Dear Editor,
Permit me to applaud Mister Henri Brookson for his prompt reaction to the roadside construction on Union Road. I am not a regular social media person, so I cannot comment whether there were observations on this situation or not on social media.
On Tuesday last I went to Marigot but I went via the bridge and the causeway because I had to make a stop in Simpson Bay. On Wednesday, however, I used Union Road and to my surprise I saw roadside construction in full swing. It had to be in full swing because of the amount of workers and equipment on the sight.
My first reaction was, “at last a sidewalk.” But then I noticed the layout and when I put two and two together, thoughts like “who is getting how much under the table and why so much construction equipment? Is this a rush job?” This, in my opinion, had to be done in a hurry, because no self-respecting engineer and minister would like to sign off on that project. Why with all of that space, so close to the road?
When I read the letter to you by Mister Brookson I said to myself, “Mister Brookson must have written that letter with great restraint because I know there are different ways to write, when mister Brookson so rightfully stated that, ‘It would save the government money in the future when they would not have to reimburse people for the structures that were built.’”
In the past several investigations have been made in the then-Public Works turned VROMI [Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure – Ed.]. So, because of dubious modus operandi, would it be farfetched if persons would want to know if VROMI is some kind of a cash cow? We have a set of bus-stop huts along Walter Nisbeth Road which are doing service as “setties” for the food trucks, while the buses cannot get access to the bus stops. These were also approved by VROMI.
I am aware of who the concerned minister was during that period. So, I again want to say kudos to Mister Brookson for his prompt reaction to what anyone can see is very unprofessional and I would dare state malicious. And even if it is not intended to do harm, road safety would dictate that, as again Mister Brookson so rightfully stated, “It can create a dangerous situation when at night (or even during the day) someone slips off the road and bangs into the wall (or a pedestrian).”
So, are we making propaganda for being incompetent or that “anything goes” in St. Maarten?
My father use to tell us that there is always some kind of a doubt when one uses the statement “even a blind man could see that”.
By the way I saw the reaction on the face of that cooking-gas truck-driver who was rocking with the truck while driving through Front Street yesterday.
Russell A. Simmons
