Dear Mr. Knops,
Welcome, Dutch caretaker State Secretary, to Statia where you are likely to open a roundabout that communicates with about ten lonely vehicles per hour per day. Never have we seen on Statia such magnificent progress from you and your local civil servants and what a great investment for Dutch and local taxpayers’ money?
Whereas your ceremony this week – in the round – will be populated by a nepotistic circus of agreeable senior civil servants, please do not fall sick.
Mister Knops, if you do, let me describe what roundabouts sick Statians have to go round for medical treatment from your hopeless health insurance organization (ZVK).
For many years, ZVK has wasted millions of Antillean guilders, US dollars, Colombian pesos and therefore euros through false economy on travel costs, delayed medical treatment and administrative inertia.
It seems your ZVK knows a lot more than you do when it comes to telling lies. But not saving lives …
Forget roundabouts and let me quote an example of administrative ZVK failure only last week from a patient who has waited a painful nine months for a hip replacement.
ZVK informed the patient that a hip operation was possible in Curaçao even though the hospital concerned was not conducting such operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They therefore refused medical referral to the Netherlands. Let’s quote from a recent article in the Bone & Joint Journal: “It is not benign to delay or deny patients arthroplasty surgery; patients live with pain and disability that is more severe than many other chronic health conditions.”
ZVK in Bonaire informed the patient that they do not want to talk to them but they should talk to Statia doctor. The only solution was to have the operation in the Netherlands. ZVK then said that the patient should organise it all themselves – which they did. The patient was told to pay all cost up-front and be reimbursed later. But confirmation that the entire medical cost would be reimbursed in full only arrived at the very last moment so that the hospital operation and flights to Schiphol had to be cancelled. Patient never received anything on paper.
At one point, a Bonaire ZVK official refused to discuss the situation on the phone. Imagine that from a health insurance organisation? The result is that the patient is now taking expensive and addictive pain-relieving pills per day that cost more than a hip operation in the long run. False economy? You bet Mister Knops.
Dear Mister Knops, it is time to reorganize. Many ZVK complaints have been logged and nothing happens. In 2018, The Dutch Government took over local government in Statia in the belief that corruption and abuse diluted the principles of good and efficient governance. How ZVK operates does not seem the epitome of efficiency or care about patients to say the least. Or: now that you have made your rare hospital bed, it is time to lie in it.
Please reorganize the ZVK or your reputation or both. We do not need local roundabouts but a central government turn-around. We need a ZVK that cares about individual healthcare, not saving money. Privatize or revalitize!
Your ZVK is about saving money, not caring for customers that have to go around thousands of useless roundabouts very much like the one you are opening this week.
Since your role already serves as a source of fortune, I wish you fortitude and clarity to do the right thing.
Please do not fall sick! You may be a caretaker minister but your ZVK falls very short of care-taking.
E.B.
Initials used at author’s request.
Dear State Secretary Knops,
We have taken note of your letter sent to Prime Minister Jacobs in regard to the suspension of the fifth tranche of liquidity support (NAf. 39 million) due to very worrying developments regarding the corporate governance of Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA).
We have been proactively informing the population for weeks and months on so many of the very same concerns we see listed in your letter. We have repeatedly sounded the alarm on all forms of media.
Although, we anticipated the consequences faced today by the Jacobs government due to a lack of proactive action to live up to agreements, which has been a reoccurring modus operandi for this Jacobs cabinet and the NA-UP coalition, we are extremely disappointed, ashamed, angry and outright fed up.
We realize that the Kingdom Government wants to assist the government and the people of St. Maarten with liquidity support to survive this COVID-19 pandemic, but the Kingdom Council of Ministers, via your office, cannot continue to enable the Jacobs cabinet, which has clearly demonstrated over and over that:
* They do not live up to agreements they sign.
* They do not honor their word.
* They are not sincere and honest in their dealings with you.
* They are being manipulated and led by outside handlers.
As a former St. Maarten Member of Parliament during the period July 2018-November 2019, we witnessed, experienced and fought the forces of the very same outside handlers not only within the coalition but within the Leona cabinet.
