Two thousand years ago the political mess of the day was observed by the famous story teller Aesop. In those days democracy was invented. The same political lies as we hear now were told by the politicians of two thousand years ago. When my friend said he would hope the same party stays in power, so that no new thieves would have to be put up, I thought of Aesop's story:

A young fox had the urge to cross the river so he jumped in and started to swim. The current was much stronger than he had anticipated and totaly exhausted he reached the other shore. Shivering from the cold and hardly able to stay on its feet he struggled up the shore and to add to his misery he got stuck in a thorn bush. While he waited there to gather his strenght a swarm of horse flies descended on him and started to suck his blood. A hedgehog came walking past and saw the ordeal of the fox and offered to remove the flies. "Shall I take the flies of you young fox, they must surely bother you a lot?" asked the hedgehog. But the fox replied: "No, no, do nothing of the sort, please leave them where they are." Surprised the hedgehog asked: "But why mister fox, the flies are biting you and sucking blood?" The fox explained: " Let them be where they are, they are full of blood already and they suck no more, but when you chase them off, new ones will come and they may not leave a drop of blood in me."

We will not get hit this year again

This year we will not get hit by a major hurricane, because there is no reason why we should. LUIS, 11 years ago was the one we really needed and that was the one we got. Just like Katrina was the one for New Orleans, LUIS was the one for SXM.

Because those places needed a major clean up and no government or agency could ever have cleaned up LA and SXM better than those hurricanes. And what is best, no common person of ordinary wit ever suspects that secret government powers are behind those hurricanes.

From where I sit, I see a huge flamboyant tree in its full blooming red flower splendor. It announces the summer season, the time of heat, of days with too little or too much wind. The red color is a clear warning: “Here is the season of dangerous weather!”

What hardly anybody knows is that the weather is under the control of (very secret) government powers. Storms can be enhanced, they can be send in certain directions. This is done with knowledge that Nikola Tesla revealed about 100 years ago.

Our (grand-) parents saw the first movies, still black and white only, and without sound. In many of those early movies were storms with rain and thunderstorms with very realistic lightning flashes. Nikola Tesla made those lightning flashes with his coils.

Those of us who have Internet only have to google “tesla weather control” to get close to a million English pages with information about Tesla and his weather controlling inventions.

See: http://www.freedomdomain.com/weather.html from where I quote:

“Is it strange how, when we are in the middle of summer, it can be raining out, and one day it is very "hot", the next day it is 15 degree cooler, and two days later, it is "hot" again? Does this seem strange? How about earthquakes in parts of the world, that are so devastating, that if they were to happen here, our whole economy could be ruined.
Do you think it is "odd" that people would suggest that the government can and does control the weather? I KNOW it sounds a little paranoid, but if you do the research to investigate, you will undoubtedly arrive at the same conclusions. OUR WEATHER IS CONTROLLED!” end quote.

Meet Tom Bearden: Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army (Retired). President and Chief Executive Officer, CTEC, Inc. MS Nuclear Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology. BS Mathematics, Northeast Louisiana University. Graduate of Command & General Staff College, U.S. Army. Graduate of Guided Missile Staff Officer's Course, U.S. Army (equivalent to MS in Aerospace Engineering).

On his website http://www.cheniere.org/ you find how it is done.

So worry little this season, as the great clean up is already done at our little island in 1995, we will not have any major hit again. The secret electromagnetic installations on Cuba will no doubt steer most of the storms towards the most vulnerable American oil installations to punish the USA for its useless decades long embargo that has not stopped Cuba from becoming a nation with better health care and less illiteracy than its oppressor.

A United Nations Treaty exists which pledges all member states to refrain from using Weather Control as a lethal weapon upon other states but I don’t think Cuba cares for that one.

See: http://www.fas.org/nuke/control/enmod/text/environ2.htm

Signed in Geneva May 18, 1977
Entered into force October 5, 1978
Ratification by U.S. President December 13, 1979
U.S. ratification deposited at New York January 17, 1980

So there we have it, all you unbelievers, check it out and know from now on that your GOD, Allah, Jehovah and Krishna have little to say about what Hurricane will hit where.

With love and care

Captain Zen

Let me tell you once again, the reasons for  violence, crime, insecurity, lack of respect.

