Dear Editor,
An elderly man from Jandoret (Curaçao) once sat me down to speak to me concerning how he envisioned that police should go about their work in the country as opposed to the more inhabited areas. During that conversation he used several sayings of which when I was reading the article concerning the denial of the labour inspectors access to the airport I remembered one of them.
He said it in Papiamento, which translated would sound like this and mean the same: “Every closed eye is not sleeping and every open eye is not seeing.” Because it would be very useful to me during the carrying out of my duties I made sure and wrote it down in my book.
After reading that article I said, “This is very simple.” I started by asking myself if there was a security company involved? If so which one? Honestly speaking, with my mind on who mans the security companies on St. Maarten? Again, I was not there so I cannot pass judgement, but I had to ask that question.
In one of my most recent letters I wrote about the reaction by government personnel “Who does Russell think he is?” Because of my conviction to uphold the law I was not deterred, but that is the atmosphere that leaders in government have created over the years.
Instead of letting the public know that those in authority have to carry out their duty, regardless of who is involved, they would call the person who is dutybound to carry out the law directly or via his/her superior to prevent them from stopping the irregularities, and letting them know that they would handle it. It is still happening and Minister Lee in my opinion is directly or indirectly also a contributor to this.
Irma should never be a reason for publicly petitioning the Immigration to be lenient. This was not tactical. It automatically increased the pressure on the Immigration Department to do exactly the opposite and rearrange the administration. What it did was boost the popularity of Minister Lee.
I know that the original consensus was for the Ministries to consult each other before taking certain measures, but I do not get the feeling that Minister Lee is a team player. I do not know the details, but my experience indicates to me who feels empowered to do exactly what Minister Lee experienced. I expected the backlash because that is what it is.
Long before Irma people have been complaining that the Immigration doesn’t go about their business like formerly when the illegal workers would be afraid to venture out. Nowadays they are not only not afraid, they are buying up old cars repairing them, running gypsy (check outside the harbor), stopping any and everywhere in the road and even committing road rage.
I mentioned it when writing in respond to Joslyn’s letter on sex with minors and I will state it this way this time: “When you come to St. Maarten, leave your bad ways at home in your country.” Money for border control is available. What does border control entail? We have to determine who is a St. Maartener!
Russell A. Simmons
