Open Thread - 8th October 2008

I think perhaps I'll try to do these every Monday in future, these threads seem good for daily news discussion and commentary. What do you readers and users think?

Got something to say or you feel needs to be discussed, but can't find a relevant blog or news post? Open Threads are the place to put it :)

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Open Threads | Flipper's blog | add new comment

Submitted by Flipper on Wed, 2008-10-08 20:17.

Applaud the police of SXM
Anonymous (not verified) | Mon, 2008-10-20 09:40

Over the recent years SXM people have been complaining about the police, I think they should start applauding them, they are trying their best to tackle the crime situation on SXM.

I find people that pass judgment on the police should step into their shoes just once and know how it is to put your life on the line and be criticised day in and day out for trying to do your job. Let’s face it life isn’t getting easier and crime is on the increase, and people that put their lives on the line to serve and protect us should be applauded. That’s just my opinion, one must always remember jealous people will always criticise something that they themselves have no idea how to do or better yet can’t do!

My hat off to POLICE of SXM for doing a rather good job in making the island safer for those of us who life there.

Good police work -new acting police commish making difference?
now_USA_resident | Sun, 2008-10-19 12:39

acording to www.sxmislandtime.com police arested a wanted man just 4 hours after his mug shots were published in the papers, and, more interestingly, police also detained 17 suspects who are jamaican nationals in raids TARGETING places where thy're known to congregate:
http://www.sxmislandtime.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3554:17-arrested-in-police-raids-jamaicans-targeted&catid=41:frontpage

I don't recall police using similar tactics before, i.e. going where potential suspects are likely to hang out, rather than cruising around the island and waiting for a "lucky" tip what leads them directly to the suspect. I'm not an expert in police matters and not a fan of frmr. NYC Mayor Giuliani, but the tactics of sending police to the areas where crime is statistically high, and where suspects are likely to congregate reduced NYC violent crime by over 70%, and I think that this is the best tactics to use to fight recent crime wave in SXM.

I wonder if these raids are just a random thing or they're done on the orders of the new acting police commish. Dongor (did I spell his name right?)
If this is the tactics that will be frequently used by the new police commish - i applaud him. Old methods have not been bringing good results, it's about time someone would use new methods of policing. With the limited police resourses, going where the suspects are known to congregate is the best (maybe the only) method to clean up the place!

good policing
Anonymous (not verified) | Sun, 2008-10-19 13:26

If this has worked as it appears and these criminals have been apprehended then thankyou mr policemen for doing your job.
Now, continue to name and shame these suspects and lets work together to bring down this fear we are now living in.

Put the police on quotas like 150 traffic stops a month for defective vehicles or moving violations, over tinted windows. They would catch so many un insured, illegals, drunks etc etc it would free up our roads for the honest folk of the island.

You know I would rather be stopped and questioned in a civilized manner 10 times a day than think that criminals have the right to behave in a lawless fashion.

Well done again to the police

Totally agree
Anonymous (not verified) | Mon, 2008-10-20 09:52

I totally agree with you. One must always remember they are human beings just like you and me and all they are doing is their jobs.

I think they should be on some type of bonus scheme as you say when working on quotas. They should implement a S.M.A.R.T objective measurement tool, it gives the officers also extra incentive to work a bit harder when you know that at the end of the year a bonus scheme is riding on his or her performance.

totally agree response to police
Anonymous (not verified) | Mon, 2008-10-20 11:06

Yes yes yes quotas and training are required.
I posted a well done to the police and that stands whether the commis was responsible or not. Its still a well done and it decreases anxiety in all.

I was stopped by the police for a minor infraction last year 3 police officers. It was a fair cop for which they did their duty. A warning.

The scary part was one of the officers was totally over the top and quite intimidating Fortunately the other two dealt with the issue at the level one would expect very professionally . I thought afterwards how different it could have been had common sense not prevailed.

But catching criminals this quickly is progress and could to see

Typical american over reaction
Anonymous (not verified) | Sun, 2008-10-19 13:21

That comment reminds me of professional american sports: Fire the manager because he's to blame for a team not doing well. Hire another and when that coach gets a win in his first game, praise it as the "right move". But when the coach loses his next 16 games, oh its the wrong choice for a coach!

FYI the new police commish is not responsible for any new tactic AND this has been done countless times before. Other inspectors come up with the plans, approaches him, he approves or not and they proceed. He's a yes or no man. Credit should go to the long time officers and detectives who some always want to bash.

Learn to make informed comments.

good policing
now_USA_resident | Sun, 2008-10-19 16:25

i applaud all the cops and detectives who disigned the raids and who implemented them. if they wear same uniform, i don't distinguish native sxm cops and those born in other countries. do you?

as far as the new commish - as you said yourself, he has to approve these actions. so, some credit goes to him too. you know, if things go bad and some innocent people get caught in the "cross-fire", it's the commish who's going to get the grief of the media and the island "activists."

maybe this IS the typical american reaction, but so far with 17 detentions in one night, i think the team "good guys" under the new coach is winning game 1. i'm hoping for the winning season and rooting for the team "good guys" no matter what country the team's manager is from!

/Now_USA_Resident/

P.S. please read www.sxmislandtime.com article. the 1st three paragraphs. IMO this is smart policing. this should be done more often.

good policing
Anonymous (not verified) | Mon, 2008-10-20 04:38

I can tell you your new commish had nothing to do with these raids. All this was done by your local boys who love this country more than anything, but get critize for everything. Things that are not even in their hands to change.Politicians and some people are just not seeing that putting more blue on the street is the way to go and not putting a bunch of people in offices. This raid was done by local boys who give up their time and decided to put blue on the street even after they had to work long hours after Omar. Here again it is shown if you got more people out there you can do the job.