These outside handlers are the same ones who ultimately undermined the stability of the coalition and forced the implosion of the then UD party. Those forces took control of the majority of Parliament in September 2019.
It is with that knowledge that those who fought these corrupt forces in the Leona cabinet invoked article 59 of the St. Maarten constitution to dissolve a parliament which was now being manipulated by outside forces.
Yet, State Secretary Knops, we trust that by now you realize that those forces remain stronger than ever and resulted in the present coalition between two parties who traditionally have been major opponents to each other for decades.
Today, they are joined by anti-Dutch sentiments, personal and political vendettas against the Dutch and, of course, the continued fleecing of government-owned companies and government.
We have come to the conclusion the outside handlers are very much in control of this cabinet and they wield significant power in the present parliament. This is evident when one pays attention to the constant incoherence of the decisions being made by the Jacobs cabinet.
From the content of your most recent letter and having read all your public letters sent to the St. Maarten government since the beginning of 2020, it is clear to us that you are fully aware of what we described above.
It is clear that you realize the prime minister lacks credibility at this point and cannot be trusted. We concur.
Please note that the prime minister is the leader of the NA with 5 seats in a coalition of 9 and NA party holds 5 of the 7 ministries in the Council of Ministers versus UP party with 4 seats and 2 ministries.
While these stats should have empowered this prime minister and given her a clear mandate, it has long become very evident to us that she is not in control of this government and does not have the strength of character or leadership skills to stand up against the political meddling to lead St. Maarten in this time of major crisis.
While we would prefer not to have to point out her misleading, lies and lack of transparency during the worst period in our history when the future of this island is most in doubt and our people are falling in despair, we cannot stand aside and allow this level of incompetence to go unchecked.
Since March 2020, we have seen the Jacobs cabinet led by this coalition repeatedly, unnecessarily and intentionally frustrate the COVID-19 recovery process and the much-needed financial support provided by the Netherlands. These delays have come at a high cost in particular to the people and businesses in the private sector who need it the most.
While each time they say the words and write the letters to appease the conditions, it should be evident to you that many of those promises to live up to conditions unconditionally have not been done in practice. For example, the 25 per cent salary cut for political authorities which is still not implemented.
Instead, both the CoM and coalition have been deceptive each time just to get the money.
It should be very evident to you by now that these games will not stop unless a different approach is taken.
We believe that this Jacobs cabinet will not stop the games as long as the Dutch keep rewarding what can only be described as a lack of integrity and good governance.
Having said all this and with a heavy heart, we believe it is time for you to implore the Kingdom Council of Ministers to impose direct higher supervision on this Government until the economy can be restored and the island does not need Dutch liquidity for its basic survival.
This will ensure that the population in general, the public sector and the private sector, is not made to suffer unduly. As you know, the NGOs [non-governmental organisations – Ed.] have had to assist thousands with food baskets and unemployment remains a growing problem.
You have indicated that you will send on the decision regarding the fifth tranche to be decided in the May 21 Kingdom Council of Ministers with the advice that the money remain suspended until the Jacobs cabinet has taken sufficient decisive action to structurally repair the problems at the airport and ensure the successful progress of the project to repair the airport terminal.
While we applaud this move and we have no doubt the prime minister will do whatever she can to convince you she is now serious about handling the issues and deserves the money, please note that once they receive these funds they will go right back to the same sabotage of the airport and other issues which are vital for the recovery of SXM.
The outside handlers, CoM and the coalition believe the Dutch will play hardball but will always bail them out no matter what they do so that civil servants and subsidized entities do not go unpaid and prevent the island descending into chaos. We must say that history seems to back up that belief.
If higher supervision is not an option the Kingdom Council of Ministers will consider, we believe it is imperative at this point that the Kingdom Council of Ministers allow the Jacobs cabinet to face the realities of the present financial situation without Dutch liquidity to bail them out.
Only then will they be held accountable for their actions and inactions.
After all, as the Council of Ministers, they are ultimately the ones responsible for the wellbeing and quality of life of the citizens of St. Maarten.
