Dear Editor,
I am very disappointed in those involved in laying out the bus stops along Walter Nisbeth Road. In my opinion to lay out a bus stop does not take rocket science. Just material and space. I am sure that there is more than enough space along Walter Nisbeth Road, especially on the pond side, to lay out a decent bus stop.
Article 18 of the traffic ordinance states that it is prohibited to stop a vehicle within five meters of both sides of a signboard indicating a bus stop unless otherwise indicated. Meaning if another distance (10m) is indicated then it is not allowed to stop within 10 meters of the sign.
Even though there is ample space on Walter Nisbeth Road to lay out the bus stops in a responsible way, and not against the law because certain Ministers say so, I believe that there was never any intention to lay out those bus stops in the correct way. Absolutely no consideration was taken to lay out those bus stops the way they should be laid out, taking the traffic law into consideration. Not a brain surgery, just a measuring tape, some stakes, either cement or pitch, your bus stop sign and you gone clear. You do not need a bus stop hut, those are not mentioned in the traffic ordinance.
If it is not irresponsible then those involved do not care, because the bus stop signs are right next to lamp posts, next to snack trucks, even though there is ample space to make inlets so that the buses can get off the road to let out or pick up passengers.
Neither was space for that five meters on either side of the signboard taken into consideration, Where there is an inlet the inlet is barely three meters wide, but extra effort was made to assure that those bus stop huts were placed along the road, whether they are a confusion or not.
Since we are talking about article 18 of the Traffic ordinance, there are at least 15 places mentioned in that article where it is forbidden to stop with a vehicle. In my days I would have field days with those gypsies stopping any- and everywhere along the road. I would have grossly contributed in paying my own salary.
Again I have to repeat: Public transportation should be in the hands of the public. The fate of those without transportation should never be left up to the bus permit holders. There is no getting away from this.
Those politicians who have been in government for years, no matter which party, are all responsible for the mess that the public transportation is in presently. Nine governments in nine years and every government has used the public transportation to get voters to vote for them.
Nobody protects anybody forever, so we hear these things all the time. I came and met that saying “the longest rope has an end,” but I have experienced many situations which have proven it true. Another way to say that is that “the pitcher goes to the well so often ’til at last it comes up broken.”
Another politician was arrested and charged. Are we aiming to break and set a world record?
Between Curaçao and Aruba there are about eight baseball players in the major leagues and they are at the top in their positions on their teams. To me relatively that is number one in the world. But that is a very positive thing.
I can make the same comparison with our St. Maarten politicians and people in government when it concerns the amounts of arrests. Relatively it is also number one in the world, but that is a very bad and negative thing. So I would suggest for us to undo those wrong things and let us begin by showing maturity and, for instance, tackle the public transportation.
Russell A. Simmons
