Dear Editor,
Over the many years of corresponding with you, your readers might have realised that I do not discriminate when it concerns crime. I also usually state that “Not because a person is a well-known thief, means that every robbery that was committed, was committed by that person.” I have also learned over the years that that saying “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are” is also not immutable. It is also not biblical, because that would require “judging”.
What I know though is that “where there is smoke, there is fire”. When I read that letter written to you by Stuart Johnson concerning the Chairperson of Parliament [Rolando Brison – Ed.], my first reaction was “they caught another one”. Why that reaction? Simple. That was the “modus operandi” of a popular hotel owner here on St. Maarten, targeting influential people in government to provide complimentary rooms.
I know this because of advice asked of me by someone who found himself in a similar situation /predicament. He told me at that time that he felt trapped because this hotel owner said to him in front of other people that he had not seen him since the last time he gave him the room. As I have always done, I tactically avoided the issue by claiming that we are not allowed to advise anyone on how to avoid the consequences of wrongdoing.
I am not stating that what I have read about Stuart Johnson and the Chairperson of Parliament concerns that same resort owner, but again there are back-to-back articles in the paper about the unacceptable behavior of our leaders in government.
Is only every four years the only possible way of getting rid of this reprehensible behavior? There is no doubt in my mind that Stuart Johnson could have ulterior motives for bringing up the past with those comments and questions, but it would not surprise me if it does not become a back-and-forth melee. However, this does not take away that when it is not one it’s another member of Parliament or Minister whose irresponsible and discredited behavior is in question and brought to light. Is this the kind of behavior that we would want for our children to look up to?
So, my question is, what do we expect our teachers to instill in the pupils when the pupils are continuously reading about the not-so-admirable conduct of those who, as the saying goes, “get away with murder” just because of being an elected official?
When I came here in 1975 one of the things that I realized very early is that everybody knew everybody’s habits and would notice when those habits changed and remark on them. Strange enough, after 46 years and so much change of immigrants not much has changed. The constant advancement of modern technology has constantly provided the opportunity to be able to survey each other. It amazes me that our political leaders (public figures) have not figured this out yet. At least they should know that the schoolchildren have an eight-out-of-ten average in knowing at least eighty percent of the truth about what is going on.
So, when I read that the Prime Minister is furious about the leaks and what steps she would like to see taken, I am inclined to believe her and even applaud her for that. I also would like to applaud the Prime Minister for the extensive explanation given in connection with the Minister of VROMI-Ombudsman dispute. I would even go as far as to suggest for your readers to clip that article out and save it and once in a while use it as a conversation piece. I believe that this is the understanding that everyone should have about how to go about life in and out of government.
This is why I do not agree with MP Emmanuel calling out the Prime Minister for not bringing down the hammer on Minister Doran. I wonder if the MP is familiar with John 8:7. By now your readers should have noticed that the MP is very energetic in hammering on the negative.
I was always taught to be the best of whatever you are. So, if I am an elected politician and I am in government all I have to do is to do my best, be fair and I will have nothing to fear. But as soon as our politicians get in government their first and main objective is to make sure they stay in government. So, all of a sudden there is this metamorphosis. And instead of doing the right thing they embark on breaking each other down. My strong belief is that this is mostly for public observation, because they all consistently hang out with each other.
I grew up hearing that saying, “birds of a feather flock together” and “if you scratch my back I will scratch yours”. But this is supplying the Justice department of the Kingdom with all kinds of material to have too many of them indicted. I was still pondering, if in an environment where the understanding is, if you don’t rat me out I will not rat you out, why does MP Emmanuel want the Prime Minister to put more pressure on Minister Doran?
Then it hit me. Is the MP pulling for the Ombudsman, in order for the Ombudsman to be lenient in case the Ombudsman finds old skeletons in the VROMI closet? The fear is that if the Over the Bank affair wakes up the sleeping dog, the dog might go straight to the closet and somebody is afraid that the dog might find skeletons. Now, in order to avoid the dog from barking too loud they are hurrying to pet the dog. What I know is that dogs do not care for rats. So we’ll see.
But somebody reminded me that that technicality the last time, did not sit too well. I honestly hope there is no sequel, because It is high time that our people in government realize that they are all fighting a losing battle and in doing so are constantly dragging St. Maarten in the mud. I would love to see somebody in VROMI show some integrity without asking what’s in it for me and clean up and straighten out the situation on Walter J. Nisbeth Road.
In saying that, let me say this. I know that every citizen is allowed to voice their opinion respectfully, even by asking questions to our political leaders. Civics teach you that. For some reason or the other, of late people ask me why does not the Prime Minister fix her road? I know the reason, but my answer will remain, “ask her.” I will not promote gossip.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
It takes psycho-spiritual and intestinal fortitude or guts to do something despite the lingering fear and especially so when the outcome remains largely unknown. So, when Seal Team Six departed from their base in Afghanistan en route to Abbottabad, Pakistan, on a daring mission to capture or kill Osama bin Laden it was undoubtedly a remarkable exemplification of courage par excellence. Members of Seal Team Six that conducted the raid which killed Osama bin Laden would have been rehearsing fervently for their operation, applying every aspect of their training in the process, leaving no detail unchecked. The Seals’ state of readiness prior to departing for Osama would have given them the confident assurance which persuaded every or most fiber of their being that they were adequately equipped to successfully execute their mission as planned and trained for.
But digressing philosophically, since fear, like courage, are not quantifiable quantities, both cannot be measured or observed, it would be interesting to learn how courageous those Navy Seals had to be to relegate their fears into the deeper recesses of their minds in order to remain focussed and attentive during what could be considered one of military history’s most unsure 45 minutes. The preceding therefore begs the question, what really gives us the adequate amount of motivation to act without allowing the all too present fear of the unknown to paralyze us into a state of passivity and inertia? Perhaps we can look for and gain insight from psychology, particularly the writings of Sigmund Freud and his study of our unconscious ideas and purposes.
