could actually trigger such behavior? What I know from experience is that people react with anger when they cannot talk their way out of a situation. I am suggesting that the council of ministers (even Parliament) address this situation as soon as possible because the next thing is for a civilian to demonstrate the same behavior and when he/she is reprimanded for such behavior he/she will feel free to respond, “How come the Minister can do it, but we can’t do it?”
I believe even the Governor should intervene in this situation because this is not good propaganda for St. Maarten. I still hear about women fighting for man, but this is like what we used to call fish market quarrel, but coming from a minister of government this should never be accepted. Especially if done publicly.
This situation must be addressed straightaway. St. Maarten Quo Vadis?
Russell A. Simmons
By Alex Rosaria
In Curaçao, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons face increased discrimination, especially since Christian churches have escalated their opposition to equal rights for this group. Of all people, you would think that we should know that discrimination, prejudice and bigotry is a deadly poison. Our fight against injustice goes way back to the dark days of slavery, racism and sexism. Yet, the tables have turned. Many who used to be (descendants of) victims of discrimination are now doing the discrimination. I doubt that this was the intention of the likes of Dr. Da Costa Gomez, Tula and ‘Damanan di Djarason’.
Last’s week’s Court’s decision that determined Curaçao is violating the Constitution by excluding same-sex couples from marriage gives hope. Fortunately, the Courts have shown to care about the Constitution which cannot be said for the Staten and Fòrti.
Marriage should not be a heterosexual privilege for if we are created equal, then the love we commit to another human being must be equal as well. We must realize, however, that there will not be a magic day when we wake up to a country without discrimination and prejudice, but it’s a starting point. I stand with you, LGBTQ. I will continue to denounce ignorance and the hate from the pulpits every Sunday.
Alex David Rosaria (53) is a freelance consultant active in Asia & Pacific. He is a former Member of Parliament, Minister of Economic Affairs, State Secretary of Finance and UN Implementation Officer in Africa and Central America. He’s from Curaçao and has an MBA from University of Iowa. (USA).
