Dear Editor,
So, I have two very simple questions. But this is SXM and so there are things we are afraid to speak about outside of the privacy of our homes. So, these two questions might not be simple depending on who you speak to. These questions have to do with the recently convicted Buncampers.
First question: Is Maria Buncamper still employed as the Chief of Staff of Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion? She and her husband were convicted for, among other things, defrauding the government. She is in a position where she oversees everything that has to do with government finances. This includes, that’s right, bidding processes. You would think that she would have resigned or the Minister would have asked her to resign. But no. Nothing but silence. It says a lot.
Second question: According to the Prosecutor, Mr. Buncamper used his illegally-gotten funds to assist the St. Maarten Lions Club’s projects. Now that the Lions Club knows this, will it be returning the money? Will the prestigious club boot Buncamper for tarnishing its name? The club has several well-known lawyers as members, I wonder how comfortable they are?
In a society as small as ours these things are too often ignored and the media seems unwilling to “go there”. We tend to say, “lawwwdd, poor so-and-so” went through so much already. But “so-and-so” in this case literally enriched his entire family, including his children. And they were not thinking about the rest of us when the dump was burning every two minutes.
When do we stop saying “lawwd” and start saying, “look, there are consequences for your actions”? How integer are we truly?
Name withheld at author’s request.