Like a blind man groping in the dark is the person asking about solutions for the violence, the lack of concern, the hate and the pain it causes. Jesus message of love has never been implemented by the churches that have sprouted up around His ideas and teachings. Born out of love and born with love everybody should be loving. But the politicians and priests have destroyed that love from day one. Love makes one a rebel. Rebel against the lies and the hate. Against the possessiveness of the world. Love does not posses. Love is freedom. And freedom does not exist in this world of frontiers, religious laws and capitalistic money hoarding. Frustration is the result of those people who cannot suppress their love any longer. The church wants you to be their member and nobody else’s member. You  belong to this or that church, you are not free, you cannot be love. Love cannot be restricted to one thing only, then it is not love, then it is preference. One must love his country, but can only do so by hating ,or not so strong, disliking other countries. Every nation calls itself best, implementing that others are worse. There is no love in that. Every persons intrinsic nature is love when born. From the beginning this love is curbed, destroyed and corrupted. What of a jealous God that tolerates no other? Is that Love? The religions have created fear, the opposite of love. Only people that are afraid are easy to manipulate. A person of love knows no fear. Love is courageous. The politicians and the priests work hand in hand, you always see them together at official happenings. They do not want loving people, they cannot be manipulated. The natural love that is everybody birthright is hidden, hurt, damaged, but not destroyed completely, it cannot disappear totally. Hence the rebellion, the frustrated violence, the crazy deeds from those who themselves not know why they go crazy. In fact everybody is part of the madness. Except for those few that come like Jesus, with words of love, and whips to chase the moneymakers, and words of comfort for the whores, nobody gives in to the natural love that is the basic source of life. People like Jesus that want to change the hate policy and the wrong of the authorities are killed, deported or otherwise eliminated. Society has no place for those who are filled with love. When love is in a person, why should he go to a church or temple to look for God? When he is dancing, happy, full of gods love, why look for god in books, temples? That is why we have this violence, crime and problems in the world. And here in our own backyard. When more people are involved in planting trees and flowers than in making weapons and war, maybe the world would begin to heal. It won't happen. For those who feel the wrongs, because love is still alive  inside, hold on, you are not alone, a few of us are always around, But to protect ourselves we must operate under the surface, low profile. Because we upset the policies from church and state.    

Here comes a little of my standard policy, remedy instead of critics: If the government of the USA really wanted to tackle the drug use of its citizens, it could do several things. But it does not. It goes on to only condemn it, keep it illegal and wage war against it. As the European intruders came into the beautiful continent of north America, and waged war against the original inhabitants, so do the offspring of those European intruders wage war against its own people today. First by  keeping a large group poor, then by allowing only two substances (alcohol and tobacco) to entertain, third by polluting the world more than any other nation on earth. Reasons enough to call the richest, most wasting way of life a sort of war against itself. The changing weather is proof of worldwide pollution of which the USA contributes 25%, although it has only 7% of the worlds population. The war against drugs is a futile exercise, bound to fail, as long  as the demand for those drugs continues. Already more people are in jail in the USA than in any other country on earth, it continues to lock people up for only seeking a little relief from everyday stress and strain. If the highest governing body really wanted to do something sensible about it, it could make a designer drug, that would be so fantastic, so harmless, and so cheap that everybody could enjoy it. Special education about the effects could be put in place, special days could be set aside for the celebration of the mind with that drug. With the use of a better, cheaper and legal substance all other drugs would disappear from the streets at once. To replace all illegal dangerous, impure and expensive substances with one safe, cheap and potent drug is not impossible. But it is not done. The most powerful nation on Earth struggles on like a man in quicksand, by waging war against the multitudes who now try to use, supply and transport the substances that people ask for. Why people ask for it is never asked, what is the reason that these drugs, that makes one step out of reality for a moment are so popular, is not the criterion. That they are asked for is enough. And must be stopped by all means. To take away the reason why the people crave a little stress relief is not even talked about. One wonders if the governing powers are of good will at all. If they are not infected with the self destructive ideas that put man against man, brother against brother and so on. These thoughts go through try brain and I cannot and will not believe that my brain is any different from yours or theirs. Why then do I see  the solution, to make a drug that is better and safer than all others and make it legal and educate about it? This is done in natural communities in South America where the Indians use Yupa (a natural plant substance) once in a while together, to reach an altered state of mind that allows one to know that there is more than everyday feelings and that fuels the mind enough for the rest of the year. They communicate with God when they are in the grip of this substance, they transcend into another dimension and once been there can function for the rest of the year in harmony, love and peace again. Shall the offspring of the European invaders into the Americas ever see the light? Or will they ever combat the reasons that people look for mind blowing experiences?

To the readers that do not yet know what Chamba Chada means; I will explain, it means: the little boy. Like the boy in the famous story of the new clothes of the emperor. Once upon a time, three men came to the then reigning emperor and told that they were weavers of a most wonderful and magic cloth. This magic cloth was only visible to those that where legitimate children of their parents. Those born out of wedlock would not be able to see it.

