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.

The reports I follow on the radio international news touches me most when the survivors suffer the missing-partner -syndrome. They cannot imagine how death works spirituality. That the body is not functioning any more they can grasp, but that the persons light and life are gone, baffles them. The more as nothing about the way how to die has been taught in schools, church, temples etc. My curiosity has lead me to the most satisfying: "Book 0f the Dead", from Tibet. The ancient unperturbed monks in the monasteries high on the slopes of the Himalaya have preserved the teachings of the Enlightened Ones and composed a guide for the spirit of the dying person. The symptoms of the arriving death are well described as in normal cases death takes about the time it takes to use a meal. This manual for the spirit of the dead person is to be read out loud by a friend even as minutes and hours and days go by. Time exists only on our side of the clock, and after 7 weeks it is said that the spirit must have found its way and the guiding prayers cease.

This reading while one is alive, for a dead friend or relative, or for only one self, while living, gives the reader the wisdom to help others that happen to die in the

field of influence of the present. It makes life so much richer, this knowledge of how to die. That, if it comes, at least I have an inkling as to where to steer my spirit, if it is true that it cannot die and live forever. The information, once stored in the brain, after reading a modern translation, will be of use in case an instant death takes place. Life becomes so fearless and easy, bad habits are laid off , morality strengthens, integrity sublime, here follows the name of the book: The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-500223-7.

This version is a bit old-fashioned and I recommend you find a newer edition. I have seen one that explains the message clear and good. Life becomes more marvelous and full when you have understood that you have been here forever and will stay, no matter how many death we pass. We grow towards fulfillment of the Lord and appreciate His mysteries the more we do scientific research to celebrate His ways.

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.

It is troublesome to read in our only other newspaper the name of St. Maarten written Saint Martin, as if the official name change has taken place already. Saint Martin is used in the TODAY newspaper all the time, as if our part of the island is the same as the French colony north of here. Ours, for the greatest part self-governed, is totally different from the colonial northern part. It is very regrettable that for the future independent island a name has not been chosen that is different from both names used at present. Neither French nor Dutch would have been the best. Saint Maarten for instance. So that when the north has freed itself from the stranglehold of colonial France it can also do away with the old name and adapt to the new one. If a name change brings about a real change in people's perception of their position in the scheme of things, the name Saint Martin is the worst possible alternative. It makes one think that colonial France's policy has descended over our almost free country, now that its name is the same. Is it too late to wake up the dreamers that have adopted the French/English version for our country that is neither French nor English? Or do those that are awakened have to put up with the sleeping crowd and accept the errors they made in their dreams?

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.

No flags fly halfmast, no mourning at island level. Oh no. That’s for when the far away Queen dies, or her first minister maybe, or some soldiers that died fifty years ago, far away. But when about 30 persons die right here, close by, on the doorstep so to say, not a word. 'Sorry' says the island boss, 'It can not be helped.'

However, the tightening of the immigration laws not only here, but in every wealthy country, is the reason for more poor people trying to get out of poverty.

Respect is what people crave, respect and dignity, for death comes to all , it should not be wiped under the carpet as if it is not important. One day of mourning should be observed, or at least one minute silence for every person that died in the battle to try to survive. The war here is not with guns and bombs, but with hourly wages and visa. Respect for the poor who make the walls of the houses that the rich live in. Those workers that make this world so full of goods, luxuries and commodities themselves live in shacks, with unpaved roads and no sewage. Also here on prosperous Sint Maarten. Go see Cay Hill ghetto, Middle region and Dutch Quarter ghettos, no roads, no sewage. There live the people that seek education, relief of centuries of suppression of the rich and powerful. It is them that died on their search for a better life. Remember them, when you hear of brotherly love from the pulpit, remember them.

Bless the day we be free of streetdogs. Bless the day the department of hygiene, Public Health and Public Works employ a dog catching unit. Bless the day we see no more garbage strewn around collection points. Bless the day the hairless flea infested tick covered skinny eyesores are gone. Bless the day when all loving dogowners keep their dogs inside their property. Bless the day when all dogowners have to register their dogs and pay tax on them, have them tagged and vaccinated. God bless the dog who has a good master. Nothing is as miserable as a dog alone, dogs are natural cowards and bark only out of fear. They attack always from behind a person, and in packs. They always look for food or they sleep. They are useful as flea catchers and tick gatherers, because a flea prefers a dog over a human, dogs put their noses in any kind of dirt, rotten fish, horse manure and roll in it if possible. Dogs shit indiscriminately wherever people must pass. Bless the day all owners keep their dogs on leash when outside. Bless the man who loves his neighbour more than his dog. As is the man so is his dog. Throw it to the dogs, but let sleeping dogs lie.

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.