Dear Editor,
The island is too far to educate the inhabitants about providing adequate shelter for their adopted dogs. Animal rescuers can’t cope with the present overpopulation situation alone, government help is desperately needed! It is totally irresponsible to give female dogs for adoption to uncaring, uneducated people.
A total lack of education about a clean environment where trash can be seen almost everywhere. Owners who don’t clean their properties don’t have the capability to care for their pets. It’s an overwhelming situation seen every day almost everywhere in Sint Maarten. People walking through trash going to church with their Bibles in hand, walking on dirty, uneven, sloppy roads, full of trash in Cole Bay. If they praise the Lord, they must know that He would like people to live in a clean environment, and love and respect their pets.
Government does not show a bit of interest in supporting animal rescuers. The situation seen in Great Bay across where Great Bay Hotel used to be, the Mount William area, there is a pathetic environment. Many owners do not clean their properties and have the pride to rent. They should be fined! There is no law to enforce those irresponsible property owners. Poor unhealthy dogs are seen all over.
I have been desperately looking for a suitable apartment, to find out that landlords have the pride to rent apartments in terrible dirty condition, inside and outside, broken and dirty windows. It’s unacceptable. Nobody is supervising those landlords. In Madame Estate, intended to be a commercial Amsterdam Shopping Center, there are tons of trash on the back side. Constructors leaving a terrified trash scene behind.
Abandoned female dogs are almost everywhere. In Sucker Garden area, Dutch Quarter, Oyster Pond on the road of the night club green yellow building, and on the upper roads there are dozens of abandoned dogs. Some female dogs right now mating and probably there is a morbid joy for some people to see them. People adopt dogs just to guard their house, not interested in building a fence instead, leaving dogs on their own, just drop some food, the properties where some beautiful Flamboyant trees are witnessing the uncaring environment, but no money or time to care for their dogs.
In the French Quarter area at the end of Webster Road, animal rescuer “I love my Island dog” must be informed of the alarming situation on that road, mainly at the end of the road. Caretakers are overwhelmed with caring for animals and totally unable to help others. The French- and Dutch-side government assistance is urgently needed. Roaming horses, sick cows dangerously crossing busy traffic roads, and goats are part of the environment.
Cleaning companies are cleaning every week from Oyster Pond to Sucker Garden; they are breaking the rocks, because of cleaning and cutting the grass every week, there is not much to cut and because they can’t reach the properties with trash and carcasses of the thousands of abandoned cars.
Hope this note will help give some awareness of the alarming situation in Sint Maarten.
Name withheld
By Frank Kunneman
Internationally recognized general rules of good governance such as “no political interference in government-affiliated entities” also apply to our Central Bank. This is laid down in the so-called Central Bank Statute. These are, so to speak, the statutes of the Central Bank, but laid down in law to underline their importance.
Recent publications in the media give rise to fears about the appointment strategy at the CBCS of our new government. Government statements in the media raise questions. Terrifying questions.
The AD (local Dutch newspaper) of 9 July states that the Minister of Finance of Curaçao has said that he will not follow the recommendation of the Supervisory Board for (re-)appointment of supervisory directors. According to him, the Curaçao government would like to appoint “its own” people. The government website stated on July 20 that the commissioners of the CBCS would be “thanked” for their services and that new nominations would be worked on. According to the AD of 21 July, the recommendation of the Supervisory Board was rejected by the government.
You may think, “Oh, what the hell.” Assuming the media coverage is correct, I have to kid you: this matters a lot. What the government apparently wants is not possible at all. It is against the law. So, it affects us all. Our government must follow the law.
The CBCS is the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten. So, the Central Bank of two countries. The commissioners are appointed on the recommendation of the government of each of the countries, jointly by the countries (Article 25, paragraph 4, last sentence of the Central Bank Statute). The government of Curaçao can nominate three of the seven commissioners. It cannot independently appoint “its” supervisory directors.
Moreover, the government cannot make a nomination without a so-called “recommendation” from the Supervisory Board. That recommendation was already made by the Supervisory Board in April 2021. Now it is almost August. And make no mistake: that recommendation is not “without obligation”. Our government cannot make a nomination without a recommendation from the Supervisory Board.
If the Curaçao government makes a nomination for the appointment of “its” supervisory directors without an underlying recommendation from the Supervisory Board, then the government of Sint Maarten is legally obliged not to cooperate with that appointment because an essential legal requirement is missing.
