Open Thread - 31st March 2008

Please use this thread for comments or questions about issues that have not been blogged about recently, or to raise attention to issues you feel or would like to see discussed. Have a browse down the front page to check for a relevant posting first though :) - Flipper

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Submitted by Flipper on Mon, 2008-03-31 08:37.

AUC student's comment
Anonymous (not verified) | Wed, 2008-04-09 10:33

I am upset by one particular blog post from an AUC student. This attitude towards this island disgusts me. I do think AUC students see a bad side of the island, as they pay and pay and pay for school, housing and cars, but this type of vitriol just makes me ill.

The truth hurts...huh?
Anonymous (not verified) | Thu, 2008-04-10 23:55

The truth hurts...huh?

Why?
Anonymous (not verified) | Thu, 2008-04-10 08:26

The comments made are maybe not to your liking, but the student is correct

I agree
Hady Nufyet | Fri, 2008-04-11 04:16

THe student is spot on and there is nothing wrong with his observations, it's what he sees and thinks. Also, keep in mind that comments DO NOT represent the blogger and censoring defeats the whole purpose of a blog.

Hady

it's the absolute truth.
Anonymous (not verified) | Sat, 2008-04-12 00:05

it's the absolute truth. people wish to treat customers like doodoo and then whine whenever it gets pointed out.

Bedside manner
Anonymous (not verified) | Wed, 2008-04-09 20:18

Makes you not want to ever get sick or have to go to the hospital_
A good place to buy cheap stuff_
AUC forum

making too much...
Anonymous (not verified) | Sun, 2008-04-13 00:00

I definitely don't think that one student's views of the island have anything to do with his bedside manner. Just because he writes open and honest blogs doesn't mean that he couldn't have excellent bedside manner. I think you're making way too much out of a blog post!

Loor gets sentence reduced?
barcann | Sun, 2008-04-06 17:11

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k269/loor269.html

Are they serious?
Is this true?
Ah, of course, it's true.
and it is disgusting.
and what message does this send to the community?
same old message as always.....you don't count.
The big guys can get away with whatever they want......a slap on the hands......that's all.

Get serious SXM in fighting crime
Anonymous (not verified) | Thu, 2008-04-03 17:06

The internet can be a strong tool to fighting crime...
Persons of interest...photographs of persons to whom the police force Suriname are most interested in...
Click here for Surinam's most wanted

Saba driver's licence
Anonymous (not verified) | Wed, 2008-04-02 07:50

A couple of weeks ago a friend was at the census office. Someone before him came for the new credit card-size driver’s licence, the person had a licence from Saba. The reaction was that this was not possible and that the person needed to take the exam again on St Maarten.

Has anybody else had this experience?

Last year September there was the incident with the lady with a Saba licence driving on the French side which was taken to the police station.

- Sarah says clarity needed on use of Saba licence on St. Martin:
http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k108/licen108.html
- Saba must deal with St. Martin on Saba driver’s licence issue:
http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k102/licence102.html
- Woman told Dutch licence no good on French side:
http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k101/licence101.html

In a reaction to that police spokesman in St. Maarten Chief Inspector Johan “Janchi” Leonard mentioned Article 107.3 of the Traffic Ordinance:

"Drivers’ licences issued in Holland, Suriname, other island territories of the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba are equal to the St. Maarten licence."

Has anything changed in this?

Saba Drivers License
Anonymous (not verified) | Fri, 2008-04-11 16:38

The action that can be taken is to take government to court and use article 104 part 1 of the Traffic Ordinance. I do not know that they have amended that article but if you want confiirmation you should call General Affairs or the legal department of government to verify the above. The above clearly state that if you have a license issued in one of the island of the antilles you only have to submit a medical declaration for the renewal . Soon at your service.

u missed
Anonymous (not verified) | Wed, 2008-04-02 18:15

what you probably miss is all persons who had their licenses in saba should have registered on sxm during the grace period. those who did not comply have to do over the exam.

Saba License & So called "policy"
Anonymous (not verified) | Fri, 2008-04-11 20:47

For many years one could not even do a driving exam in sxm. Moreover, sxm encouraged citizens to go saba and statia to support their economy.

Now today, because of some fraud within the saba license dept., now all of a sudden no saba licenses will be accepted. The worst part of that story is the fact that the crooks were caught and all their files were reviewed. It has been years since those cases were filed and the crooks went to jail.

So justice has been served, right? Apparently not, cause saba licenses are now all "suspect" and not accepted.