The three spoke with such persuasion and conviction that the emperor decided to want some of that cloth made for him. And so the three weavers, who where in truth conmen, asked and got a room to put their loom in, silk and gold threat, and food and drink. Soon the       sound of the loom was heard outside the room and after a week the emperor send his first minister to go and report for him on the progress of the magick cloth. When the first minister was in the weavers room and did not see any cloth, panic came over his mind. Maybe he was not his fathers son, he thought, as the cloth was only visible to legitimate children. So he didn't admit that he could see nothing and praised the weavers on the beautiful result of their labour. To the emperor he reported good progress and within another week the cloth would be ready. The second minister, send to see  the cloth was ready, could not see it either and afraid to lose his job when admitting that maybe he was born out of wedlock did like the first and pretended to see it when the three conmen showed it and pointed out the beautiful (invisble) patterns. Then the measure was taken of the emperor and his ministers who would be dressed in it to take part in a parade to commemorate independence day. Also the emperor pretended to see; what was he to do when his two main advisers saw it clearly? Admitting not to see it would be impossible. Dressed in invisible clothes the three highest authorities went on horseback through the city. All the citizens lined the streets, and nobody dared to say anything. Except the little boy, who pointed his finger to the naked emperor and screamed: Look him, he has no clothes. That boy was Chamba Chada. And I write what I see, not what others pretend to see. I see Israel trying to murder all Palestinians, I see Irish and Ulster English occupants fight each other, hypocritically calling themselves Catholics and protestants, I see the rich nations angering the poor nations so bad that suicide fighters (now called terrorists) hit back. I see them say nothing religious is the problem, while in churches and mosques they are praying to invisible gods in order to get help to destroy their enemies. I see those calling themselves  Christians throwing bombs and creating misery for thousands of civilians that flee their country. The rich nations that have for many years let the Taliban exercise  terror on their own population without lifting a finger now throw (Christian) bombs on (Islamic) targets. I see 60 countries angry at the USA and I cry of frustration. That centuries of so called civilization has not produced a peaceful coexistence of nations in the world. I cry to see the same primitive behavior between people that can put a man on the moon, do a heart transplant, make a classical concert or built ingenious worldwide electronic information networks. These highly developed nations behave like primitive warmongers and destroy, scare, kill and maim others instead of practicing what they preach.

Wealth, sharing, global development, international cooperation, all empty words and hypocritical speeches. So called Christian nations behave in ancient Jewish fashion: an eye for an eye, etc. I cry for all those that suffer through the misconduct of their leaders.

On Saturday 17 of august, the editor of the Today, and no doubt many with him, wrote that he did not know to what end we still have Royalty, who came to visit in the persons of His Royal Highness Prince Willem Alexander and Princess Maxima. Royalty, many people think, is such an ancient thing, or subject, that it is hardly proper to fit in this day and time. Still, huge crowds of people flock to see the Royal couple, and every commoner in his/her heart feels something special. As nobody seems to know why they still like the idea of royalty, I will tell you.

In republics like France and Turkey, where Royalty and with them most artistrocrats where murdered, because of    misconduct, presidents have been put at the head of the country. Now, in those countries, any person can become  president. No matter if you where born a pauper, a shoemaker or a farmer, anyone  can become president if fate would have it so. That idea lives in the mentality of the population. I am not aware in which station the fast coming and going presidents of the many countries that have done away with monarchies where born, but I remember that  Krutsjev, long ago president of the Soviet Republics, was born a common farmer. However, nobody can become King. King is the very  position one has to be born into. One cannot become King, one has to be born son of a Queen, a true Prince in order to become King. See how Prince Bernard and Prince Claus, although married to Queens never became Kings. It is this impossibility that makes it a mystery that is so attractive to most people. And repugnant to some. Those that do not like Royalty may be jealous, those that envy the uniqueness, the one-of-a-kindness of Royalty. I rather be a subject of a (modern) King, than of a president, who always gets a limited time, [unless he is a dictator], like in Peru, America, the Dominican Republic or in France. A king is still somewhat a fairy tale person, an impossibility for the commoner.
I especially like the fairy tales with pompous weddings, great processions, benevolent actions and happy endings.

As long as I don't have to partake in them. 

To stay in Saudi Arabia, will be more and more difficult for the USA. Both sides have great potential. In the hands of fools a sorry event. This Potential of mutual respect could lead to better living standards, also for the masses who live upon the surface of the earth from where oil is extracted. This is to be seriously considered. Womens equality to men could be a condition for withdrawal. Like , give the women same rights as men and the western civilized rich world will retreat somewhat out of your land. A quick calculation explains the wealth that

the oil producing countries are in possession of. For 50 years or more they have sold around 3 millions of barrels of oil per day. For 20 dollar per barrel, that gives over 1 million dollars. Does Fort Knox hold enough gold, if it was asked? They and us. But never we. And that is the problem. I have sat with a turban on my head chatting in a roadside guesthouse in Afghanistan, for true, I was 22 years of age. There was no difference. I had food, sleep, movement, food, sleep, love. Nothing strange or bad with the Afghans.

People have lost their curiosity, their wonder, of seeing things as they are. They compare too much and they know not how good they have it, but they should not flaunt it. He who flaunts his wealth will surely get robbed. That what happens in micro, so happens macro.

