Dear Editor,

More and more I am becoming aware of the fact that more people than I think agree with the observations that I make in my letters to you.

Not too long ago a lady saw me in a supermarket and said to me, “Mister Russell, you ever take time to analyze why the Dutchman doesn’t share?” My reaction was, “They don't share?” She continued, “I am surprised that you have never talked about ‘Going Dutch’ when writing in the paper.”

I was not sure where she was going with this so I told her that I do not write in the paper. I write letters to the Editor, knowing that it is the Editor’s prerogative to print them or not. Because I had something else to do, I excused myself, collected and paid for what I purchased and left.

As I drove to my next destination I thought of what the lady had said to me. Later on in the day I asked a faithful reader of my letters if he had any recollection of me writing anything accusing anyone of “Going Dutch” or using the term. He knows the phrase, but did not remember reading about it in any of my letters to you. He said to me, “That is not far-fetched, because it ties in with giving with both hands outstretched and I will get you one day.” Which reminded me of the passage in the bible: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35).

I will never be able to pinpoint and/or decide what was/is their agenda, but what I know is that our education system, which was among the best during my school days and shortly after, was altered in a way that what I was able to achieve with my MULO diploma at the age of 16 is more than those nowadays with a HAVO diploma. But I have always asked myself, what was their agenda when they changed one of the best educational systems in the Caribbean region and surroundings for the Mamoet wet, which up to now, after so many years, is still a confusion. Over the years when I would mention that during a conversation, my father would say, among other things, that brainwashing and indoctrination are among the most dangerous words in the dictionary.

Now this: I have not put my two cents into the formation of the new government, because I did not postulate myself and expect those who are elcted to do what is best for the country. My only problem with what I am seeing so far is that experience would tell me that integrity could not find its way into those discussions. I was reminded of the reasons why the Amsterdammetjes in the Frontstreet were removed and why the fire department building in Cannegieter Street was torn down, among other happenings from the past.

I have always stated that there is no official opposition in Parliament there are members who either vote for or against propositions.

I was about to close this letter when a lady who can know what is going on called me and asked me if I can please ask those people who are fighting for position to put St. Maarten first. It is primarily between the big vote-getters. I told her I will get back to her but in the meantime she should try to find out how that is regulated in the individual parties. What I know is that receiving more votes in a Parliamentary election does not determine your place in your party.

What I have noticed during the last elections (and as we know, we have had at least three times as many elections as any other kingdom partner since 10-10-’10) is that there is competition and backbiting within the individual parties. It is no secret in St. Maarten anymore, when it comes to people in high places in government, who is doing what. The newspaper can easily make a special archive of all who have been investigated, arrested, indicted, punished and condemned. And there are more to come. So when someone tells me that there is jockeying and fighting for position, I do not ask, “True?”, I ask, “Who?”

If I look, for instance, at the N A list, both Jacobs as well as Doran lost plenty votes. I am not sure what criteria could be used if there would be a dispute between those two who should be the party leader. As an outsider looking in, if I would look at the type of complaints directed at that party membership, I would think it would be wise to let sleeping dogs lie. Sometimes it is wise to avoid having to listen to what evil tongues say.

Russell A. Simmons

Dear Editor,

I admit it. I am suddenly afflicted with “The Russell Syndrome”. For those of you out of touch, the symptoms are that the individual finds himself complaining and writing about everything, be the causes real or imagined. I liked to think I was immune to that and have commented to Russell in print because of that, yet here I am … complaining about something again. Not imagined but genuine and real and goes to the heart of quality of life for everyone that lives here versus the commercial interests of a few. My apologies in advance.

You have all seen them and been victim of them. Long lines of quads snailing along with traffic backed up behind them to the horizon. The quad guys will tell you to just get over it. That the roads are public and they can do whatever they want. But can they?

Yesterday on my way back from Marigot I had occasion to go over the causeway bridge. When I got to the roundabout at the end, I was confronted by a guy on a quad blocking the road as if he owned it. His purpose was to allow 50 or so quads that were lined up up Airport Road to filter in en mass and thus stop traffic dead in the road in Simpson Bay. As I looked to the right I could see that they already had traffic stopped all the way to the airport … at least 100 cars dead in the road. So I drove around this guy who was blocking the road, passed the “mom chicken” that was leading the parade and went on my way. The car that was behind me didn’t do that and he is probably getting home just about now.

It is the usual island conundrum. The perceived rights of some people trampling on the actual rights of others and who is to say what’s correct and put a stop to it? I believe what the guy on the quad was doing by blocking the road is illegal. Pure and simple. No middle ground. He has no legal authority to do it and should be controlled and fined because of it.

In addition and somewhat less clear is the notion that you have 50 vehicles that would not be allowed on public roads in any civilized jurisdiction snailing along and impeding traffic literally as far as the eye can see. And not just a little. If you are trying to get somewhere on time like the airport or the hospital or something and you trip over this parade, you can just forget it, because the snail train will make sure that you add 30 or 40 minutes to wherever you are trying to get.

Is this legal? Tough to say. They are a commercial operation like the buses and everybody else that uses the roads for business, but does that give them the right to simply make everyone else on the road miserable by impeding traffic every time they show up? I wouldn’t think so, but who knows? It’s just another one of those things that goes on here routinely that makes your blood pressure head to the moon.

But I have a suggestion. While I would love to see them banned I figure there is little or no chance of that, but an ordinance that limits their numbers to, say, no more than 5 or 7 in a row and require them to allow people to pass without hindrance would be a way forward. If they really need 20 or 30 in a row then require a police “leader” at the tour operator’s expense to make sure that the rest of the island gets to use the roads in some reasonable fashion and keep butt-heads like my guy on the quad blocking the road at the causeway from making up the laws as they go along.