As far as we are concerned, St. Maarten is considered an autonomous country within the Kingdom and this liquidity support should be seen as a benefit and not a liability.
It is time that the Jacobs cabinet realizes this is serious business and these types of futile games will not be enabled and tolerated by the Kingdom Council of Ministers anymore.
The longer these games are played, the longer the people and businesses in the private sector will be made to suffer. The longer the recovery process will take.
We sincerely trust that you will take our advice in consideration. St. Maarten people deserve an end to these constant impasses so they can truly focus on surviving these hard times.
In closing, we hope you will be paying a visit to the Integrity Chamber which unfortunately is now being viewed as a futile organization.
As one who supported the establishment of this entity to elevate the level of integrity, not only in our government apparatus but in our community, we would appreciate an update on this entity whose composition is shared with the Netherlands.
Claude Chacho Peterson
A fed up and concerned SXMner
Dear Editor,
On May 8, my wife and I pulled into a local gas station and filled the family car’s tank. It wasn’t intended as a smart move, nor did it result from a premonition. It was just dumb luck. Within 24 hours, we were driving past gas stations with yellow plastic bags over the pump handles and “no gas” signs at the lot entrances.
On May 7 – although they didn’t bother to tell us until a day later – Colonial Pipeline shut down 5,500 miles of pipeline, which normally carries almost half the gas sold on the US east coast, due to a cyberattack. On the evening of May 9, to take the edge off, the Biden administration declared an emergency covering 17 states, lifting restrictions on delivering gasoline by truck. No word on when the pipeline will resume operation.
For the last few years, as the price of electricity produced by sunlight and wind power has continued to drop, fossil fuel flacks have insistently informed us that the problem with solar and wind power are that they’re “intermittent and incapable of meeting our needs” (as Ron Stein puts it in Natural Gas Now, an online publication put out by, surprise, the natural gas lobby).
Well, they’re right to a degree: The sun only shines so many hours a day, and we can have cloudy days; the wind isn’t always blowing at sufficient speeds to turn turbines.
What we really need, they say, is reliable old coal, oil, and natural gas.
The fossil fuel advocates either ignore or minimise the progress of a third technology: Large battery storage capacity. We’re getting better and better at generating the electricity when conditions are good, then delivering that electricity to your home (or from a home battery rig) when it’s needed.
Another thing the fossil fuel advocates ignore is just how vulnerable fossil fuels are to intermittency due to long and not always reliable supply chains. Pipeline or drilling rig accidents or attacks. Labour conflicts. Derailed trains or wrecked trucks. Suez Canal blockages. Wars, or warlike political embargoes or blockades.
“Intermittency” isn’t the only complaint we hear from the fossil fuel lobby, of course. They also like to complain about government subsidies to renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
I’m with them on that. But the thing is, they’re not with themselves on that.
Fossil fuels are by far the most government-subsidised energy form on Earth – everything from “steal that land via eminent domain so we can run a pipeline over it,” to “hey, could you pretty please send the US Navy out to secure our tanker routes, take out a competitor, or scare a stubborn supplier?”
Then they throw a hissy if a renewable energy competitor gets special tax treatment on a new solar panel factory.
Coal, oil, maybe even natural gas are on their way out, even with the massive subsidies they’ve enjoyed for more than a century. Withdraw the subsidies – all of them, to everyone – and the market will likely make even shorter work of fossil fuels.
Thomas L. Knapp
Dear Editor,
Our nurses and healthcare workers have spent the last year plus due to the COVID-19 pandemic working under extremely trying conditions, but have shown continued commitment and dedication to their jobs.
Especially now, nurses and healthcare workers are more deserving than ever of community support, respect and appreciation. That's why we want to make Nurses Week 2021 one to remember even though we are faced with the ongoing pandemic, we the nurses give God thanks for his many blessings in sustaining us through these difficult times.
Our nursing profession requires dedication, commitment, empathy, and compassion to nurse sick patients back on their feet. I salute all of our nurses for their dedication, hard work, and resilience. Nurses must have the ethical and professional responsibility to provide quality healthcare services to all people and strive for excellence.
