Statia News No. 01

INDEPENDENT NEWSLETTER

S TATIA N EWS V OLUME 1, I SSUE 1

21 F EBRUARY 2009

E DUCATION

In this edition:

the Department of Edu‐ cation, Mr. Renee Ree‐ huis, must provide all  the minutes of all these  meetings. Education  On the first of April,  touches us all. We need  there will be a confer‐ as much clarity and  ence about education in  transparency as possi‐ the Lions’ Den. Every‐ ble.   The coordinator of Edu‐ body is invited to go  and hopefully a fruitful  This first edition of the  cation for the Bes is‐ Statia Gazette will focus  lands says that we will  discussion will take  place. The two days be‐ on education. We will  use this report as a  try to analyze the situa‐ “zero measurement”, so  fore this conference  tion, using all things we  that next time when the  there are “private  heard on the radio and  inspection comes, they  meetings”. People or  television these last  groups of people can  can compare the level  of education with that  sign in to have meetings  couple of weeks.   “zero measurement” to  with the people in  I hope you enjoy read‐ see if the situation has  charge in our educa‐ ing the paper,  tional system.   improved.     I think that it’s very im‐   portant that all of these  Annemieke Kusters     meetings are public. I    think our new head of  The level of education  on Statia is below the  standard. This conclu‐ sion is drawn by the  inspection of education,  who visited us and pub‐ lished a report in De‐ cember 2008. 

Because the situation is  very complicated, we  need to do some re‐ search ourselves. 

Taxes Page 2 Zaandams’ Opinion Page 3 Mr. Roborghs’ secrets Page 4 GVP Schoolboard Page 4 News from Statia Police Page 5 Soccer and Swimming Page 6 The Legendary Wailers Page 7 Poetry Page 8

T AXES On January 13, 2009 the  BES islands and Dutch  state secretary of Fi‐ nance reached an  agreement on the gen‐ eral principles of the  future national taxes for  the BES islands after the  constitutional reform. 

The state secretary will  send this legislation to  the Dutch parliament in  the first quarter of  2009. With this agree‐ ment the BES islands  and the state secretary  made a substantial and  decisive move towards 

the implementation of a  fair tax system. A fair  tax system contributes  to better compliance,  which benefits entre‐ preneurship and the  people on the BES is‐ lands.      Continued on page 2 

Next edition: The FBE system and the problems at the Elementary schools. The language issue: Dutch, English, Bilangual...

S TATIA N EWS

P AGE 3 INTERVIEW

Z AANDAM

SAYS :

“D O

THE HONOURABLE THING .”

the Department of EducaReginald Zaandam says tion. He said that when he management and board of was the principal of the GVP the GVP have to step down. school, he and Mr. Reehuis Senator Reginald Zaandam had a lot of difficulties. But Mr. Reehuis was a good of the DP, who has been principal of the Gwendoline teacher and somehow, he van Puttenschool and head helped him grow. of the Department of EduHe said that often, when you cation states that manageare the “boss”, you can grow ment and board of the GVP if you use the expertise of the school are not able to reach people you work with. When the objectives they are suptalking about the days when posed to reach. he was principal, I could see he looks back on these days In the television program last Thursday he stated that with a good feeling. He does not call his teachers his emmanagement and schoolployees, he calls his teachers board of the GVP school “colleagues”. should resign and that an interim board should come Until now, Reginald Zaanand install a new managedam never got involved with ment. the problems in the education field. Being a Island Council He continued to say that there is no plaster member and Senator, he has big enough that can be other things to focus on. used to mend the rift But now that Secondary Edubetween this school cation is in such disarray, he board and this manageno longer stays silent. ment. “Since they all are For Mr. Zaandam, the report of the opinion that at of the inspection of Education the end of the day the is just something he takes children’s education notice of. He thinks that is must be first priority they should do what is impossible to make judgright and dignified and ments about our education when you visit the schools for move aside and give fresh blood the oppor- a couple of days. He beliefs in tunity to save our chil- the FBE system and regrets that that “Cycle 3” is taken dren’s education.” out of the sytem. This was The next day I went to Mr. the part of FBE that should Zaandams’ office to ask for have made the transition to more information. secondary education better for the youngsters. No agoHe said to me that he is nizing tests but a postponeafraid his wish will not come true. One good thing ment of making a decision at a too young an age. that happens right now is the installing of Mr. Renee “Now it is basisvorming that Reehuis as the new head of must prepare them in such a

way that they are able to make the Drastic measures are necessary best choice when it comes to their and he urges parents and study after basisvorming.” teachers to get more involved. When Mr. Zaandam was on “The constant bickering television last Thursday, only about the youngsters not prepared enough when mak- one parent called in. More ing the transition to secon- people should speak out. dary education must stop. FBE and Secondary education must come to getter to When asked if teachers find a new and better modus should strike, he says for our youngsters to make “no”. “Teacher don’t have to strike. According to the transition from FBE to the secondary education. On Mr. Zaandam, teachers the other hand management must be more active and forceful during the meetand teachers must go the ings. For him, the general extra mile when these youngsters enter Secondary meetings with the teacheducation to help take away ers is the platform were all matters pertaining to the shortcomings because the school must be disafter all FBE will never be able to send youngsters that cussed and management should be smart enough are all proficient in Dutch and or English as long as we to use the best competendo not dare to choose a sys- cies of all colleagues in the interest of our chiltem with either English or dren’s education. On the Dutch as language of instruction from kindergarten other hand teachers and (cycle 1) to the end of Secon- parents must understand that they are a powerful dary education.” instruments when it According to Mr. Zaandam, the comes to our educational Gwendoline van Puttenschool has system. lost it’s quality over the past five years.