The illiterate rate in the USA is high, but very low in Japan. Gunfodder they called the multitudes of men that went in front of enemy guns. But gunfodder cannot solve the present problem, even if the USA has many illiterate soldiers that are willing to die.

Powersharing is more like it, mutual respect and if possible not based upon fear and violence, destruction, but based upon comfort, easy living, love and understanding. To let go of the past is unfortunately not possible, to prevent similar foolish attacks will not be possible.

It is we who have to do it.  Not They and We. If it is us and they, we are lost, you and I, we cannot stop the war of the leaders. Both psychopaths, the lack of intelligence leads to violence. To force people to flee for satanic behavior, is nothing Christian. I do see that both sides are stupid in certain aspects. In the Saudi green flag, the two swords crossed. Conditions I suggest, to set humanitarian rights sure. Granted living standards will do the trick. Stop all military action, ban that to designated areas in big deserts, and organize human relations man to man meetings and exchange niceties. Jokes if possible.

I will take my leave now if you please by explaining what Chamba Chada means. The Little Boy it means. The little boy that sees the nakedness of the Emperor. The Emperor who was naked but thought that he was dressed in the most delicate invisible cloth, made for him by swindlers and conmen. While all people came to the show and watch it, they do not participate like the little boy. See what I mean? Set conditions, split the land equal between the Israelies and the Palestinians, split Jerusalem; its we, not they and us. It must be understood one day; we are together on mother Earth. She breathes a fresh wind with much less Co2 in the upper skies, these days. Men do more bad than good to each another, and that must stop.

Share the fun, and share the pain. And admit that there are other powers out there. Lets make deals,raise the standard of living and comfort, and have fun, not destruction and violence, the most childish of emotions, more befitting a 5 year old than middle aged leaders. See the child make a tower of blocks and then kick it over. How happy is that little boy. He should not mingle when older men meet. Still his clear observation sets us all an example.

It is with great awe that I contemplate the power of our prosecutor, the honorable Mr. Merkx. That what I could not do with letters to the newspaper, with many telephone calls to various departments at the government, he did with one short call. His seems to be the only true power in Sint Maarten. And this for a most banal situation which should not have to be addressed by our crime fighter nr.1 at all. The department of hygiene workers admitted to me, by phone, that they drove through the sewage water every day. Still they did do nothing. Spoken to the Department of Public works, I found that they too knew about the stinking sewage water running over Suckergarden Road. Still they did nothing. It upset me time and again to have to get the spray of dirt on my car, and in the old days on my legs when I still drove a motorbike. It made me so mad that I wrote: All men are equal for the law, lastly in this very newspaper. And when that had no effect, went with it to Mr. Merkx. It is after all a crime to dispose of garbage and sewage on the public roads...Mister Merkx solved the problem with one telephone call. Praise to him, and shame on the people who should have acted when I pointed out the filth and public health hazard to them. But this is how our government works, and I must realize that it is serious neglecting its duties and still collecting a fat salary. Higher supervision from Holland must continue, in order to show these people that they are supposed to do their jobs, instead of squandering time and money. The word of a honest citizen should be enough. The prosecutor has more important things to do than to point out to government workers to do their job. Thank you Mr. Merkx, and sorry to have bothered you for this. The dirty water now runs through a pipe under the road, straight into the pond so that it may contaminate unseen the whole Salt Pond.

The title says all. To prevent bad things from happening is better than to clean up after. To prevent sickness is better than to cure it. To prevent war looks better to me than to fight one, from the viewpoint of the soldier that is. To the bombfactory it is the contrary. The more war, more work and money to make. Is it because the so called western civilization knows not the law of karma? The pain you cause is equal to the pain you will suffer. Ignorance makes the most cruel deeds acceptable. Ignorance of the law does not make one innocent when breaking that law. These logic truths are secret it seems, one never hears talk about it. What is current is revenge, retaliation, punishment, so called justice and more bombs. Not a word on prevention. Aids prevention is OK, traffic accident prevention is also OK, fire prevention very OK, bars for the windows as theft prevention, reality. But terror prevention, never heard off.

I think it is done by making nobody jealous or angry of envy. That may be done by sharing and respecting others. Why it is not done is maybe greed. All for me and none for thee. It is too late to change the world, it is time I change my adverse ideas and look for a job in the military that is the only place that may still have me. Who will prevent that? To defend my way of life I must strike at the terroist, not at the reasons that make terrorists. If we did that there would be no terrorists and I would have no job in the military or the weaponfactory.

I would have to drive a smaller car, earn less money, use less paper and dishwasher machines, eat less meat maybe. No way we say. Nobody will make me hand in any of my luxuries, let the government take care of the poor and the sick and the dying, and the criminals and the rest, its none of my business. Preventing this kind of thinking is the first step to terror prevention. We  (NGO's) must try to help those that cause terror, like druggies, under their own private devils rules; they can be helped, only with love. But we knew that already, let’s first try bombs.