Why is the law so complicated? The answer is simple. Precisely to prevent governments from thinking that they can let their “own” people with their own political color rule the supervisory board. The supervisory board of an institution that is essential to our country, such as the Central Bank, must be able to exercise its supervision completely independently. The procedure is therefore mandatory by law that (1) the Supervisory Board makes a recommendation to the government, (2) the government makes a nomination based on that and (3) the countries jointly appoint. There are no other ways.
Moreover, the independence of the supervisory directors at the Central Bank is legally enshrined in Article 18 of the Central Bank Statute. That article expressly prohibits the governments of the countries from giving instructions to commissioners. Once a commissioner is appointed on the recommendation of the countries, he only serves the interests of the Central Bank, not the “own” interests of the ruling parties. Article 25 paragraph 10 of the Central Bank Statute also states in so many words that the members of the supervisory board must be independent.
Why “own” supervisory directors? I honestly can’t imagine that our minister would have said that. “Own” does not exist. The Central Bank belongs to all of us and even to two countries. So what should the government do? Just follow the law.
~ Prof. F.B.M. Kunneman is a senior partner at law firm VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne and professor of Corporate Governance at University of Curacao. He leads the team that advises on corporate governance. He has been writing and teaching on this subject for decades. ~
Dear Editor,
An elderly gentleman was lying on his bed. He had become unwell shortly before.
Some alarmed friends had helped him and put him on his bed. He could not stand up, he couldn’t walk, he even could not speak. They had asked him questions, he knew what to answer them, but he could get not one word over his lips. Not in any language.
He thought by himself, “Is this perhaps what they call a ‘tia’? Or is it a ‘hypo’?”
They gave him something to drink and something to eat, and he took it. He heard that in the other room they were calling the 911 or the ambulance department, explaining how to find the house of the elderly man and before he could realize what was going on, he heard the siren of the ambulance in his neighborhood. And suddenly they stood there in his bedroom: three heavy-built, full-equipped astronauts, carrying all kind of stuff, as if they just landed from Mars.
Very professionally they checked the old man, measuring everything that could be measured, shaking hands with him to see his reactions and asking him to sit up. The patient was feeling better already. A piece of bread with strawberry jam concluded the ceremony. After some greetings, back and forth, the three astronauts happily disappeared back into space, after doing a wonderful job.
Not much later, the patient was able to join his friends in the sitting room, with a thankful heart.
Gerard van Veen
Dear Editor,
Greetings to the bereaved family, friends, and associates of Mr. Gregory James Arrindell. Please know that I greet you in love and support, having heard of the death of Mr. Gregory James Arrindell. Special condolences are imparted to you, Ursula and Aisha, whom I met and shared a short time when Mr. Arrindell became a business partner as a direct result of the Tallahassee-St. Maarten Sister Cities initiative over a decade and a half ago.
I wrote a grant that supported the effort on the U.S. side through the Caribbean association in Tallahassee, Florida. This enabled wonderful opportunities to enjoy your beautiful country and meet government leaders, civic advocates, and business owners. While involved through GlobalBzNs, N.A., an entity incorporated in Florida and SXM, I co-established the SXM Business Association with a grant funded in Holland that I wrote. Later, I was honored to become a business consultant with the SXM Chamber of Commerce and participated in a Caribbean Executives Conference in Jamaica.
Who can forget the Caribbean-wide boxing tournaments orchestrated by Milton Ottley of Better Opportunity for Talents (BOFT) Foundation? We and many more were in this together. Greg inspired a radio show in Tallahassee by the Capital City Chamber of Commerce, Inc. that was co-hosted by retired City of Tallahassee department head Ben Harris, J.D.
While the voice of SXM and physical being have departed as we know in “Greg”, may his spirit find comfort knowing he is remembered. I especially thank Mr. Arturo Lugisse, who has kept the spirit of the Sister Cities initiative alive through the years in the form of the Tallahassee-St. Maarten Foundation, Inc., another entity that grew from this association.
Last, but not least, Greg introduced me to Mr. William Lake of New York (via SXM), a corporate executive who guided me along my SXM business journey. Mr. Lake is credited with leading the efforts of the Florida Advisory Council on Small and Minority Business Development’s drive to allow small businesses to raise their own capital for operations and growth.
