To say that many civil-servants are livid about this type of invitation, would be an understatement; rather many consider it a 'motion of no confidence' in the civil-service.
I myself, had to read it, in order to believe it.
Perhaps, because I am not so smart, and/or, because I am not an 'honorable' so-and -so, that I fail to understand how something that is supposed to be'happy', must be mandatory to attend.
Really ?
Why isn't it also mandatory to, for instance attend carnival ?
Or, why wasn't it mandatory for the people to ratify the results of the negotiations with the Netherlands, before actually going into 'separate status', with all the miserable consequences for the people ?
Who now decides when and why certain activity should be mandatory ?
Has 'Country St. Maarten' now turned into 'Banana -country' St. Maarten, in which 'Big sister' now has the power to force people to be attend 'happy' events ?
Wattating.
If it is so 'happy' for true, what is the sense of making it mandatory ?
Apart from its legal validity, what is the real motivation to force civil-servants to attend this oh, so 'happy' (for whom-) event ?
Would it really have been necessary to compel civil-servants to attend, if the 'honorable' P.M. was sure that her civil-servants believed in this fiasco, called 'Country St. Maarten' ?
Together, with many others, I too, believe that if attending this event to listen to 'motivational' (brainwashing ?) speeches, was not mandatory, perhaps the 'honorable' P.M. would be speaking to, an all but empty church, with the exception of perhaps some of her cabinet-members and parliamentarians.
Now, the church might be filled to capacity by one bunch of 'happy' civil-servants.
Please give me a break.
Clearly, the P.M. does not respect the free will of her civil-servants in this regard, for very obvious reasons - there absent might have sent out a very clear message of no-confidence in her leadership as well.
Drs. Leopold JAMES
President SNBF/ Association L' Esprit de Concordia
