Dear Editor,
By now people know that I have always stated that we constantly provide the Dutch with ammunition to use against ourselves. I think that I have also stated that my father was very inspirational in me being careful not to offend others and to respect my fellowmen, to which he would add, “Of the spoken word you are the slave but of the unspoken word you are the master.”
I can remember myself and my friend “Tallboy” trying to find a proverb in Dutch which would coincide with that saying. What we came up with was “Je moet je buskruit niet verschieten.” And that we would remind each other on occasions while laughing about it.
I can remember my father clearly telling me that I must not always say everything but whatever I say must be the truth, because then you would not forget or be mixed up with what you said. You might not always remember the occasion on which you said it, but once you remember the occasion you will remember what you said because it was the truth.
I’m mentioning all of this because of what MP Christophe Emmanuel wanted to know about the prosecutors prosecuting themselves. I am not sure if those would be my words but it is something that has always lived with me. My oldest brother’s father used to be a fighter in his days and his main weakness is that he could not be in the presence of physical abuse without getting involved. In so doing he got himself involved in battles with the police. According to what was told it always took about six of them to dominate him. Because of this there trumped up charges of rape against him and he spent nine years in jail. During those nine years of absence my mother got involved with my father and they got married.
When my brother’s father was released I was years old and as usual the reason and stories for him being locked up were being relived. From then already I had an idea about “spite work” and “We’ll get you one day.” It is not a question of being afraid, and also I do not always know what is the right thing, but I know whatever I do I try to do it right as possible. Yes, do the thing right. So let me repeat some of what my father used to say. Prevention is better than cure and if you were not there your name could not be called.
The way I see things going in St. Maarten these last years is that once your name is called, you have to give an account and that could be problematic, because to quote that old African saying: “In a court of fowls, cockroach never wins his case.” And as long as we do not realize that unity is strength we will be constantly failing and falling.
What our members of government do not realize is that while they are busy protecting each other in face of the people, and sarcastically smiling when one of their own is being prosecuted for wrongdoing, their accusers are gloating while rubbing their hands. As usual, the thought “I got you again” arises.
The simple answer to MP Emmanuel’s question would be, “Nobody is above the law.” To find out the practical answer, some one of our local lawyers should be able to explain the procedure, after which the Minister of Justice should bring the prosecutor along with him as an expert and have him explain the procedure. It would also help if some local lawyers were invited to sit in the public gallery during the session, which would make for a great teaching moment and everybody will be abreast of how things work in the Judicial system from the side of the public prosecutor.
Hopefully then Knops will not find it necessary to again have to publicly express himself in a reproval way towards our Prime Minister. I do not know what was said because I was not present, but what I read from Knops as far as I know everybody is supervised.
I did not agree either with the fact that this came from the Prime Minster but in comparison to what has been happening to us this is making a mountain out of molehill. Again it is time for the Kingdom partners to start showing some kind of civility towards each other. Why did professor Saleh make that talk?
Russell A. Simmons