Secondly, after the assassinated Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi fell out of favor with the powerful ruling Saudi family and fled to the US, he knew he was tinkering with and annoying violent and revengeful foes, albeit with his pen. Nevertheless, Khashoggi continued with his criticism of the Saudi government bringing into the Saudi popular consciousness the oppressive practices of the Saudi regime. Jamal knew the resources and influences of the Saudi elite he was targeting through his Washington Post columns could reach him anywhere on earth. But Jamal never relented with his offensives and attacks, and just like the courageous undertakings of DEVGRU no one knew or could have said definitively then or with any amount of certainty now what was required in terms of courage in the psychological milieu of both Khashoggi and Seal Team Six to act accordingly.
So, whatever it was that motivated both Jamal and Seal Team Six to engage in selfless acts of courage, it continues to provide us with examples of inspiration and pleasant reminders that we as humans have the capacity to live courageous, purposeful and fulfilling lives.
Orlando Patterson
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,
The media produce more and more shocking news on a daily basis: there must be a vaccination passport by this and that date; the Minister of Health reports: The population, including newborns, must also have a genetic passport; etc., etc.
No one asks what the threat is, who is pushing for it, and what their aim is. It is only known that whoever disobeys will be expelled from society. Nonsensical and criminal measures taken by the government are accepted without examining their consequences.
Nuclear weapons were the greatest threat of mass destruction. What is happening today, however, is an even more effective way of mass and total self-destruction of humanity.
What good is science and technology when it is in the hands of intelligent and cynical criminals who seek not only to exterminate humanity, but also to disrupt human nature as such? Without conscience and without moral principles, science and technology lead to the self-destruction of humanity. Chipping is being introduced to totally control people, and not only to control, but directly to degrade people into system media or biorobots. It is really about satanizing humanity and making a hell on earth, which culminates in hell after death.
The question of interpersonal morality depends on moral purity. The promotion of immorality does not lead to freedom, but to slavery to passions and ultimately to crime. The paradox is that it was the Second Vatican Council that opened the door to the process of demoralization by establishing respect for paganism. The heresies of Modernism have disrupted a living relationship with God. Without this relationship, morality declines. Morality is the basis of a healthy family, and thus of society. It leads to true freedom.
In the 1960s, the yoga and martial art boom resulted in the expansion of paganism. Their meditations are intrinsically connected with pagan Hinduism and Buddhism. These meditations exclude conscience and deny God the Creator and His salvation, which is in Christ. In pagan cults, there is neither love for God nor love for neighbour. Paganism is fundamentally based on occultism, i.e. various forms of divination, magic and spiritualism, which open souls to demons and lead to satanism. This entails a complete decline of conscience and all morals.
In the 1970s, Kinsey began to promote paedophilia and homosexuality. During that period of invasion of immorality, the institution of the family was disrupted. Divorces were taking place en masse because the moral principles and the roots from which morality grows had been undermined. A TV boom began in the 1960s, and soon there was almost no film free of immoral content.
The turn of the millennium was marked by extreme gay propaganda, and in recent years we have witnessed gender ideology that brings with it the legalization of all kinds of perversions and at the same time a massive change in the human mind. Unreality is taken as reality, common sense is punishable, and conscience is completely eliminated. The distinction between good and evil, truth and lies, is blurred, and the existence of objectively valid moral norms is denied, even by so-called Pope Francis.
Paradigms have been changed. The hidden goal is the self-destruction of humanity and, after death, the damnation of every individual in hell. In this situation, everyone must resist the system of self-destruction, even at the cost of martyrdom.
This ideology of the apocalyptic beast, which has power in its hands, is abusing all the achievements of science and technology for the global programming of evil. The enforcement of this path of death is based on professional lies and manipulation. The current self-destructive war is guided by the principle: Believe in lies and destroy yourself!
We need to know that this programme counts on the genetic root of evil – sin – which is in every human being. Therefore, God became man in order to obtain for us the forgiveness of sins and to deliver us from this source of evil, original sin – the old self (Rom 6:6). It is necessary for us to receive the Saviour and His way of truth and self-sacrificing love for God and neighbour.
Knowing the truth is deeply connected with moral principles. A person who lives an immoral life becomes spiritually blind and cynical. He himself will commit crimes and legalize them, thereby doing harm both to himself and others. This is not an innocent thing. The basis of morality is true self-criticism, which makes a person able to admit the root of evil in himself, along with its system of self-deception, and to oppose it. Only then can he accept God’s plan for his life and its completion in eternal happiness after death.
No responsibility, no justice, no honest behaviour can be expected from an immoral person. Immorality goes hand in hand with the decline of virtues. The greatest channel to immorality is the return to paganism – that is, to the worship of demons and Satan, and at the same time to moral perversions, and even to human sacrifice. That is what we have come to today.
This is cruelty to children on a mass scale. It is all being enacted! These crimes are called children’s rights. In order to be moral and conscientious, one must acquire self-denial – sacrifice. The meaning and purpose of human life is transcendent – it does not end with death.
What change in thinking has taken place in the last half century? It began with the popularization of immorality, which gradually led to the promotion of perversion (Kinsey – paedophilia and homosexuality), and eventually was followed by a transition from reality to unreality (transgender ideology). The distinction between good and evil ceased to exist. Post-Christian society was then able to accept the colossal system of lies, as we see it today. A mass autogenocide is underway under the guise of health.
What is the solution? Not faith in lies or liars, but metanoia – a change of mind and belief in the Gospel! (Mt 1:15)
Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate (BCP)
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.
