Dear Editor,
I read the letter to you from Alfred Harley of March 14, 2023, concerning the consumer report and thought “Eureka”. Mr. Harley writes about overcoming fear, I believe it is a cry of desperation.
This gentleman took his good time to outline the abuses that have been taking place for years in St. Maarten and of which every last government is guilty. I can freely use the term “guilty of” because, and I stand to be proven wrong, “Government is responsible for everything that happens in the country, whether good or bad”.
If the people in government are ready to accept praise and an overinflated salary for doing the right thing, they should also be ready to accept negative criticism when they do not do well and in my opinion, the latter is outdoing the former. I will continue to state this in no matter what form. The lack of education in civics contributes towards people in government getting away with murder.
Not in defense of but in earnest, I am willing to leave this last government off the hook because of the history since 10-10-’10, but there are a lot of the same people who have been in all of the governments since 10-10-’10 including Commissioners of Education and educators, so they all have in some form or fashion neglected the youth, and by extension the people of Sint Maarten, the supply of a basis to stand on. A basis to know where they come from and what is the foundation of their country.
Via you I must say “Thank you, Alfred Harley.”
I cannot put everyone in government in the same basket, but those who deserve to be ridiculed know who they are. And as I have promised I will repeat: Those who desire to live honestly, who want their lives to display faithfulness and authenticity, make choices based on what is true rather than what is expedient. The integrity of the upright guides them.
Russell A. Simmons
