Dear Editor,
Before and after 10-10-10, there have been a number of investigations on the island that seemed unending, and we are very quick and eager to say “let justice take its course” or something to the order of let them have their day in court. While we have lived to believe and adhere to these sayings and clichés, we have also consistently allowed our people, among them leaders in this society, to be mistreated and abused by a Dutch judiciary with no other goal that to put these uppity small island people in their rightful place.
It is not the intention to determine right and wrong or influence the innocence or guilt of any individual case. Let’s look at the Buncamper saga, speculating with government land has suddenly become a crime, this mind you while everyone in government has done the same over the years for self-enrichment or that of their immediate family. But, while that in itself exposes the whole process as selective justice, we welcome our day in court. However, something is wrong when the Prosecutor’s Office can hold citizens in this country hostage for between one and 10 years, and only bring the case forward when one dares postulate oneself or receives an offer or appointment to a lucrative position. In this very case it was the accused that got the case moving because they realized they had no life, social or otherwise, while they existed in virtual limbo and at whims of the Prosecutor’s Office.
Recently, we had the case of the St. Maarten tourist office involving Miss Labega, Mr. Badejo and Miss Fortuno, this case has been ongoing for some eight to 10 years. The office of the Prosecutor, however, would have us believe that there is reason to suspect collaboration and collusion, so after a decade we can’t ask people in this society to come in for questioning, but we behave like the “Gestapo” and rouse them in the pre-dawn hours, hold and parade them around not in search of justice, but to put the fear of hell into the rest of the population. For as thinking goes in my country, if they can hold the leaders without resistance what can I do or expect.
This case is real interesting for a few reasons; in the first case the civil servant who made the complaint was not authorize to do so and was subsequently removed by the minister. Secondly, the tourist bureau or the island government has claimed a loss of funds at the institution; and finally, for someone to be able to embezzle money these funds must be entrusted to their care. So it boggles the mind that after so many years have elapsed this case proceeds with no concern for the lives of those who were dragged through the mud by a system that thrives on periodic media leaks.
As is the case more time than not, we are told any semblance of overreach is just coincidental like was the case when they arrested Mr. Master just before the budget debate, for they were not aware of the debate on the most important policy document of the “country.” In the tourist bureau case, the two ladies were to sign consultancy contracts that same day, but of course, the prosecution can’t be expected to know that even though they bug peoples’ phones with or without authorization or cause.
Our people, like our leaders (politicians), are suffering from a serious case of disconnect, we can’t or refuse to recognize abuse and injustice until it knocks at our door; we, meaning too the often-used saying of “crab syndrome,” where we revel in the demise or misfortunes of others for no other reason than envy. In military terms it’s referred to as pathological disassociation and its cause is post-traumatic stress disorder. What causes it in people occupying a 37-square-mile rock is anybody’s guess? What we know is that it is unacceptable to destroy people’s lives under the guise of being understaffed, when the same people claim not to have filed their taxes because they didn’t have the help or time they are prosecuted for tax evasion.
It is not the intention here to preach anarchy. While this system is not the best, until we come up with something better we must obey and abide by the law. As is the case worldwide, don’t be afraid to say “Justice delayed, is Justice denied.” When your neighbour’s house catches fire wet yours.
Elton Jones
