Dear Editor,
“Mr. X, we appreciated the work that you did during the past schoolyear but unfortunately our budget will not be sufficient to be able to pay your salary for another schoolyear.” Reason given by the head of the schoolboard of the PSVE for not renewing the contract of the Security Council and Guidance Coach of the PSVE in 2007.
When a certain schoolteacher asked Mr. X how did the meeting go and was told what was explained to Mr.X , that schoolteacher replied, “B.S. She told us that Mr. X walked in here like a one man gang, putting order in the place, making the teachers look bad. We told her that the passing percentage went from 57% the year before to 87% that year. and that was the reason Mr, James wanted some one like Mr. X and not to forget that the police only had to come by the school four times while Mr. X there.”
What the sad part of this all is, is that that schoolboard head knew and still knows how valuable that task that Mr. X performed was for the students, the parents and for the teachers. Which is still the case today. Even also after all these years of negative and unacceptable behavior that schoolboard head has not made an effort to encourage the powers that be to have an SC&GC in the schools.
Now this. While growing up in the Village in San Nicolas, Aruba, we used to have a saying “He walk in here like ten Tarzans.” While reading that letter to you on page 35 of the paper of August 26, that saying from years ago in the Village crossed my mind. “Ms Joslyn Morton walked in there like ten Tarzans.” Even though I would have preferred for these types of letters not to be necessary, it is good for the archives. And I don't want to say the same thing in a different way, because it will be messing with the taste and the vigor. This happens when those of us who relinquish our integrity to get things.
Which brings me to this. If, according to I Timothy 6:10, the love of money is the root of ALL evil, and one does his/her utmost to get money no matter how, isn't he/she qualified to be considered evil? I believe that this applies to all who love money.
95% of the streets of St. Maarten have an average of three churches per street. Therefore I believe that I can conclude that more than 90% of the population of St. Maarten believe in God. On our money it tells us “In God we trust” and that “God is with us”. So why are those (you know who you are) who do their utmost to in some form or the other (try to) scam the people of St. Maarten out of their hard-earned money, in order to satisfy their personal greed, surprised that they do not lead/have a peaceful life?
Thanks again to Ms. Morton, she did not insult anyone, nor did she use curse words.
Russell A. Simmons
