Dear Editor,
I am none of their fathers, but that does not prevent me from saying “Stop it”. Now is definitely not the time for anyone to be encouraged or I might even say, instructed to say what is not from the heart.
I came to the Windward Islands to work as a police officer in 1975. As long as I can remember the immigration officers were always the ones who were feared by everyone whether well documented or not. And just as nowadays every time the immigration organised raids everybody, both migrants as well as locals, criticised our actions.
I do not usually write this way, because I put the wellbeing of the people before politics. I know when both the Minister of Justice as well as the President of Parliament were born. I must add also that little do both of them know how joy filled my heart when both of them were appointed to the position they presently occupy. I will repeat: “Do not permit politics to obscure what can be done right.”
Because of social media, nothing.is secret anymore and because of modern technology, within seconds news spreads all over the world. When something is said wrongly, if it is not corrected immediately it goes viral and taken completely out of context, living a life of its own.
Sorry to say that the term “internationally publicised controls on local businesses” was not necessary. There are all kinds of publications concerning St. Maarten on Facebook. These questions concerning the damnification as a result of these raids to me are more damaging than the so-called ‘heavy-handed’ controls.
By the way, those same visitors stay on to see the results of potential wars in warzones. Ask Biden.
The damage caused by not collecting taxes from these same businesses which so-called can be affected by these raids is far more than the results of the raids.
When I read all the Ministries and Ministers to which these questions were sent publicly, it gives me the impression that all of those entities were wrong and the person asking the question was right. That to me is “internationally publicising’ the inconsideration of our government. Did not the one asking those questions think “country before self”? I stand to be corrected, but I do not remember this kind of rhetoric when the former President of Parliament was entangled in a similar situation, so why now?
We were taught by the Dutch, but we constantly portray exactly contrary what the Dutch have demonstrated to us. We do not make use of long memories and make use of the appropriate opportunity, we jump at the first opportunity. For the last four years we have been in a road tax saga and nobody thought “this is a cash cow, so let us not disregard this”. Instead of making Immigration raids a problem, get together with the Finance Minister and see what can be done about getting those motor vehicle owners to pay their road tax.
We have to stop looking for lame excuses. That letter talks about “growing up in these circles.” Again I say, “stop it.” Those of us who did that job know where the phone calls used to come from to “let go” certain people because of their connections.
There is a saying: “New brooms sweep clean, but the old broom knows the corners.” I just read that we are getting a new prosecutor and that there are still a few loose ends. For years now the Immigration has been out there doing what Immigration does. Never, I repeat, never has there been any complaint in mass from visitors to St. Maarten., That is why I say, “Stop it.”
In law enforcement, “consistency” is what arranges the people. Believe it or not, contrary to what is depicted in that article, “people in general want law and order”. It is those others who complain. So, let us get together and let us be consistent with our law enforcement, so that everybody can be assured that when they are in St. Maarten, they are treated fairly.. Consistency is the word.
Once one has established one’s identity, the people will know and those others will hide, and the regular visitors will be safe. So Grisha and Anna should get together and not let anyone prevent them from doing what is best for St. Maarten.
Russell A. Simmons