I mention that because that incident could have been much worse. As I was driving around him he very aggressively attempted to run his quad directly in front of me to force me to either stop or crash him. Fortunately my quick cat-like reflexes kept him from being successful in either attempt, but given a slightly different set of circumstances and he could have ended up a hood ornament on my car. And he would have deserved it.

It’s a problem worth solving. It’s one of those quality-of-life things that makes people crazy for no reason and it would be really nice if the police could do something about it before someone gets killed.

Steven Johnson

Dear Editor,

In the Tuesday, January 30, edition of “The Daily Herald” there was an article regarding how much time commuters spend in traffic every year, focused on Trinidad and Tobago, but acknowledging that it is an issue throughout Caribbean island nations. Here in SXM, the problem is very much the same.

Traffic congestion is caused by two distinct factors. The first is the inherent limitations of space and topography and the second, the number of vehicles traversing the limited road systems.

The first part is hard to control, as our forefathers never contemplated or planned for the growth in population and the popularity of motorized transport, not to mention the rampant expansion of tourism, bringing so many transient bodies to our shores.

The continued growth in residential units, although good for the economy, goes unabated with little consideration of how all those new owners and vacation renters are supposed to navigate the island and enjoy all it has to offer.

The second part of the problem, the number of vehicles on the island is controllable.

The Dutch government has done an admirable job removing junked vehicles, but so much more can and should be done. Junked cars litter the streets and take up valuable parking spaces that our local businesses desperately need to serve their customers and survive.

It appears that many junked cars are held in the owners’ front yards and sold piecemeal for parts, generating some meager cash flow, at the expense of beautification and sorely needed space.

To my knowledge, there is no large, professionally managed junkyard to take the place of random, front yard junkyards.

Auto theft is a significant problem, becoming more organized and sophisticated, with the end goal often to create a black market for parts.

Wouldn’t it make sense that the government collaborate with private business to provide a land lease and maybe co-ownership of a regulated, sanctioned junkyard close to the national dump? That way the government, after giving proper notice for these abandoned vehicles to be addressed by their owners, could remove the front yard eyesores, with salvage payments to the owners, allowing a real junkyard to stock parts that can be easily purchased in a legitimate setting, reducing the demand for black market, stolen parts.

One might ask how this would be paid for. All future imports of any vehicle should have a progressive duty tax assessed and collected at the point of entry. The duty fee should be based on the declared value, which should be enough to fund the removal of two similar vehicles, either to the new junkyard or the dump. The junkyard itself will create jobs and should turn a profit return to the government.

This duty collection process should also help establish a record of ownership of all vehicles entering the country and proof of payment should be required when obtaining a license, as is an inspection and proof of insurance coverage, currently.

A titling system established for all vehicles, new or used, entering SXM will allow tracking of confiscated motor bikes and other abandoned vehicles, which will ameliorate what is a problem for the police now.

Maybe after a few years of implementing this policy, we will have fewer thefts, fewer abandoned vehicles, less traffic congestion, more places to park, a legitimate source for parts and an enhanced travel experience for locals and tourists alike. The added control of ownership documentation though titling will allow more transparency on the vehicle supply side, as currently there is no control on what vehicles are coming into our ports.

Currently, there are more and more scooters arriving on island, where few rules are followed with dangerous driving risks becoming the norm. Go to the Dominican Republic to see what our roadway future looks like. It is complete mayhem. But, it is also understandable, as who wants to spend so much time caught in a long traffic jam trying to get home from work, or going to buy groceries or just being a tourist headed to a beach or out sightseeing? Scooters weave their way dangerously around the long, stalled lines.

The negative effect on the tourist experience will be the death of the economic engine that drives SXM.

Something has to be done to regulate the number of vehicles, which we can control easily, in conjunction with improved road systems and maintenance, which is more difficult.

We have a new administration, hopefully for the next four years. Please let this be a priority and if I can help in any way, I’ll volunteer.

Paul Speece

Simpson Bay

Dear Editor,

It was with amazement that I read your article or rather infomercial about Motorworld’s car party for the new car brand GAC Motor (Daily Herald, January 19, 2024).

Anyone who was stuck in traffic during the last 3 months may have asked themselves the question: do we really need more cars or another brand of car on the island?.

The short answer is: Yes, just as much as we need another casino or supermarket.

I am sure that GAC manufactures good cars; probably just as good as the other 20 or so brands that the local dealership attempts to sell us daily.

My reservation is with the short-sighted strategic choice of Motorworld to flog the umpteenth internal combustion engine car while it is exceedingly clear that this technology does not contribute to a healthier environment due to the pollutants, contribution to global warming and extra dependency on fossil fuels.

We in St Maarten stand to pay a high price for the effects of global warming but yet we do so little to mitigate it.

Electric vehicles or EVs are a much better choice for our small island.

It is about time that we embrace this new technology and stop falling victim for car makers (and dealerships) who keep pushing the old polluting technology on us for profit.

Mind you, I am totally not against profit.

In fact, profit and I are good friends!!

All I am saying is let’s make a conscious choice for the technology that gives us a 90% efficiency and less pollution instead of the old 37% efficiency technology with lots of pollution and global warming.

Car manufacturers and their dealership friends should facilitate the change and not block the progress like they are now doing by dumping surplus inventory on St. Maarten.

With GAC’s bold slogan “GO AND CHANGE” both manufacturer and dealership should “walk the talk”.

Steve Duzanson