Dear Editor,
No one wants to hear of a traffic accident, much less to hear that there were injuries involved. I lived it for years before there were cell phones. Also not everyone had a phone in the home so on many occasions I had to go to the home of the victim to deliver the news. Oftentimes about the wounded, but sometimes also of the dead.
When we hear the word “accident” we think unintentionally. My question, however, is , “When is it unintentionally?” I believe that everywhere where there are motor vehicles using the public road, there are rules governing that traffic, the right of way, the speed limit, the lighting, the brakes etc. And where there are rules there are bodies in place to check and keep an eye to see whether these rules are adhered to. I would dare say that even the schoolchildren know that to drive a motor vehicle a driver's license is required. So the same right of way rules and the rules concerning overtaking which apply to the drivers of a motor vehicle on more than two wheels apply to those on two wheels.
I will not quote them, because it is the responsibility of everyone driving mentioned motor vehicles to be in possession of a driver's license for the type of motor vehicle that that person is using on the public road. So if you are not in possession of a driver's license, and you are not taking driving lessons, and you dare drive over the public road knowing that every day there is a traffic accident on the roads of St. Maarten, where does the intention begin when something goes wrong? My father used to tell us, “When you see fight and your brothers are not involved, go the other way, because if you were not there your name could not be called.”
By now people might have realised what or who I usually react to in my letters to you. But even though I expect them to work in the interest of the people and even though I hope that they can themselves, I have to highlight that it is not the duty of government to organize sports. Support and even coordinate, but not organize. Let me admit publicly that I do not know any details about the government getting involved in a place for bikers to train and perform, but I have an idea what goes into organizing drag racing and I would think that there are similar requirements. These requirements are not ready by the snap of a finger and it takes serious and responsible organizing.
Again, who am I to judge, but there is no judging when it comes to the behavior of the bikers on the roads of St. Maarten. This behavior is very very irresponsible. They literally do not stop for any kind of traffic jam, at any pedestrian crossing. You name it, if it is prohibited in the traffic ordinance they violate it. Some of them probably do not know because they don’t have a license, but that is also in violation of the traffic rules. So for all the biker moms who are mad at the politicians who did not show up for that meeting, I feel sorry. It should be “Once bitten twice shy” or “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”.
I would say if they demonstrate maturity possibly then they would be treated equally. Even though they were up to their old tricks I believed the members of Parliament smelled the rat and decided to climb down a peg or two.
In closing I want to ask this question. I do not have any details about the numbers, but it is continually being mentioned that a lot of police people from St. Maarten are finding employment as police officers on Saba, Statia and Bonaire? If this is so, should not the Netherlands consider themselves traitors? Is justice not a part of the entire Kingdom?
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
People are continually hinting that I am backing the Minister of Justice, But I am not surprised, because I have highlighted several things that the Minister has done, which others have not done since 10-10-’10. And I will challenge anyone to prove to me that that is not a fact.
The Minister of Justice is my Minister because that is all I have done, since 1965, worked for the Justice department of the Netherlands Antilles and St. Maarten. Yes I am a retired Justice employee, but unfortunately, since 10-10-’10 I have not been able to enjoy the consistency of any Minister of Justice until now. I have been paying keen attention to what she has been doing for Justice since she has been in office and I would like for anyone to come with facts and show me when she has not made an effort to rectify whatever was not executed since 10-10-’10.
I am writing this because someone told me that “They leaving yo gyol alone these days.” I did not have to think for an answer, because the answer is staring everybody in the face. While she was working they were criticizing, expecting her to be discouraged. But because of her perseverance they were discouraged that she was not discouraged.
The coming elections have the attention of all politicians, so their criticism of the Justice Minister may be responded with “And what did you do?” So they have to take another route. And you know what, this will be a different kind of election than we have grown accustomed to since 10-10-’10. An election where only one set of people have something tangible to campaign on. Because this is the only government in, whether it is long or short, the history of country St. Maarten that can look forward to having sat for a full term. I have been mentioning it from the onset.
There is no opposition in Parliament. Every member is an individual who votes in favor or against. By now we know who have set themselves up as opposition, so I would like to know how they would face the people after making all kinds of excuses not to go to meetings in order not to form a quorum. with the intention for the government not to be able to get things done.
“We went to Ipko and Parlatino meetings. but we didn’t really do anything for the people.” “We boycotted the government as much as possible, for them to look bad.” These would be a fair answer when asked by the people, during the upcoming campaigning, “what have you done for us?” But again “honesty is the best policy” does not work in politics.
It seems as if the activities associated with the governance of this country have deteriorated so much that the integrity and honesty is no longer considered worthy of the honor by too many Members of Parliament of St. Maarten. To me this is worthless behavior and there should be more stringent rules and laws governing the duties and conduct of the members of Parliament and government. They are being televised live and they act as if they are in a bar or club indicating very little sense of decorum.
The word for what has been happening in our country by members of Parliament since 10-10-’10 can be described as “deteriorating”. If we expect our civil servants, our police people or the employees in the hotels to, let me use the everyday term, “behave ourselves correctly”, then we should also lead by example. Parliamentary Immunity does not mean to lose your sense of decorum, it affords you a little more latitude.
So the Minister of Justice is not “my gyol”, she is my Minister of Justice, and what I have always done is to rely on the Minister of Justice to take care of the needs of the justice workers among her other duties. It has never been easy, and there are no deals to be made.
My experience is that people who make deals get caught up with sooner or later, because that is what it is. It is a deal, not something genuine.
Police people do not strike, they use other methods to get their point across and they never let the public have the impression that they are not served or protected.
In closing I have to address this futility and waste of paper. Did nothing really happen in connection with the moratorium on transportation permits since 2014?