Good ol’ SXM! None of this would have happened but for Greg’s “gift of gab”. He believed in putting people and principles above politics, and going places to make things happen. He was excellent with networking!
Lay the past aside and look forward to the living future!
In peace and charity,
Dr. Cheryl S. Mobley-Gonzalez
Dear Editor,
I’m not the only one to be saddened by this situation. Even in the middle of a storm, a captain (however challenged he may be) never abandons his ship. It is one of the main tenets that has made the navy what it has been for centuries.
However, Daniel Gibbs, who has been captain of the Saint-Martin “ship” since April
2017, seems to have done just that – given up and abandoned the people he opted to serve, long before the end of his mandate.
From the onset, in April 2017, the members of the President’s Cabinet and his Communication Services have been serenading the population of his commitment to them as President: “President Gibbs is at work, he holds perfectly in check the Territorial Council, his majority and the administration.”
As the President and his Cabinet began their term, a pattern emerged. Disagreements or concerns raised with President and the Cabinet were received with dismissal. The messaging was clear – any criticism of the President and his administration decisions was motivated by pettiness. People with personal agendas fuelled by their dislike of him. No more than “jealous enemies” that used social media, the press and rumours, to plant their seeds of disharmony.
And yet, what are the damages caused to the socio-economic development of the Collectivité to its roll-out of cultural activities beneficial to the Saint-Martin population? More pertinently, what about the general population and the key stakeholders that are keen to help transition Saint-Martin from the devastation of September 2017?
Let’s start with looking at what solid and sustainable foundations there are, in order to highlight the culture of neglect and failures the current administration “gifted” us.
Mismanagement has been prevalent during President Gibbs’ tenure. Post [Hurricane – Ed.] Irma, his quarrels with the French justice, for which he will soon have to face scrutiny given the failures of his own administration.
Questions on lack of cohesion and cooperation among stakeholder groups. For example, tensions between the members of his majority, his Vice-Presidents and himself. It appears that the Leader of Team Gibbs (or at least what’s left of it), is completely weakened and is judged by its base as: weak governance; mismanagement of the Collectivité; of abandoning outright campaign promises of 2012 and of 2017.
On the above, I challenge him to demonstrate otherwise.
Since the start of his mandate, Mr. Gibbs’ personal matters were his priority. What was important and beneficial to him took precedence over all else. The obligation to the office, was eclipsed by the management of his personal political career.
Mr. Gibbs has completely neglected to commit to progressive measures to ensure efficient and effective management of the Collectivité, an approach that has eroded the already fragile infrastructure of the island, after Irma, resulting in adverse effects on the everyday lives of the citizens of Saint-Martin.
The repeated strikes and protests, Caisse Territorial des Oeuvres Scolaires (CTOS), natural risk prevention plan PPRN, transportation professionals (bus and taxi, street vendors, etc.), as well as the very disturbing resignation of a Vice-President, the public criticism made by the Senator (member of the majority), are clear warning signs of this downward spiral.
In my opinion, no longer are there elected officials in charge of Saint-Martin, which I now call a “country adrift”. And I too regret that so much public money has been spent and wasted with so little results in five years. All of that for this?!
To me it is clear that President Gibbs persists in disavowing and rushing forward impetuously each time a situation arises (or even, more often than necessary). And the last proof was brought to us by the Senator who denounced the failure of Mr. Gibbs to respect the commitments made to the population during the last electoral campaign.
According to her, it was more a question of trusting elected officials chosen by the voters, and of giving administrators less important prerogatives than those of the vice-presidents. Here in Saint-Martin, we are not yet a monarchy, under a regime of “absolute rule”, even if some dream of it!
Besides, I wonder how can we therefore grant certain prerogatives to individuals who are not legally identified in the chain of the institutions of the Collectivité?
The very new and recent controversy surrounding the vacancy of the post of Vice-President left by Steven Patrick worries many citizens and many professionals, including those in the construction sectors who foresee even more burdensome bureaucratic hurdles to overcome in order to obtain building permits and the realization of some minor repair and home improvement work.
Some of them deplored the chaotic situation long before that. It is not worthy of a territory which, barely 10 years ago, asked its people to opt for a new status and for a new governance that is more responsible.
I appeal to the responsibility of each of you to forge new paths together.
Jules Charville
Territorial Councillor
