PHOTOS NINA DEL CARMEN RICHARDSON
Well I was not surprised to read the Herald today and nothing was mentioned about the brothel workers being part of the march. Once again it is clear that the Herald is controlled by certain people. The march for me was a mistake or premature at best. It only affirmed to the Dutch that SXM people are fed up with corruption who benefits a certain group of people across all parties. The article in the paper makes it clear that they do not intend to waiver on their instructions to the Governor. The legality of these instructions remain to be seen but I believe at this point the population needs to know what the present screening entails and what more does the Dutch want to add. It seems as if our politicians are hiding something again. If I am wrong, they should prove it to us. I have never been pro Dutch or French because I was raised as a proud indigenous SXMNER who believes we were the most blessed people in the world. However our so called leaders used our friendliness and passive ways to control us and destroy our standard of living. We went from having an island composed of mainly well off middle class people living the dream to a banana republic where the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Growing up, I never remembered any poor people as we see today. Yet our people have learned to suffer in silence while our leaders rape us. So many of our elderly are hostage in there homes with empty fridges, burdened by Gebe and taxes and left to die in sadness. Only to see those same politicians go to their funerals and give condolences to their grieving family. What hypocrites. How can we have a waiting list to get a spot at the retirement home while we got a huge carnival village, a bridge and our politicians make over $10k a month. Just a quick analysis. We have 15 parliamentarians ($10k X 15 MPs X 12 months = $1.8 million not including all the extra perks) + 8 ministers ($12k X 8 ministers X 12 months = $1.15 million not including extras). Salaries of MPs and ministers add up to around $2.95 million/ year not including all the staff members, cars, travelling, clothing allowances, etc etc. Just a 25% pay cut during our difficult economic times as a fledgling country would amount to a savings of $737,500/ year or $2.95 million in four years. Couldn’t this be used to help out elderly and make their lives better. I am sure the people would have marched in huge numbers if our greedy politicians would take a pay cut. Everyone has some elderly family member. I am sure the Dutch would have to shut up. It is time for our people to regain their dominance in their society as a strong middle class. We can no longer continue being second class citizens in our own home while millions leave monthly via Western union, Rapiditas and money gram. STAY STRONG SXMNERS AND DON’T BE USED BY PEOPLE CLAIMING TO LOVE AND PROTECT YOUR HUMAN RIGHTS. WE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED BY THIS INSTRUCTION IF THEY HAD BEEN TAKING CARE OF THE INDIGENOUS SXMNERS. TIME TO WAKE UP AND DEMAND OUR HUMAN RIGHTS FROM OUR LEADERS.