It is now that I write my book that I realize that the Traffic Department does not give a damn to put white lines on the roads as it can then take less money for its own scams and Holland will anyhow finally pay for the hospital when that institution will be on the verge of collapsing... In my ignorance I didn't know that then.

How much money is saved by not putting white lines on roads? Versus how much money is lost by hospital costs for those who get into accidents because of the missing white lines??? Myself is only one case. My hospital cost was close to twenty thousand dollars. How many white lines can the department of traffic paint for that amount? The cost of being crippled for life can not be expressed in dollars. The punishment for the person who hit me is out of proportion with the pain he caused me, and causes me every day. This letter is a plea for white lines. For all those future potential victims that can be prevented. I pray for white lines on our roads. And I urge all readers to contact our department of traffic, commissioner Ferrier, and ask for white lines on our roads.

Please Mr. Ferrier, can we get white lines now? On the bridge, in front of Royal Palm, on the Oyster Pond road, under the traffic lights at town, there we have them clear and well. And the quality is good. Those lines should be everywhere. The difference with the French side is so clear, that it is no wonder all the tourists go there, when asked, they tell me the driving is safer French side, why risk an accident here where you can't see the roads limits, especially at night. So, please sent your letter, or fax to the government building, traffic department, attention Mr. Ferrier and ask for white lines on our roads. You may add that your road tax is paid and you would like to see the roads safe. Money is spent on signs like the overdone unneeded sign at the Hendriksstraat. That is a right-out laughing matter to tourists. At the corner of Backstreet and Hendrikstraat is a red round shield with a white horizontal bar. Everyone knows what that means. Then is under there a plaque with the text: No Entry, Oncoming Traffic, One Way. That is so overdone, not needed, ridiculous, as the red round sign with white horizontal bar says it all. Why 3 times extra there, but no white lines? And why must men cut grass along the road where the grass does not at all obstruct the view, does not impede the traffic at all? At places where there are no white lines the grass is maybe cut so the victims of the next accident can be put on the side of the road easily. Let your pen express your disgust at the present situation, and ask for it. Make your government work for you. That is what they promised in election time. Now make then hold their word. Towards a better Sint Maarten.

The USA has a list with countries that harbor, help, assist or otherwise are in league with terrorists. These countries are more or less hostile to the USA. The list has 60 names. 60 Countries that do not like US policies, does that not put you to think what is really going on? First: every time in the media, the word "innocents" is used, I would replace it with "ignorants". The US government keeps its citizens ignorant of the rest of the world. The internet opens up the world a little, but sitting in front of  a screen in a comfortable home watching poverty on the other side of the globe does not make One a better person. Or helps that poor sucker in the desert. The word is: SHARING. Only sharing the wealth can alleviate the troubles. The wealth of One is the poverty of Another. It must be understood that the world is a ball of material hurling through apace, with a crust of earth on which human beings are crawling like fleas on the skin of a dog. The big words of "globalization" would make one think that we understand a little better that we are on the globe. On the planet. That we are all together. That we are all humans living on this one planet circling the sun. However, it scares people to change their little surroundings and well-known area for the world in its totality. We have seen scared groups defending national values, waging war at neighbours and different ethnic groups. Nowhere do we see a global understanding of each another. Nowhere do we learn that all human beings are one family. A Negro can mate an oriental, a white can mate a North American Indian, an Indonesian can make a baby with a Russian. We can all intermix and function well. Instead we separate, we claim to be better, we discriminate, we behave like fools in the greater scheme of things. Take a trip in a plane and ascend to 10.000 feet, and you will not believe that the fighting, the hate and the atrocities continue down there on the surface of the earth. You will see the curvature of the planet and understand that it is a ball after all. Why can men not unite, why do leaders keep up the silly primitive destruction, fear, hate and war? How long before hum animals become civilized human beings? Some claim to be Christians and shout revenge, others say

that Muslims are terrorists while Moslem hospitality is second to none. Ignorance over and over again. Blame the governments that do not inform the people of what really goes on. Poverty for some is wealth for others. I am not a communist but I can live with only two pairs of shoes, with only the basics for comfort and carefully not wasting one crumb of bread. I have chosen for modesty after having enjoyed wealth and poverty both in my life. And I  have no enemies. Not one.   Sharing is the key.

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.

