Elco, your response on Wednesday morning, April 9, 2009 in the TODAY-newspaper to Mr. BIJNSDORP, aka as the 'Driftwood artist', deserves gratitude from all proud and conscious Antilleans and St. Martiners living on this island.
It was certainly an interesting coincidence that I too, responded to the non-constructive, degrading, quasi funny jokes of this adventurer who was a total failure back in the 'polder' in Pijnacker, where he hails from.
It is time, that we as St. Martiners, also realize that we have not only the right, but the duty as well to do background checks on those individuals who come from the outside and simply show no regard and/or respect for our culture and people, while we have no clue who they themselves really are.
I plan in due time to initiate such a very needed discussion in a much broader perspective, which will include the permanent character of Dutch technical assistants and Dutch teachers, most of whom were brought in under the condition to work on a contractual agreement for a few years, after which they should leave.
However, instead of leaving and having trained our kids to take over, most of them start to settle in 'New Holland' and get addicted to the 'salsa atmosphere' and the nice beaches, simply NEVER return and consequently take up positions that should have been created for our own Antillean/St.Maarten young people.
The examples are in abundance.
Especially, since our leaders are talking 'country status', they should explain to the people for WHOM this is supposed to be, if we simply continue for 'outsiders' to come , set up shop and ultimately REPLACE the people of this island.
Thanks to the bold attitude of Gerard BIJNSDORP, attention is now directed to this very serious issue, that has never been publicly and rationally exposed and discussed, while restrictions are been directed to stem the flow of immigrants and workers from the Caribbean region.
Mr. BJNSDORP therefore should be thanked as well for opening the eyes of the people to the role of himself and many of his country people here on the island.
This gentleman has in fact given us and our political leaders a preview of what is to come when the Dutch start flooding the island as a consequence of our so-called 'status aparte'.
Anyhow, Elco do have a nice day and once more, thanks for standing up for the pride and dignity of ur Antillean and St. Martin People, because without any sense of national pride, 'natiolism', we have NO basis for any 'country-status'; every John, Dick and Harry would simply laugh at us and continue treating us like 'trash'.
Meanwhile, the 'driftwood-artist' should continue his diatribes and in the process 'give away ' the inner thinking of neo-colonialists like himself.
He makes it easier for us to 'build our case'
Best regards,.
Leopold James
President SNBF & L'Esprit de Concordia