Dear Editor,
No one wants to hear of a traffic accident, much less to hear that there were injuries involved. I lived it for years before there were cell phones. Also not everyone had a phone in the home so on many occasions I had to go to the home of the victim to deliver the news. Oftentimes about the wounded, but sometimes also of the dead.
When we hear the word “accident” we think unintentionally. My question, however, is , “When is it unintentionally?” I believe that everywhere where there are motor vehicles using the public road, there are rules governing that traffic, the right of way, the speed limit, the lighting, the brakes etc. And where there are rules there are bodies in place to check and keep an eye to see whether these rules are adhered to. I would dare say that even the schoolchildren know that to drive a motor vehicle a driver's license is required. So the same right of way rules and the rules concerning overtaking which apply to the drivers of a motor vehicle on more than two wheels apply to those on two wheels.
I will not quote them, because it is the responsibility of everyone driving mentioned motor vehicles to be in possession of a driver's license for the type of motor vehicle that that person is using on the public road. So if you are not in possession of a driver's license, and you are not taking driving lessons, and you dare drive over the public road knowing that every day there is a traffic accident on the roads of St. Maarten, where does the intention begin when something goes wrong? My father used to tell us, “When you see fight and your brothers are not involved, go the other way, because if you were not there your name could not be called.”
By now people might have realised what or who I usually react to in my letters to you. But even though I expect them to work in the interest of the people and even though I hope that they can themselves, I have to highlight that it is not the duty of government to organize sports. Support and even coordinate, but not organize. Let me admit publicly that I do not know any details about the government getting involved in a place for bikers to train and perform, but I have an idea what goes into organizing drag racing and I would think that there are similar requirements. These requirements are not ready by the snap of a finger and it takes serious and responsible organizing.
Again, who am I to judge, but there is no judging when it comes to the behavior of the bikers on the roads of St. Maarten. This behavior is very very irresponsible. They literally do not stop for any kind of traffic jam, at any pedestrian crossing. You name it, if it is prohibited in the traffic ordinance they violate it. Some of them probably do not know because they don’t have a license, but that is also in violation of the traffic rules. So for all the biker moms who are mad at the politicians who did not show up for that meeting, I feel sorry. It should be “Once bitten twice shy” or “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”.
I would say if they demonstrate maturity possibly then they would be treated equally. Even though they were up to their old tricks I believed the members of Parliament smelled the rat and decided to climb down a peg or two.
In closing I want to ask this question. I do not have any details about the numbers, but it is continually being mentioned that a lot of police people from St. Maarten are finding employment as police officers on Saba, Statia and Bonaire? If this is so, should not the Netherlands consider themselves traitors? Is justice not a part of the entire Kingdom?
Russell A. Simmons
