Dear Editor,

My wife and I have a place in Cupecoy. We love St. Maarten and we want our beautiful island and its wonderful residents to thrive.

The regular power outages SXM experiences are harmful to residents, businesses, and tourism and it is obvious that GEBE is unable to keep up with the demand. What is also obvious is that the government is approving building projects without adding the additional infrastructure necessary to support the increased demand. Every new building that goes up brings with it additional strain on the electrical grid, waste management systems, and roadways.

The fairest way to finance the considerable expense of infrastructure improvements is to pass along some of that cost to the people making the profits – the developers. For example, if a developer seeks approval for a $200 million project they should pay a $20 million infrastructure fee – 10% of the project cost.

When the new towers at Mullet Bay (known as Fourteen) were built they should have made road renovation a condition for opening. The developer should have been allowed to finish construction using the old road so that the trucks wouldn’t damage the new one. Then, BEFORE opening, they should have renovated the worst 1/4 mile of that road – which is the part along the golf course from there to Maho. That road is an important thoroughfare for people traveling between Terres Basses, Cupecoy, Maho and Simpson Bay. Anyone that travels that stretch of road knows it is in terrible condition and is regularly made impassable when it rains.

We can expect developers to understate the scope of their projects in order to reduce their infrastructure fees, but financial analyses and audits would assure that SXM receives the revenue needed to help it keep up with the growing demand.

As previously stated, the fairest way to finance the considerable expense of infrastructure improvements is to pass along some of that cost to the people making the profits – the developers. Including the fee with each project approval assures that infrastructure improvements keep pace with new development.

Looking forward to the day when these power outages are a thing of the past.

Lou & Sue Rivera

Dear Editor,

I have been asking myself this question for the past several days. Why is Lyndon Lewis the Acting Minister of Education? Overseeing two ministries is a daunting and difficult task for one person to effectively manage, especially for a new minister.

Another question is why the ruling coalition did not appoint a minister of education? The ruling coalition saw fit to appoint a minister of VROMI [Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure – Ed.]. This was done because of the current energy crisis. Not appointing a minister has been interpreted by some educators that the current political leadership does not view education as a priority presently.

The main reason this article was written is to highlight the fact that during the Council of Ministers July 10, 2024, press briefing Minister Lewis did not discuss the fact that subsidized school teachers still have not been paid 1 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) and 1 percent increase in vacation allowance.

Finally, on June 26, 2024 a reporter asked a minister about this issue at the last council of ministers press briefing. Unfortunately, the minister was Patrice Gumbs. Equally disappointing is Minister Lewis was not present at that meeting. Moreover, sadly the minister of finance was not there either. Additionally, the minister of finance did not show up to the latest council of ministers press briefing.

Appointing Lewis to be minister of justice made sense because it suits his educational and work background. Placing him to be an acting minister of education was very foolish. An educator who worked at the elementary and secondary level is needed for the ministry of education.

Minister Lewis's silence on the non-payment of COLA and increase in vacation allowance is profoundly disturbing and deeply disrespectful towards subsidized school teachers. For the past four years, teachers have suffered greatly at the hands of one minister of education. Will this mistreatment and ignoring of subsidized school teachers' concerns continue? How long will these teachers have to wait for these two payments? Will it be sooner, later or never?

Kenneth Cook

Dear Editor,

The cost of living in St. Maarten is getting out of hand! One of the main reasons for this is the overpriced apartment rental fees. The average maximum income for citizens of St. Maarten is less than $1,000. Yet, most apartment fees range between $900 and $5,000 a month, sometimes for a mere studio or one-bedroom apartment that is barely livable for one individual, let alone an entire family with children.

To add insult to injury, an alarming number of apartments now prohibit pets and children, greatly narrowing the options for most St. Maarteners seeking a home. The situation has become so dire that once an affordable, livable apartment does become available, there is an overwhelming response of desperate renters competing to secure it. Most residents are then forced to take apartments that are way over their budget, causing eventual debt and embarrassing evictions, or they are forced to burden their family and friends for shelter. St. Maarten is a small island, only 37 square miles, 80 percent of which is owned by individuals or companies primarily interested in making big money off tourist-geared Airbnbs, condos, and hotels.

Where is the consideration for the average small man trying to make his living serving the very tourists we rely on to generate this economy? Is he not the very foundation our economy stands on? If he is weakened, how can we possibly stand strong? If his pockets are not full, how then would he be able to give back and add wealth to our currently suffering economy? As a country, we must begin to think ten steps ahead! Why allow an apartment to sit empty for months in the hopes of catching a big payout for a short time? Why refuse to lower your price when lowering it actually assures a guaranteed, consistent monthly rental income from young professionals looking to save money or average citizens working domestic jobs who actually live on the island day to day?

As a country, we must begin to show compassion and empathy for our community. It’s easy to say it’s your property and you can charge what you want, but what if supermarkets were not regulated and charged whatever they wanted? What if schools did the same? You would suffer in an already overpriced economy! There must be new laws and regulations to make things fair for the community as a whole. If everyone is allowed to abuse their positions, people suffer. Especially the small man and his family, they suffer the most, and as a result, crime increases. How dare we help to create more criminals and then complain about them after? Prevention is the solution!

Once I, your candidate Marie Claire Gwendolyne Langlais, candidate #14, am voted in to become an elected member of parliament, I will make it my solemn duty to bring a magnifying glass to this situation and begin the process of rectifying it. My goal is to become the voice for those without one! On August 19th, 2024, go out and vote #14 on the NOW party list! Vote Marie Claire Langlais and let’s all move forward into a brighter and fairer future for us all – together! It is time! Vote for change! Vote for fairness! Vote NOW!

Marie Claire Langlais

Dear Editor,

At last, there is an awakening and the beginning of a powerful counter-discourse that, hopefully, will redress for a while (at least) the old sinking ship USA and, with it, “the West,” Western civilization.

The gaping hole left in the hull of ship USA by slavery/segregation/the Civil War and its aftermath (Jim Crow) have combined with more recent deep gashes, one in particular, that dates back to April 4, 1968, the day they shot and killed Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (I was a young man back then). Ever since that wretched day, more than half a century ago, the USA has been leaking profusely, steadily, increasingly! The doomed vessel is listing heavily, sinking slowly. It is as if she awaits that exceptional sea storm and a strong enough wave to send her to the bottom into collapse, complete breakdown.

Fortunately, a hopeful awakening may right the sinking USA. As I gauge it, the leader of this awakening and revival is Coleman Hughes, a young philosopher whose new book I strongly recommend. “The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colourblind America, 2024” is strong medicine, a counter-poison. It is the perfect antidote for all of those who, for way too long, have abandoned the teachings of MLK to embrace the poisonous politics of race that is nothing more than a payback version (an inversion of that old racism) of segregation and Jim Crow politics.

Wikipedia informs us that Coleman Hughes is “of African American and Puerto Rican descent and grew up in Montclair, New Jersey.” It also states that “his mother died when he was 19.” Hughes is young (age 28). He graduated from Columbia University, where he majored in Philosophy. However, he is already a proven scholar. In this new book, Hughes argues against race-based politics to counter and end American racism. He maintains that socioeconomics (Class) is a better gauge or “proxy for disadvantage.”

This new book (available on Amazon) is a must-read for those interested in this matter and the perfect gift for all politicians in Saint Martin (French and Dutch), for whom Coleman Hughes’ antidote may be very beneficial.

Gérard M. Hunt