Dear Editor,
No, it is not prejudicial, nor is it being self-centred or conceited. Fact is if selection is done adequately, anybody can become a Minister of Government, but not anyone can be selected to be a police officer. We need healthy people with a level head, who are not trigger-happy and are able to deal with ridicule and insults; people who do not take everything personal. We need people with a certain level of education, who are able to compile reports and statistics. etc., here on Sint Maarten in Dutch and English. We need people who do not discriminate in any fashion. But there is something basically wrong when such criteria are demanded to become a police officer and the criteria to be leader in government do not even require a minimum level of education.
These are the same people who dare criticise and evaluate others. It might sound sarcastic, but are they not right when they determine that students who after graduating abroad and apply for a job here where they were born and bred, are made out to be "overqualified" for the job that they apply for?
I am not a mindreader, but after reading the expression made by Julio Romney in the paper of Friday/Saturday April 22/23, I am under the firm impression that Romney, who continuously demonstrates professionalism, expressed himself out of frustration on Thursday when he stated "We have also heard the false narrative on the floor of Parliament that members of Parliament have a right to declare themselves as an independant Member of Parliament".
Although Romney explained to them that he could not find any legislation to sustain this and requested such from those self-appointed independent members of Parliament, they have not done so and continue to illegally represent themselves as indepenedant members of Parliament. I do not know what Romney's advice would be, but logic would tell me that those self-appointed independant members should either re-associate themselves with their original party, or give up their seat in Parliament The different parties would then have to determine who is in line to be the next member of Parliament for the party.
Because I am aware that politicians often use big words to impress, I would like to know what is the situation or the fact whose cause or explanation is in question , unique to Sint Maarten. Even a blind man can see that our people in government are ready to use everything possible to do what is convenient for themselves rather than to take care of the people who pay their overinflated salaries.
I can express these feelings because for forty-one years I earned every penny that I received, and am still paying taxes on moneys that so many others and myself deposited in the coffers of government for over forty years. I do not think a professional like Romney would go into Parliament and prove to the world that he does not know what he is talking about. The seats belong to the political party, not to MPs and MPs have no right to declare themself an independent member of Parliament. I wonder if those members of Parliament would think of claiming Parliamentary immunity if they were charged with performing in an illegal or false capacity?
Russell A. Simmons
