Dear Editor,
I am still waiting to encounter someone who will prove to me that experience is not the best teacher. So when someone approaches me with a story based on their experience I listen and evaluate whether what was told to me is reasonable or not. Another thing that I pay close attention to is that “Children become what they see, quicker than what you tell them.” If a father is telling his boy children not to wear their caps when they are having dinner and he himself is wearing a hat at the table, I can guarantee that is what they are going to do later in life.
A young man came to me and asked me if he can consult with me on who to vote for when we find out who is going to be on the different political lists. I told him sure. And that is not with the intention to influence him but because he demonstrated maturity. Come election day anything can change, but from what I have been seeing happening on St. Maarten since 10-10-’10, the only person since Mr. Kirindongo who has directly done anything for that amount of people on St. Maarten is our present Minister of Justice.
Whether her intentions were to put everything she was busy with under the spotlight or not, the police union and the Customs were breathing down her neck and even organized actions against the minister in charge of the Justice department. They know where the hold-up was and possibly still is, but nobody dared go over the bank.
Going back to why I am writing this letter; Children born in 2005 were 5 years old in 2010 and will be 18 years old in 2023 and will be able to vote. If one understands the intention of an investment, I hope that whoever the shoe fits will wear it. But for the sake of those who were born in 2005, those politicians should change their attitude and approach completely so that we might be able to rescue those who we put in harm’s way.
But who is actually to blame? Someone told me when I’m writing I should ask the government to put people on their party list who can read and write so that they at least understand what is written in the Constitution. By now all your readers know my point of view concerning the subject of Civics. I would think that at least their leaders would explain to those members of Parliament that Parliamentary immunity is only valid during parliament meetings and not for political campaigns. I can also understand that all of this could have taken place because the leaders were busy recruiting more yes-men.
From 10-10-’10 up until today, there have been at least 5 political elections. During those 5 campaigns we all know what kind of language was widely spread over the whole island and by whom. And how much money was invested into vote-buying. Those who are political leaders and those who campaigned for the various political parties know how those campaigns went in the presence of those 5-year-olds as they grew older every 2 years and in plain sight. Those children born in 2005 and before are at the most 18 years old and younger. When we maintain that children become what they see, are we really not aware of what those children have seen and experienced at least every 2 years as they grew from 5 to 18 years.
Was this negative behavior not demonstrated by the leaders of our country? I believe that we declare that that was an investment. But, boy, what an investment it was. The dividends can be found in the daily police reports, from the school bus drivers and the teachers of the schools in the St. Peters area. Not to talk about those motorbike riders. So I have to ask who is responsible? I have an idea what certain groups of people think about this last question but I maintain that theories do not rear children, people rear children. And contrary to what the Dutchman tries to impose on us, I maintain that if you spare the rod you will spoil the child. The proof is in the pudding.
We were 14 brothers and sisters. My father used to tell my mother not to spare the rod because a disciplined child does not not cause confusion, it is the rude child. He used to tell my mother, “I don't want to have to chop down the tree.”
January is just around the corner, I would appreciate it if the governor would have a meeting with all the political leaders stressing the behavior of the members of their political party with the youth of St. Maarten in mind.
Russell A. Simmons