My vision for the future healthcare is for nurses and healthcare workers to be united and involved with the various sectors and government with policy-making.
Thanks to all nurses and healthcare workers in every area in healthcare for their
dedication, commitment, and hard work.
Happy Nurses Day to all!
God bless you and be safe.
Nurse Mavis Rombley
President of St. Maarten Nurses Association
The Government and Dr. Gerstenbluth have done a fantastic job to get the number of infections under control in record time. Along with that, they have applied enormous effort to increase the number of vaccinated people in Curaçao. CHATA is extremely grateful to them for this.
The people of Curaçao and the companies have contributed a lot to this pandemic. The population tolerated the limiting restrictions on their fundamental rights and the companies have made great financial sacrifices. Now that the situation is under control, we as a tourist industry expected that the fact that the virus is under control again would result in release of measures that re-activate the sector and thus our economy again. After all, during the partial lockdown of the past 6 weeks, it is almost impossible to attract tourists to our island under these circumstances. And everyone knows that especially the tourism industry was one that has been hit hardest.
It is incomprehensible that this has not happened. We had at least expected that people would be allowed to go to the beach and that the Plachi di Dia would be removed. Everyone knows that these two things contribute little or nothing to the number of infections. It has been proven that no one gets infected in open air, and on the beach, certainly not if they keep their distance, and if you are in the car with your housemates the risk of infection is not greater than when you are at home. However, the relaxation of these specific measures had certainly contributed to the return of tourists to our island.
In addition, the implementation of the antigen test to be taken three days after arrival remains unacceptable, especially for the tourism industry stakeholders. Firstly, everyone who comes to Curaçao would already have had to take a PCR [polymerase chain reaction – Ed.] test. Secondly, the antigen tests are very unreliable. Therefore, it could result in a false positive, which would ensure that the tourist in question has to be quarantined with all their fellow travelers for the rest of their holiday. Lastly, the extra implementation of this test means that people who stay a week in Curaçao would have to test at least 3 times, but most probably 4 times, which is means that tourists easily will choose for another destination and stay far away from Curaçao.
This is without mentioning the incredibly difficult procedure to use 3 or 4 different apps, uploading various files, and paying online, to get an entry document for Curaçao. Furthermore, the technical flaws that this platform has, already resulted in dozens of travelers that had to be left standing at both Schiphol and Miami, are a disgrace for Curaçao!
The fact that none of these three points, which the tourist industry specifically requested to not be implemented, have been installed anyway, makes it very difficult to demand support and commitment from the same companies that have to bear the financial consequences once again.
In addition, this ensures that there is still no prospect for the approximately 50 per cent employees of the total tourism industry, and its suppliers, who are currently unemployed. Note that this is roughly 16,000 people, and with their family members it could be approximately 40,000 people who do not know whether they will have a living again tomorrow.
By not implementing more flexible measures, companies must also continue to make use of the NOW scheme and thus cutting the salary of their employees by 20 per cent. This has been going on for 14 months and is no longer to be asked of from our staff. At CHATA, we are 100 per cent behind the Government's vaccination policy and therefore support it wherever we can.
What we find very strange as well, is that people who have been vaccinated are not exempted from all testing obligations and they are not allowed to move more freely. We think this would be a very good incentive for people to get vaccinated and this will have a very positive effect on the number of tourists that come to our beautiful island as well.
In summary, we can say that for the tourism industry, the related companies and all employees, the relaxation of the measures as they have now been implemented is very disappointing and is no longer in balance with the current situation. This is taking place while many people are unemployed, and a considerable number of companies will no longer be able to stay open; this will only get worse.
Therefore, CHATA is calling on the Government to remove themselves from these minor eases in measures and to reconsider further evaluation within the coming 14 days. Instead, to introduce further easing now and at least indicate the schedule for the de-escalation so there is a horizon for people and companies to look forward to.
The silly remarks that the release of measures cannot be planned in the long run is not valid! After all, every entrepreneur must plan all the time and of course reality always deviates, but you have to adjust your plans accordingly and everyone will understand that.
The government has a duty to guide us, and this should be done according to a planned and balanced approach!
Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Association (CHATA)