This letter is directed to the ones who dare take responsibility to the general public and their leaders. Be aware of this message from the Ombudsman. Rituals create discipline. It happens at the ritualistic military funeral as well as at the rituals in the church and in, a different sense at, the theaters. Rituals bring a feeling of togetherness to those that attend. The performers and the public create a bond that is as strong as love. Leaders of people use rituals to bind their flock together. That is why the VKS leaders may have used the untimely self-inflicted deadly departure of one of its members as a pretext to do the military funeral ritual. It was great and awesome. Deeply impressed and fully committed were the crowds that did attend. Any soldier killed in the line of duty should be honored with a military funeral. A soldier must obey his superiors. Even if they are wrong. They must always be vigilant, courageous and alert. He must defend the honor of the uniform at all times. Even out of uniform and off-duty, a soldier must still possess the qualities that the uniform represents. However, the case of (tragic) self-inflicted death of the soldier, not killed in the line of duty is without merit. It did not merit a ritualistic military funeral. It should be contemplated that not every time a soldier who kills himself irresponsibly while driving drunk, can or will or should get himself a funeral with full military honors. That not every soldier must believe that no matter how he or she behaves out of uniform, off-duty, he will get such honors if he happens to kill himself. Integrity to the uniform and what it stands for is a must and will lead to respect and honor. Be aware of this and err not. Furthermore, it must be said that those responsible for the white lines and road markings are partly to blame for this and other gruesome accidents that occur on our roads all too often. The absence of clear road markings reflects the incompetence of those responsible. The general public should demand safer roads from the authorities to prevent costly medical and painful emotional events resulting from future accidents.

Only eight percent of people working in Front and Back Streets are of Antillean origin, research conducted into the labour situation in St. Maarten has uncovered. An eight-page report on the research and its findings, a copy of which The Daily Herald has been able to obtain, pointed to what was referred to as an anti-local employment tendency, with a 17.3 per cent unemployment rate and most of the employed being foreigners. The Island Government's Welfare, and Labour Department described the situation as “unacceptable. The current immigration policy is being exploited to import cheap labour. A popular supermarket, for instance, has 24 employees, 12 of whom are managers. That is one manager per employee. That is possible, due to the immigration policies the department wrote. It explained that, as companies claim they can't find local people to employ, they request work permits for managers. (It is common knowledge that requests for work permits for lower-level employees are not likely to be approved). That is why today there is eight per cent local employment in Front and Back Street and why 45 per cent of the remaining 92 percent foreign employees are managers. That is unacceptable, it stated. It also mentioned situations where jewelers have six employees, four of whom are gemologists and none of whom is an Antillean; of a security company with 62 employees, three of whom are Antilleans and 54 of whom are foreigners without work and residence permits. These companies still received permits to employ foreign workers. Why? Because there were no locals available. Companies send for cheap employees and train them to do jobs for which locals could also be trained. Local workers are just too expensive, the report stated. The report contended that St. Maarten has developed in "anti-local" employment tendency which only dupes locals. "Employers (foreign and local) claim that local workers are inexperienced, lazy, untrustworthy and aggressive," the report stated. This, it added, has created a tendency which keeps local people from finding jobs. It has also resulted in an increase in requests for financial support and an increase in job offers to foreigners. It continued: "Noticeable is the increase in requests for permits for Jamaicans and Guyanese. They replace the locals in the security retail business." The report contends further that, because of these tendencies, government's tax income is under pressure, there is chronic unemployment among locals, foreign earnings do not stay here, more shacks are built, crime increases and more and more youngsters go astray.

The department suggested giving unemployed locals the chance to re-school themselves, a re-examination of the policies on scholarships and the establishment of businesses, and an urgent readjustment of immigration policies. Furthermore, it suggested a stricter control of employers to ensure they adhere to labour laws and that violation of these laws is punished.

Isn't it refreshing to hear the BBC news on the Soualiga transmitter? How the Christian way of thinking does not at all applies to the warring factions. How the war of religions continous unabated? Jews and Arabs do the flow of blood great honour. The warring tribes in Africa contribute their share. Traffic accidents adds to the flow of blood. The weaponmakers do their best to let as much blood flow as possible.

All according to the ancient believe of the South American original inhabitants. They worship the blood that streams through your veins. They see blood as the most holy substance in the universe. They go as far as to find no better sacrifice to their God, but blood. It is found in animals and humans alike. For the prosperity of the community it was believed that the Gods be pleased first and foremost . The best way to please the God(s) is to give it that what gives life. That religion is actually still today very much in fashion. Gun-toting, possessed-persons...  shoot holes in others to make them bleed. Cars hit pedestrians to make more blood flow. Drivers hurt themselves to be drained of their live Juice. Like messengers from an Unknown Need the victims take their bleeding moment of fame and die. The cult of bloodletting should be taken under a microscope. Is the head of our traffic department a member? By ignoring the call for safer roads one would think so. Let it flow. Thats what blood is for. Jesus offers his blood in the form of wine. To confirm to the universal truth also the Catholic church makers used blood to gather a flock. That is neither here nor there, blood flows freely in all worlds. In all religions; bloodbrothers are rare; although we are all bloodbrothers. Separated by national borders, by economic borders, separated by religion and language, we have forgotten that we  all are bloodbrothers. As we are all brothers in water. Because we all need water. Which is my idea to wash away the blood. Throw away all jealousy, all desire, all values, all borders. Be free in water. Keep the blood where it belongs. Inside the system, the body, the being. Look inward and see thy blood washes your insides through and through. From top to toe. Then drink a glass of pure water. And we are One. Still I insist that the bloodshed must stop. That is my opinion. Make roads safer, paint white lines. Enforce the helmet rule, do paint more pedestrian crossings and fine the driver who does not stop for a footman. Ban guns and destroy them whenever you can. Prevent skin punctures at all cost. Your blood is most precious, do not spill it. The miraculous healing of skin after a cut is proof that the creator wants to keep the blood confined. Its up to your consciously observing yourself to find out if you belong to the newer credo of bloodpreservation or to the ancient credo of: 'Let it flow.'

