Dear Editor,
St Maarten, famous for its stunning beaches and lively nightlife, is grappling with a major problem – its roads. The roads in St Maarten are in such poor condition that they pose a serious danger to both residents and tourists. Neglect and lack of upgrades have led to a road network plagued by potholes, cracks, and uneven surfaces, making driving treacherous. It is time for the government to take swift action to resolve this issue.
Tourism, a cornerstone of the island’s economy, is severely impacted by the poor state of the roads. Visitors come to St Maarten to escape, enjoy the sun and sand, and explore the island, but the rough and dangerous roads can ruin their experience. This can lead to unfavorable reviews and a decline in tourism revenue, and the government must understand the importance of this industry and take measures to improve the roads.
The poor roads also pose a threat to the safety of the residents. Potholes and cracks can cause harm to vehicles, and rough roads can lead to accidents. The government has an obligation to ensure that the roads are safe and accessible, and the current state of the roads shows that this is not the case. Urgent action is needed to repair and improve the roads to protect the safety of the residents.
Furthermore, the poor roads are also a burden on the island’s economy. Residents bear the cost of repairs and maintenance for vehicles damaged by the roads, adding to the financial strain on the struggling economy. The government must invest in the roads to prevent further damage and alleviate the financial burden on the residents.
In conclusion, the condition of St Maarten’s roads is a pressing matter that requires immediate attention. The government must take responsibility for the safety and well-being of the residents and tourists, and invest in upgrading and maintaining the roads. The future of the island’s tourism industry, economy, and residents depend on it.
S.M.R.
Initials used at author’s request.
Dear Editor,
Growing up I often heard parents telling children who they were scolding that they should have “a sense of pride”. On preparing to publicly congratulate someone with their personal achievements I thought of using the word pride, but because I usually ask myself how would my father say that, it dawned on me that the word pride is not one of the words that my father used when correcting us.
So, I Googled the word pride. and also ‘What does the Bible say concerning the word pride and the only example that I got was what is written in Proverbs 16:18. So, with a sense of gratitude I wish to congratulate our notary Keisha Richards, with the launching of her new website.
At the same time, I would like to congratulate Frankie and Angie and would like to add that because the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I am not surprised at Keisha’s strong work ethic.
Blessings to everyone associated with that firm. And like my father used to tell us, humility and gratitude is the key to success.
Congratulations!
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
I hope one of the outcomes of the pandemic would be a real discussion on the dependence of our island’s economy on tourism. Every election there has been much talk on the economy, but besides from our tourism product, the only real driver of the economy has been the funds granted from the Netherlands. Every election, few candidates take some ideas out of their hats in regard to diversifying the economy. Although, what is really done? We have to take a step back, assess and observe the situation.
Which party has been able to deliver any real completion of projects? We have to have real discussions about the diversification of our economy. We can’t leave this rhetoric to election promises. We are hopefully a year away from elections and now would be a good start for those interested or with the means and knowledge to speak about ways to diversify the economy with tangible results.
Call centres have been a sturdy option in my humble opinion. A good partnership is already in place with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines, etc, who have strived to try help us with recruitment fairs over time. There are other companies that also can be tapped into which we work very closely with. Such as Visa, Mastercard, Amex, etc. It is a good opportunity to engage them in opening a BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) or a customer service unit here in St. Maarten. We have a young population fluent in English – so sourcing locally is not an issue, we belong to the same time zone, and can have a decent internet connectivity via our own government-owned telecommunications company – TelEm to enable this.
Locally sourcing call centres not only makes life easier on the individuals who visit our lovely island of St. Maarten, but it also creates a stream line of opportunity for our local English-speaking population. Where they stand to earn wages that correlate directly with these large entities mentioned above.
Viren V. Kotai
Dear Editor,
There is a saying “The only way for evil to be triumphant is for good people to do nothing” In my opinion this could be applied in different cases. Where am I going with this? The people are aware of the tactics used by all of those governments since 10-10-’10.
During all those years and before, the entrance to Little Bay hotel coming off the Little Bay road has been a delicate spot in traffic. I am very content that at last we are on our way to normalcy where the governing period is concerned. On Sunday morning two cars almost collided at that entrance because the one was about to turn into the entrance to Little Bay but luckily there was in time reaction from both drivers avoiding what would have been a sure collision had not the drives reacted in time.
Being present, I checked the traffic situation on the spot (locally) and noticed that traffic approaching the entrance to Little Bay Hotel over the Little Bay road from both directions are forbidden to make a left or right turn to enter the passage to Little Bay Hotel which is indicated by the traffic signs number 24 and 25 of the St. Maarten traffic ordinance.
I am highlighting this situation because of the increasingly irresponsible way drivers are conducting themselves on the roads of St. Maarten. The reason the way I started my letter to you. There are several other traffic situations that need looking into, which I hope the competent authorities will look into and rectify.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
Recently, on January 18, Davika Bissessar, president of Bonaire Human Rights, and I, president of Nos Kier Boneiru Bek, departed Bonaire to continue with the second phase of the international campaign and trajectory of Relisting Bonaire on the Non-Self-Governing Territories list by raising awareness and seeking solidarity for the case of Bonaire to be presented in the 77th General Assembly of the United Nations.
On the dissolution of Netherlands Antilles on October 10, 2010, Bonaire was illegally annexed and incorporated in the Dutch Constitution under unequal rights where the people of Bonaire are governed since then from The Hague against their wishes who voted 66% No overwhelmingly in the 2015 referendum to reject the current imposed colonial rule status.
We have lobbied for over 300 consecutive days last year where we had meetings and presented our international report to, among others, President of Chile Gabriel Boric, Prime Minister of Belize Johnny Bricenjo, Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent Ralph Gonsalves, President of Suriname Chan Santokhi, Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and lot more leaders and authorities of almost all of Latin America and the Caribbean.
As a result thereof, today more countries in the world, especially Latin America and the Caribbean, know of the suffering of Bonaire, its inhabitants since October 10, 2010, who have been stripped of their culture, their language and identity and the most precious thing, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has taken away our right to freedom and equality.
Now we have friends in the whole Latin America and the Caribbean that are in solidarity with the people of Bonaire and are supporting our trajectory of relisting Bonaire on the NSGT and to present the case of Bonaire to the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Colonialism is a crime against humanity, and we promise to keep fighting as long as is necessary to bring justice and respect to the people of Bonaire for their freedom and equality and for future generations to enjoy these sacred and fundamental rights.
James Finies,
President Nos Kier Boneiru Bek
