Dear Editor,
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding a recent development with our local telecommunications company, TelEm Group of Companies. In recent times, the company has unilaterally increased the monetary conversion rate they apply to their services from 1.78 to 1.82. This decision has raised significant issues for many of the company's customers, including myself.
The concern arises from the fact that the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten has officially set the conversion rate at 1.79. This official rate serves as the benchmark for financial transactions in our region and is meant to ensure a fair and consistent approach to currency conversion. The telecommunications company's decision to use a rate of 1.82 is not only inconsistent with the official rate but also has financial implications for their customers.
This discrepancy in conversion rates can have a direct impact on customers’ bills and expenses, causing financial inconvenience and uncertainty. It is essential for service providers to adhere to official rates and regulations to maintain transparency and fairness for their customers.
I urge the TelEm Group of Companies to reevaluate their conversion rate and align it with the officially established rate. This would ensure that customers are not unfairly burdened with the additional cost incurred due to the discrepancy.
I also call upon the regulatory authorities to monitor and enforce adherence to the officially established conversion rate to protect the interests of consumers and maintain financial integrity within our community.
In a time when economic stability is paramount, it is crucial that service providers act ethically and responsibly. I hope that our local telecommunications company will address this issue promptly and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that their customers are treated fairly.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I hope that by bringing this issue to light, we can work together to resolve it for the benefit of our community.
Sincerely,
Cedric R. Peterson
Dear Editor,
In The Daily Herald of Monday, November 6, 2023, in the article regarding the annual Courtney Gibson Spelling Bee, on page 3, I believe, I should make the following observation.
In the second paragraph third line, I read “Fitzpatrick snagged the first place after correctly spelling a Guyanese word, etc.”
If I am not mistaken the young man Fitzpatrick is of Guyanese descent/heritage, the other contestant is of Indian descent/heritage, I think.
The finalists were presented with new words that were not previously given to the spellers. The young Fitzpatrick won after correctly spelling the Guyanese word in the final round.
This doesn’t sound right to me and in my opinion, furthermore opens up possibilities of more controversy in future.
If the word is described as a “Guyanese word”, my assumption is that the word is a creole word. Since it may have been a word specific to one culture or heritage background, I do not think it should be in a Spelling Bee. To be more specific, a word specifically tied to a specific culture or heritage should not be in this Spelling Bee that is open to all children on St. Maarten.
I appreciate the effort put forward by the committee to have this annual Spelling Bee, but I have to voice my disagreement and disappointment with the outcome of the Spelling Bee Contest.
Oldine Bryson Pantophlet
Dear Editor,
Militants are not and are never the natives’ army on behalf of government worldwide.
So, Israel should not stop attacking Hamas and other militants groups.
We, the white and black people, will stand in supporting and protecting the holy land Israel.
Until Hamas gives up the people they have hostage, Israel, please keep attacking Hamas to the max with full force.
We are in favour of the son of Abraham and his wife Sarah, who are Christ’s ancestors, not the son of Abraham with the Arab maid, The world of modernised Arabs must learn to sit around the table towards democracy.
And Arabs should respect international laws at all times. Black nations in Africa will always help protect Israel, the holy land.
Why are so many Arab nations against one Israel territory and the Israelite people, the Jews, in the holy land?
Cuthbert Bannis
Dear Editor,
By now I believe that your readers are aware that even though “I love my mother to death”, my father was very instrumental in forming me so that I have become the man I am today. “Look me in the eye when speaking to me.” “Never lie, only cowards lie.” “Respect your mother, your sisters and respect women on the whole.” “Avoid being biased.” “If you are speaking about others, avoid hearsay.” “Don’t mix up he and she.” And I can go on and on with the advice he gave me. Because he was a seaman and was not at home everyday, he gave me a copybook and a pencil and told me to write down what I thought was important in that copybook. so that we could discuss it another day.
In several letters I have stated to you that because of the job I did, I accepted to be fair game. So would it also be if anyone responded to my writing in a mature responsible way.
I do not speak with water in my mouth and am therefore careful not to intentionally offend anyone. I do not oblige anyone to do so, but if the shoe fits anyone that person should wear it. I have been following the saga between the police and the present honorable minister of justice and wanted to know the real reason behind this back and forth.
Because I firmly believe that you should not bite the hand that feeds you, and because I know that it is not realistic for the police to strike against their minister of justice, I used a sprat to catch the whale. It took some patience, but I believe that gradually my suspicions are being confirmed. I always wanted to know why was it necessary for the members of the NAPB to chose a lawyer, when they themselves could form a delegation to have meetings with the minister of justice to discuss their grievances and also have suggestions how to to cope with the changes that life on St. Maarten brings along.
Then on the front page of the paper of the Tuesday, November 7, edition, there was an article about the NAPB. During a live broadcast on Lady Grace’s talk show, members of the NAPB openly and categorically distanced themselves from that article by the lawyer of the NAPB, Cor Merx, which by the way was the only sane thing I heard coming from the police in that interview. Must I assume that the police are telling the public that frisk-and-search is something strange to them? What do they do when family members bring clothes or other belongings to the station for the detainees?
But in putting two and two together, I got a strange but understandable four. Is the former prosecutor, who is of that nation whose motto is “I will get you one day”, using the NAPB to get back at those who fired him?
I worked for 41 years as a police officer and one of the things that my father made sure he did was to consistently call me and ask me to take time out to ask myself who I really was, He always reminded me that if I was enjoying the job I was doing, then I did not have to work. Once I answered him that he should be here for Carnival. He would say to me, “I know that you are not afraid, but make sure do not be naive.”
In those 41 years I have learnt that the minister of justice and the police brass usually consult with each other before going outside. It is not today that there is a problem with personnel shortage at the prison. I do not have any inside information concerning that and I also know that some things are easier said than done, but logic would tell me that because of the shortage in both police and prison personnel, a decision should have been made to recruit 10 to 15 people, specifically to deal with the detainees at the police stations.
I do not know what is what, but what I know is that a solution has to be found because the community of St. Maarten is not being served. I hope that they are not at loggerheads. I still prefer honey to vinegar when it comes to catching flies.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
The war that momentarily draws all the world’s attention is the one between Israel and Palestine, in the Middle East.
Israel and Palestine for decades have a discussion among each other and are now accusing each other of colonialism.
Their history of division is very deep. What Hamas brings up is that a lot of innocent children are killed by Israel in this war. On the other hand, Israel is talking about defending their territory against the attacks by Palestine.
In 2023, we must stand tall for peace, a reconciliation.
“Fundashon Korsou Kaminda pa Libertat” does not want us to look away from the fact that there are six Islands in the Caribbean that are in the process of decolonization, which is recognized by the U.N. as a real and true fact.
It is not a process that goes on in peace and tranquillity. Especially not when the Netherlands are talking about charging Curaçao a fine for the delay in paying back the loans related to the COVID crisis.
The time is here for our Parliament to give their attention to the reality of the situation in Curaçao, just like it is done in Aruba and SXM, by referring to the Carta Magna Chapter 11 article 73.
The Parliaments of the six Caribbean Islands should unite in an historic act in favour of the Liberty of our people.
“Fundashon Korsou na Kaminda pa Libertat” hopes that this union soon will be a reality.
Dear people, mind that we have to encourage our Parliaments to come together, unite, and focus our attention on our reality and the way we have to walk to reach our goals.
Hubert Cristina, Chairman
“Fundashon Korsou Kaminda pa Libertat”