Open Threads - Weekly news
Flipper | Mon, 2008-10-13 21:09

I'm going to leave this one open for now as it's not very full and start a new one next Monday and every Monday after. This way it can be used to follow news during the week.

Flipper

twisted student who feels it
Anonymous (not verified) | Tue, 2008-10-14 07:47

twisted student who feels it is his right and privilege to have his animal kills other animals for his personal enjoyment. If that isn't pretty sick, I really don't know what is. We aren't talking about human killing of animals for the purposes of consumption, but pure entertainment. It is illegal in the US and if it isn't illegal on SXM it should be. AUC colleagues should be outraged by such behavior, as they would at any US med school.
http://www.valuemd.com/american-university-caribbean-auc/165429-pit-bull-killing-machine-5.html

As America get's ready for a
Angelina | Mon, 2008-10-13 14:40

As America get's ready for a new President, an economic recession storms all over the globe. Wall street's one big mess and main streeters lose every bit of trust. No cruise trip at the end of December, no Xmas on a (concrete) Caribbean island. Painful for them, but disastrous for our little economy. If not more, SXM is for about 85 per cent reliant on tourism. So, what if tourists stay home this year? What did we built that new pier for? God, we even seem to have plans for a third one...burn those plans! This recession is just about to get started and if people keep telling each other there's an economic depression underway, there will be one. It's all built on that one feeling called trust.

What's McCain gonna do about that? Haven't heard much from him! And neither have I heard anything sensible (not that I had expected to) from that stupid woman he seems to be hanging around with. His fourth wife?

'the women of america are not done yet, we can shatter that glass once and for all' yeah sarah, sure. shatter whatever invisible glass you want, I just want a president with a clear plan and a good head on his shoulders. to hell with military experience, that's so middle-ages.

Angelina

Deposit Insurance Neth. Antilles
Anonymous (not verified) | Mon, 2008-10-13 11:38

Flipper -- do you have any idea why is there not more attention given to the fact that due to the Central Bank in the Neth. Antilles lack of action, the Deposit Insurance Regulation as described in the Federal Ordinance Supervision Bank and Credit System Neth. Antilles (Article 39) was never enacted?

This system can be compared to the FDIC in the USA, the "Deposito Garantie Stelsel" in the Netherlands and other Deposit Guarantee Systems in most (if not all) European countries.

See The Daily Herald's article on this issue here:

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/l126/protect126.html

It's a DAMN SHAME that the Central Bank of the Neth. Antilles has not consulted and come to workable system with the commercial banks since 1994 when the law was adopted, which would have ensured protection of deposits for account holders (to a certain amount).

It's also sad, that many citizens don't seem to care or fail to realize this severe shortcoming and lazy attitude from the Central Bank and those elected federal officials that are supposed to make sure that the Central Bank lives upto laws that are adopted, can have DISASTEROUS consequences for local account holders.

Wake up people, your hard earned money is at stake!

Fun Miles Scam
Anonymous (not verified) | Fri, 2008-10-10 18:52

Anyone else having problems getting their funmiles put onto their account?. You speak with funmiles, they blame the merchant. You call the merchant and they blame fun miles. All these campaigns that banks , etc. offer funmiles for, is anyone getting their mileage? Check the comments section on funmiles.net. You can't add a new comment. Check the comments on that page. All posted on the same day within 2 minutes apart. Probably someone at funmiles office added those.

Saving not gauranteed
Anonymous (not verified) | Fri, 2008-10-10 16:37

It's been 15 years since the law protecting bank account holders in the Netherlands Antilles against crises in the financial sector has never been enacted.
Which means that if there's a crises your saving are not protected. The article 39 ,which protect sbank account holders in the commercials is not regulated.
Bank account holders in the Netherlands , however are gauranteed up to 100.000 euros.
The article appeared today in the Daily Herald.
This is very scary considering the world banking markets today.
Some of the biggest banks are folding and depositors are protected up a certain amount. We will not be immune to the trend. I would assume that our local commerical banks also use deposits to invest in low and high risk funds, whether they are government bonds or futures.
According to the Central Bank, our commercial banks show 710.5 million in required reserves deposited at the bank to cover liabilities to deposits.

We need our Parliament members to come out and enact the law protecting depositors just like those in the Netherlands.

RBTT
Anonymous (not verified) | Sat, 2008-10-11 20:36

If I am not mistaken Fortis is part of ABN/ Rbtt????

Fortis
Anonymous (not verified) | Sun, 2008-10-12 08:32

You are mistaken. RBTT bought the branches of ABN in the Netherlands Antilles and Surinam some years ago. RBTT is not part of ABN.
This year Fortis, together with Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank Santander bought ABN and divided it in 3 parts. Now the Dutch government bought Fortis and some parts of ABN.

the truth about Fortis/abn amro
Angelina | Mon, 2008-10-13 14:22

Wouter Bos, the Dutch minister of Finance, bought ABN Amro, Fortis insurance and the Dutch part of Fortis. The nasty chunks of the company were left for the Belgians and the French to fight over.

If you want to have your savings save and secure, go for state-owned ABN and never ever trust an Icelandic bank!!! Utopian interest rate too.

Angelina

nope
Anonymous (not verified) | Mon, 2008-10-13 14:13

No that's not correct, the Dutch government bought ABN Amro and some parts of Fortis (the healthy parts i.e. the Dutch part and the insurance part, the rest was bought by Belgium and Paribas) for 16.8 billion Euros.

So if you want your money save, go to ABN Amro. Nice interest rate as well :)
But of course, off shore is in some cases desirable.

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