One big question comes to mind in all this:

- are the drivers' licenses of people from the USA (where you get licenses via computer and with automatic) better than saba licenses?
- are Haitian, Dominican, Russian, Indian, Brazilian licenses all better than saba licenses? From countries we have no idea what exam or system is employed.

The answer is NO they are not. This is just simply a case of our chief of police scared of his shadow again and don't take any decision, while in the meantime our people are hostage and being harassed on the french side of sweet sxm land.

This is outrageous!...Just another example how our new laws or so called "policies" are not serving our citizens. Sometimes I think we were better off as the so-called "backward, banana republic" of yester year.

The Patriot

13 Royal Dutch Marechaussee Sworn In
Anonymous (not verified) | Tue, 2008-04-01 22:56

dont play mr know it all SMN NEWS)
Anonymous (not verified) | Wed, 2008-04-02 18:17

From SMN News

13 Royal Dutch Marechaussee Sworn In---Don’t Play Mr. “Know it All” Warns Governor

Dutch Royal Marechaussee At Swearing In Ceremony

Philipsburg: --- The long awaited assistance for the police force of St. Maarten, Saba and Statia was realized yesterday when thirteen Dutch Royal Marechaussee sworn in at the Holland House Hotel. Witnessing the ceremony was Lt. Governor Hyden Gittens, Lt. Governor Sydney Sorton, Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards, and Deputy Chief Commissioner of Police Richard Panneflek, Commandant Loic Baras and the head of the Immigration services of French St. Martin, Philippe Vinbelle while doing the honors was Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein who acted as the Assistant Attorney General.
Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards who is also the Chief of Police said that cooperation is the key to success in any police force and it is very important they cooperate with both local police and the French authorities.
He said that said the St. Maarten Police Force is severely understaffed however, they have been doing a great job with the means they have at their disposal. He cautioned that they cooperate with the police because there is a lot to say about the Marechaussee in the past and despite that he is the one that requested their services on St. Maarten. Richards said his vision for the Marechaussee was on a short term plan and not long term simply because he believes that the St. Maarten police would have to do the job with their own people and training has to be provided for the local police. He cautioned that crime on St. Maarten will not seize immediately now that they are here, because that would not happen since they are here specifically for immigration purposes. Richards said that he knows that they (the Marechaussee) have brought along with them their expertise but he warned them should not be “Mr. Know it All” instead they should be able to work together with the police on St. Maarten as well as their French counterparts because cooperation he said is the key and must be continued, and he is looking forward for their cooperation to make the island safer place. He also called on the local police to cooperate with the Marechaussee because during these last days there have been quite some robberies taken place locally and this he said is putting the island economy at stake. He also called on the community at large to join hands with the police to combat crime because they cannot do it alone. “With the additional human resource in the immigration the focus he said will be placed on controls.
Deputy Chief Commissioner of Police Richard Panneflek said this is yet another achievement for the community of St. Maarten. This addition he said will also be placed on the other two islands Saba and Statia where they would help to combat crime since they will be here for at least one year He said that the main objective in all of this is to make sure the islands become safer for its inhabitants.
While the Lt. Governor of Saba Sydney Sorton said that he is excited to witness the swearing in ceremony. He considered this to be a happy day because they have been complaining for a long time and because they are short staffed the local police on Saba has become complacent and crime has been increasing. Even though the crime rate in Saba is not extreme he prefers a crime free island which would allow people to enjoy their stay there.
State Secretary for Justice Mr. Simmons said that when the people open their newspapers today they would indeed be happy because they are sure they can feel safe again now that the Marechaussee is here to give assistance something he said is a step in the right direction. He said that the main objective is the safety and security on the Windward Islands. He urged Deputy Chief Commissioner of Police Richard Panneflec to place the men and women he got as added manpower in places where they can be effective.

Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein As Attorney General Reading The Oath To The Officers

Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein who conducted the honors of the swearing in said that the Netherlands Antilles are in a situation of turmoil and since the islands are busy seeking their country status within the Kingdom. He emphasized that crime prevention is not only the job of the police and the prosecutor’s office but instead it should involve everybody. He said that to make the society safe police must get the necessary information to solve crimes even if there are hundreds of officers at hand. After the official speeches the oat was read to the officers who all swore to uphold their duties, after which they had a cocktail welcome.

help with search
Anonymous (not verified) | Tue, 2008-04-08 17:37

Hi I am looking for a poem written here about Cor Merx, can someone help me find the link? Thank you

Merx poem
Anonymous (not verified) | Tue, 2008-04-08 21:29

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