On Tuesday , 28 august 2001 the Daily Herald was the only paper to report on Prime Minister Patterson's visit to Washington. A report of a commission of inquiry in Jamaica has come to the same conclusions as so many  European countries . Ganja, cannabis, marijuana should be legalized. Patterson finds the recommendations of the commission very persuasive and this autumn his government will make changes within the law.

The USA sees decriminalization incompatible with the 1988  U.N. convention on drugs. And is already threatening Jamaica's  status under the certification process. While the USA ignores ballistic treaties, the Kyoto Protocol, and lately the conference on racism, and the International Criminal Court of Justice as well. I wonder how it dares to point the finger to other countries when itself acts without the consent of the rest of the world. Canada from the north is legalizing cannabis, Jamaica from the south. The classical pincher movement is being executed here, with the USA in the middle.

Sint Maarten should take its place between the modern thinking nations. To show that it has an independent meaning and a strength that defies the bully in the north. The economic benefit of legalizing cannabis, as long as the USA does not, will be enormous. That is why Patterson is not intimidated  by the threat of the USA. He dares to stand up for his views.

Anybody in St. Maarten has the guts? Or are our leaders only followers of the USA ? To keep the drug trade in the hands of the criminal organizations it has to stay illegal. The USA is right now part of the criminals that make millions of dollars that stay out of the tax collectors plans.

Does St. Maarten depend on U.S. financial aid? If not, there is nothing to fear from legalizing pot right here. And I also dare to say that I am against USA military bases on Curacao, that will draw the Netherlands Antilles in the lost war against small farmers that supply the basic materials for the cocaine that the American population is eager to receive. If the USA cannot stem the demand, it should not abuse small countries like Curacao to continue its outdated military approach. The great Kemel Ataturk said many years ago: "Order at home, order in the country, order in the world", in that order.

That Curacao can lend itself to be part of the war that looks much like the lost Vietnam war is unacceptable. Status Aparte, lets quickly disassociate ourselves from such troublesome policies.

It is a known fact that white people in the US use 9 times more cocaine then black people. Still blacks are imprisoned 13 times more then whites for the same offense. Racism is a terrible truth in the USA. Should we not disassociate ourselves from such a blatant abuse of human right and dignity?

Legalize, control, educate, instead of prosecute, lock up and punish. Drugs do not go away, They are here to stay. As peoples prosperity grows, they feel entitled to also enjoy good feelings. Money and a big car do not give satisfaction in the long run. They are part of the material world. Drugs give the inner experience, is what men are looking for. No religion, no laws or police , nothing can stop men from trying drugs that gods plants provide. War is stupid. Violence is lack of intelligence, education is the key to understanding and eventually growing over and above the danger of drugs.

Magazine Time, August 20. An article in it explains how much of the continent has decriminalized cannabis. How much time the police can now spend on serious crime. How the drug use in general has dropped over the last decade. How in the UK plans are in the make to sell cannabis in licensed shops for off-premise use, just like liquor, health warnings and all. It will be procured from licensed growers. It will hurt drug syndicates and help make dope simply boring. The same reasons the Swiss gave for a new law that permits the legal production of marijuana for residents use. The United States policy is not likely to change soon, as it is anchored in legal battles, privatized prison industry, a surplus of lawyers and a justice system that needs as many clients and victims as possible. Canada, though, has a more open vision and there the cannabis is soon to be decriminalized. Former Prime Minister Joe Clark, now leader of the opposition conservatives, is all for it, just like the Canadian Bar Association, The Royal Mounted Police and more. It is estimated that 150.000 people harvest 4 billion dollars a year from the marijuana trade from Canada to strict anti-dope USA. Plans are drawn up to open coffee shops, Holland style, along the border, proffering high-quality weed to go in vacuum sealed bags.

Jamaica has been told by a spokesperson from the American embassy that the USA is not happy with the local ideas to legalize pot. The European reality is likely to have more influence on Jamaica then the United States prison policy- Respect for personal freedom seems to be non existent in the USA. As the drug trade is now in the hands of criminal drug syndicates and the legalizing will take it away from them, it is the criminals that scream foul. They will see their livelihood go in no time when the governments take over supplying citizens legally priced quality weed. One wonders why the USA holds on the invincible struggle, refusing its people the substance that they ask for. As the demand for drugs is there, nothing will stop it from coming.

Smart governments take the drug trade in their own hands, warnings, taxes, controls and all. When will the Executive Council condone the use of cannabis officially on St. Maarten, as it has done with prostitution, so that locals and visitors can smoke their spliff in the knowledge that they are no part of the crime, American style here on Holiday Island?

Friendly Island, friendly people, friendly laws. Isn't that what the tourists come for?

The USA in recession, the Euro is gaining power; European politics are showing the world that Holland’s example of 25 years of tolerance was the right way to go. Now we wait to see when our politicians admit that they are informed and act in harmony with modern times.