Dear Editor,
I am disappointed that the Finance Minister did not stand behind the decision of the Receiver where it concerned the design of the 2019 number plates for motor vehicles.
What I do not understand is, beside one time, it was the Education Minister and primarily the Justice Minister who was the authority commenting on the discussions concerning the protest against “50 years of Carnival” on the plates. All of this should be handled by the Finance Minister and/or the Receiver.
The decree was made and the wording is a stated fact. We will be celebrating 50 years of Carnival, so to me that silly argument about making a commercial for something that is not relevant, is making a mock of the situation.
I have been involved in keeping order during Carnival in the Netherlands Antilles since 1965 and do not know that celebration to be other than a cultural festival.
I believe that government is demonstrating insecurity in this matter and beside creating a precedent, government is also creating confusion for those involved in the control of the compliance of the motor vehicle tax.
I will state again that I believe that those who are talking about they not making commercial for Carnival are being hypocritical. They all read the paper and some have even used the opinion page to highlight their protest. Why are they hypocrites? Because I have never read where any of them have threatened to boycott reading the paper because of the commercials on the community page. Or is it something they secretly do?
Russell A. Simmons