Wait a minute, when will the person asking that question refuse to be influenced to ask questions which are insulting to the intelligence of the people of St. Maarten. Is this really what we look like to the person asking those questions? We went to the Parlatino meeting, when can the people who paid for it, and who we are going to ask for their vote, expect a report on what positive came out of that Parlatino meeting?
By the way there is no good policing without police presence. Cameras do not stop crime, they just detect what happened within the scope of the crime scene.
Yesterday I was waiting in line to pay a bill, when an acquaintance who came in after, greeted me. As he mentioned my name this other person who begged me not to mention his name asked, “Are you Russell Simmons?” I nodded and then he continued to say, “I have a schoolmate right now in Holland who is working for Holland because when we applied for a job here a few years ago we were told that we were overqualified. He went back, but I remained here and I am doing alright for myself. So why doesn't government want us? All we want is a job here at home.” My answer to him was a simple “pottenkijkers.” He studied in Holland so he understood me right away. I believe that the English translation to that is “snoopers” (which is caused by one's guilty conscience). If I do not have anything to hide then I should not be afraid of snoopers.
As I am sitting here typing this letter my phone rang and someone said to me (a female voice) “John and them going Miami to teach our police how to shoot their own people.” I usually listen to what people have to say because I believe in picking sense out of nonsense, but gossiping is not my line and my father used to tell us that “ignorance is a curse,” so she might get mad at me for cutting her off and for writing this, but I do not indulge in what we call “small mindedness”.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
It’s not an easy mission by any stretch of the imagination, keeping the doors open and offering shelter for battered women and children in St. Maarten. Safe Haven’s consecutive boards and management worked tirelessly to help women and their families through what can arguably be the toughest times of their lives.
Safe Haven’s presence and the critical role it plays in our society’s safety network is warranted, appreciated and must continue to be supported by everyone. This includes receiving much-needed and continuous support from our business community as well. Gender-based violence, domestic violence, relational violence remain very delicate matters that affect us all, directly or indirectly.
It was a pleasure to celebrate this milestone in the presence of a diverse group of participants attending the seminar on the subject “Gender Based Violence” (GBV). Keynote-speakers from Aruba Ms. Cynthia Quant, Gender Based Violence Coordinator, and Mr. Brian Verschuur, a Positive Masculinity Officer, made a very sensitive subject (GBV) recognisable by engaging the very appreciative attendees in their presentation.
I firmly believe there’s a lot of room left to achieve a better quality of life for all here in St. Maarten, once we commit to working together in combatting violence in general and gender-based violence in particular.
Peridot Foundation applauds the current board and its managing director Ms. Rachida Boyrad for a job well done. Continue the good work at Safe Haven on behalf of and for our community. God Bless and strengthen you in all that you do to make our island a more kinder and safer nation.
Gracita Arrindell
President, Peridot Foundation
Dear Editor,
Several months ago, I wrote an article about the local banks ripping off cardholders on this island.
The world, including St. Martin, is rapidly doing away with cash transaction and going over to electronic transaction.
So, I have decided to bring up this topic again, in hope that as elections are less than a year away, somebody who is desirous of being elected, or re-elected, (including the minister of finance) will eventually do something about it.
Cardholders with US dollars bank accounts are at the mercies of some of the banks on this island.
When WIB Bank cardholders use their US dollars WIB card at an establishment that uses a machine from RBC Bank, FCIB or Republic Bank, (formerly BNS), the transaction is processed in US dollars and converted to NAf and subsequently re-converted back to US dollars, which causes the cardholder to pay a higher amount than what the transaction was approved for.
And in some cases, the transaction is processed in NAf and converted to US dollars because the cardholder has a US dollars account.
For example; a cardholder with a US dollars card goes to an establishment and processes a transaction for US $100, swipes the card and gets an authorization for US $100. The transaction is converted to NAf at 1.82 (a rate that includes the 1% license fee, which is applicable only when withdrawing US dollars cash or sending funds abroad) thus NAf. 182. As the cardholder maintains a US dollars account the transaction is re-converted to US dollars using the rate 1.78 and the cardholder’s account is charged US $102.25 while an authorization was obtained for US $100. The transaction was approved/authorized for US $100. The cardholder’s bank charges the cardholder’s account US $102.25 which is illegal because the transaction was approved/authorized for US $100.
The next example pertains to a situation where the transaction is processed in guilders. If the cardholder’s bill amounts to US $100 the establishment converts this amount to guilders using the rate of 1.80 The cardholder’s card is swiped and approved for the guilder amount NAf. 180 As the cardholder maintains a US dollars account the transaction is converted to US dollars at 1.78 and the cardholder is charged US $101.12.
Let me be clear, the merchants are not the ones doing the conversions. This is done via the bank’s system. In the first case, the bank used the rate of 1.82 which includes the 1% license fee, to convert the US dollars to NAf. The bank cannot remit the collected funds to the government because the reason for charging the 1% is not valid. So, the bank keeps those funds, which is illegal.
The conversions do not occur when a WIB cardholder uses the card at a WIB merchant. So, my question is, why does it occur when the WIB card is used at another bank’s merchant?
In the near future we will be compelled to use the banking system for all transactions, so I am pleading with the Minister of Finance to please look into this illegal practice now. This illegal rip-off system must be stopped.
Fernando Clark
By Alex Rosaria
The love affair that started cautiously in 2016 between Curaçao and Guangdong Zhenrong Energy (GZE) to build a refinery, even though this group had never made one before, blossomed in 2017. By this time, GZE had promised to bail out GiroBank, build a Las Vegas-style entertainment strip, and sign MoUs with important local government-owned companies. All while GZE was feeding lies regarding the refinery project.