Born a free man, and having stayed free from indoctrination by church, state and society, all I want to do is free my fellow men. I have put myself an impossible task. Surrounded by enslaved people who cannot imagine what freedom is. Having a free mind, an open brain, and one can never get stuck in only one pattern of thought. One is always open to new ideas, learns daily new concepts and absorbs new information constantly. An enslaved mind accepts those things it was forced to learn as a child, and sticks to that for the rest of its life. Imprisoned in the past are those that Jesus called dead, sleeping. "Leave the dead to the dead", he said to someone who was torn between following him or staying behind.

I visited a church on Easter Sunday, just to see for myself once ageing what really went on. Lured by a free breakfast I went in and got the books of songs and writings. The music was good, I sung from the deep of my heart, with a voice so full and clear, that other people looked approvingly at me with great smiles. Then came the sermon. The absurdity of Jesus coming back to life, in the flesh, was spoken about over and over again. As if it was a real true happening. With every word I got sicker and sicker. To hear someone trying to convince a group of listeners of a totally unreal happening that should have taken place thousands of years ago was pathetic. And when the speaker started raising his voice trying to impress the congregation that the resurrection really took place, I felt a disgust so great that I had to leave the place. Why should anyone scream at me to convince me of something that he himself did not witness, that is not only unlikely, but truely impossible, and why should all those people accept that screaming and ranting? That is when I saw the dead. And They did not care the screaming, they all said yes to the ridiculous statements from the pulpit and I felt what Jesus felt on the cross, when he said; "Forgive them Father, they know not what they do". One person next to me understood the spark of freedom I conveyed and he too woke up, a Lazarus for true, who came away with me from the rest of the group and said later how glad he was to have found someone who had a clear   head. That what never happened, never been repeated, never been proven, but only exist in churchmakers writings, that must be shouted out over the heads of the non-thinking people is a sign that this world is not yet ready for freedom. Hypnotic leadership by church authorities seems to continue and whatever we may believe, politicians have little if anything to say about the running of the country. As long as people truly believe that they are born in sin and feel guilty from day 1, the church can manipulate them as they like.

No politician can change that, unless we separate the Church and the State. Only freedom of the mind, good honest education can help. In 1633 Galileo Galilei was condemned to lifelong imprisonment by the church because he declared the sun the centre of our planetary system. The church has held unto lies and fabrications hand and tooth for centuries. Even today I run the risk to be accused of hearsay , because I do not care if Jesus came back to life and flew away to the sky. That does not help me to become enlightened. Only His Love is my guide, not the stories around Him.

Dear Mr. T .Priest, after reading your article about the ugly Mr. Lynch and his sick ideas from 289 years ago, I wonder, why did you write that? Your explanation to provide ammunition for the healing process does not strike me as valid. For healing One needs medicine, not ammunition, that is for weapons, killing, hurting etc. Let me ask you also if reminding one the ways of the past can do anything to make today a better day. I may suggest a healing method that is timeless, although mentioned first some 2600 years ago by a spiritual master. I do not mean: the Older the better, but this method can surely help the ones that find themselves in trouble, from whatever origin or reason. Imagine a water Lilly. A lotus flower. As it sticks its multi petaled flower out of the water, with its golden center that emits a fragrance delicate and fine. The water Lilly exists in many colors, every One as beautiful as the next. The stem of the flower grows from roots that stick in the mud. They grope in the dark dirt, in the slime and grime of the bottom. There the plant has its roots. Then it has the will to go up. It grows through the water, until it emerges with a flower so exquisite and clean that the muddy source from where it came is all but forgotten. The comparing of a persons life to the lotus flower is my advice to all you troubled souls, from whatever mud you came. Grow out of it and leave it behind and emerge as a pristine, clean, new human being. We all that have our roots in mud, and emerge as beautiful flowers.

In Sint Maarten I really thought that we enjoyed freedom of religion. That changed last Friday. Not so good. As we have over 50 nationalities on our island we also have a good number of beliefs, religions, cults and forms of worship. No cult is more diversified than the Christian one, where about ten different forms of the same church struggle for supremacy. The Hindu, Buddhist and Moslem faiths as well as the Bahai and Santeria are all well represented. None of these can put its supremacy over the others. And as far as I know our government is not a religious one; our church and politics are separated entities, I believed. The Jesus cult has the highest profile with the loudest outcries, bell tolling, door to door hawking, tent performances and radio and TV programs. Why the whole country must close down on some true or imagined happening that may or may not have taken place 2000 years ago goes beyond comprehension. A rule of a church that has its headquarters in Rome, Italy, a church that has just asked forgiveness for the sympathy with the Nazi regime, for the atrocities that it sanctioned in South America against the locals and against the slaves in times gone by. Forced conversions, on pain of death where common in the Christian past and even today, on pain of a fine must one close its business in order that this one religion can claim the day. I do not understand how our politicians can impose the rules of one religion onto the whole country, and send the police  force out to make sure that all citizens follow suit. Illogical and discriminating, and showing a lack of respect for those who have other beliefs. A free day is fine, but as it is a national enforced free day it should have to do with a national (or regional) past happening. Responding to the wish of the church that wants to rule the island by paralyzing its business is strange. Not responding to the other wishes of that same church is stranger still. Are not family planning, divorce and abortion against the that same church? Why then this and not that? Who is the boss? Who makes these rules? To have freedom of religion and then impose the rule of one over all? Who can explain that, please come forward.

After years of mismanagement the higher supervision came. In fact it was brought upon ourselves through the things that were done wrong. The disappearing funds, the non appearance of projects etc,etc. Now I suddenly hear of a political person who is  calling Philipsburg Johannesburg. I didn't hear exactly in what context, but if he referred to the reconciliation committee from Jo-burg, indeed, Ph-burg has some way to go. Imagine to try to reconcile all the people whose roads are withheld by the former thieving politicians, the sewage plants and other  plans never executed; all the taxes that had to come after the real money had gone and debts reach sky high. Some politicians find that there is nothing to take anymore as it was before, money for trips abroad, for land, for cars etc. They have to find normal work or other legal means to make money. They will surely have a hard time. Still it seems to me a very good idea to try to reconcile the former thieves with the people and to forgive and work together as friends. Peace and contentment in stead of hate and spite. Let's begin with a clean slate. The jailed mr. Van Putten may be the last one who did his trick and now sits for $ 70.000.- per year, as he has over $ 210.000.- ,  stashed away somewhere. He must sit there with a big smile, good earnings. If he can be reconciled with those he duped I doubt it, but let's propose it to the committee when Philipsburg becomes Johannesburg. And by the way: don't blame the judge for the law.

This, our life on Sint Maarten, is very special and rich in experiences. I am honored to be with you all, on this very special island and I like to share some knowledge that I gathered from the over 50 countries that I have visited. Chinese wisdom is by far the oldest as they have had laws in place all the time that the European countries still were primitive and populated by barbarians. They had the longest time to observe nature and its phenomena and I tell you this because their idea for the reasons of disasters is interesting to say the least. The Chinese of old believed that natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and storms take place where the governments are bad, corrupt and inadequate.

So much for the Chinese... When I settled down on the French part of Sint Martin, over 12 years ago it was a backward and forgotten part of the Caribbean. Not long after I was feeling at home so to say, new laws issued in France brought a vast amount of money that resulted in new hotels, charter boat companies, businesses, and restaurants, by far too many for the tourists that went there. I met president Mitterand and shook hands with him in Marigot, after he had seen president Bush in Anse Marcel. Some time later came LUIS and I had to move for a while, for lack of housing. Thinking of what the Chinese had told me, I wondered how bad a government could be to provoke such calamity over the land. In '96 I settled on the Dutch side where I found a sweet little house to contemplate, meditate and create my ideas. And I saw how very much had to be done about the enormous chaos left behind by former governments and the storm LUIS. Higher Supervision just then came about and technical assistants for the governing agents tried to pinpoint what was wrong with those who govern SXM. For so long things had gone wrong that it would take long time correct the situation. Terrible storms hit the island over and over, as if the Highest Powers were trying to say something. The warnings from Above were ignored time and again and all the broken poles were replaced, roofs redone, roads repaved more than once. Nothing though changed the minds and the hearts of the rulers of the country and improvements that should have started long ago where ignored again and again. Illegal house building without inspection, garbage dumping in the middle of the country, drug trafficking, bad roads and unrestricted car sales, money squandering went on just as before. And now, right in the time that the mother country starts enforcing order and the Queen came to pay a visit to this little island in the tropic sea, LENNY came to show once again how bad the former governments had treated our fine island. Almost no sewage systems, no roof building rules, no underground cabling, no drainage and so on and so forth. This time I hope that the warning from the Very Highest is taken serious and the responsible ones on the top start the program that may have to run forever, that will ensure the building of a real paradise island. Hurricane proof, flood proof, corruption proof, poverty proof, zinc roof proof and all the rest that needs to be done to prevent the Highest Power to come and lash out again. The people of St.Maarten   need all the love and care that serious politicians can give.