V OLUME 1, I SSUE 1

TAX F OLLOW

P AGE 2

UP

The future tax system for  the BES islands is not  based on Dutch tax legis‐ lation, but the current  Antillean system was  used as a starting point.  However De Jager stated:  ‘the new tax system for  the BES islands is not the  same as the Antillean tax  system. The new system  has to be much simpler,  more customized to the  BES islands, easy for the  residents, enterprises and  the tax administration  itself and should contain  a shift in tax burden from  direct taxes to in direct  taxes, thus enabling sig‐ nificant lower income  and lower corporate in‐ come tax rates’. State  secretary De Jager: ‘I find  it very important to  stimulate employment as  entrepreneurship by  means of a lower tax bur‐ den on income and profit.  ’ 

secretary and the BES  islands will investigate  the possibility for a fur‐ ther shift from direct  taxes to indirect taxes  and simplification in gen‐ eral and a further reduc‐ tion of the corporate in‐ come tax rate in particu‐ lar. State secretary De  Jager: ‘It is my belief that  the present Netherlands  Antilles tax laws are  much too complex. In  order for people, busi‐ nesses as well as the tax  administration to have a  fair and comprehensible  tax system we need sim‐ pler and more straight  forward taxes’. 

Besides these national  taxes, the BES islands  may also levy local taxes  after the constitutional  reform. The local taxes  are listed in the proposed  bill (Wet financiële ver‐ houdingen openbare  lichamen Bonaire, Sint  Eustatius en Saba). One  A simpler tax system in‐ of these possible local  volves for example no  taxes is the private prop‐ Dutch VAT but a turn  erty tax (grondbelasting).  over tax which is based  on the Antillean turn over  The island council decides  tax and sales tax. And no  whether or not to intro‐ gift or inheritance tax at  duce such a local tax. All  revenue derived from  all. The proposal which  these local taxes are of  we agreed upon today,  serves these goals. In the  the full discretion of the  coming months the state  island budget. The na‐

tional taxes in the BES  islands are going to the  national treasury and the  BES islands receive, in  dependable of this influx,  a payment by the na‐ tional government (out of  a so called BES fund).  As long as the Nether‐ lands Antilles are not dis‐ solved, the Antillean min‐ ister of Finance remains  responsible for the tax  administration and na‐ tional receiver on the BES  islands. Nevertheless un‐ til the moment of the  dissolution of the Nether‐ lands Antilles, employees  of the Dutch tax admini‐ stration will assist – un‐ der the political responsi‐ bility of the Antillean  minister of Finance – the  Antillean tax administra‐ tion in an effort to reduce  the current backlog. At  the same time employees  of the Dutch tax admini‐ stration will also be on  the BES islands to help  and support residents  and businesses on the  BES islands with the com‐ pliance of their tax as‐ sessments that are based  on the current Antillean  Law, this also under the  responsibility of the Antil‐ lean minister of Finance.  

Finally, when the final  proposals concerning  the content of the new  tax system are sent to  parliament the Dutch  tax administration will  provide residents and  businesses on the BES  islands via the Regional  Service Centres on the  BES islands information  about this new tax sys‐ tem. These actions will  be the first official re‐ sponsibility of the  Dutch tax administra‐ tion.   

S TATIA N EWS

P AGE 4 EDUCATION

MR. R OBORGH ’ S  When I realized he and  his entourage had a  meeting with Mr.  Hooker, our commis‐ sioner of Education,  Camilia Berkel, the prin‐ cipal of the Gwendoline  van Puttenschool, Syl‐ vana Gittens, our first  DE HEER L.J. ROBORGH lady, English teacher and  On the 17th of febuary 2009,  secretary at the Innova‐ the directeur‐generaal voor  tion Bureau, Peggy van  hoger onderwijs, beroep‐ der Horde, chairman of  sonderwijs en wetenschap,  the board of the Gwen‐ Mr. L.J. Roborgh had a  doline van Puttenschool  working visit on Statia.  and Nora Sneek, mem‐ This man is the director of  ber of that same board,  three different offices in the  appointed by Govern‐ Ministry of Education in Hol‐ ment, I wondered what  land: vocational education  this meeting was going  and adult education, eman‐ to be about.  cipation, higher education   Are they going to start a  and “studiefinanciering” and  new school for voca‐ research and scientific poli‐ tional education? Are  cies.   they going to start a 

T HE

SCHOOLBOARD OF THE

The schoolboard of the  Gwendoline van Putten‐ school is the “employer”  of  management and  staff. Since the GVP  school is not a public  school, this board has  the authority to hire and  fire its’ personnel with‐ out Governments’ inter‐ ference. 

SECRETS school for adult educa‐ tion? Are they going to  make decisions about  “studiefinanciering”, are  they going to open a  school for higher educa‐ tion?  It said on the program  that they were going to  talk about the BES  bestedingsplan, meaning  that they were discussing  the way in which the ex‐ tra money Statia gets for  education will be spend.   In January the Minister of  Education of the Nether‐ lands, Mr. Plasterk, noted  the Parliament that the  amount of 6,28 million  euro is available for the  three BES islands to im‐ prove education. That  money will come to us in 

G WENDOLINE

Mr. Eroll Gumbs is the  member that represents  the parents, and to Nora  Sneeks’ knowledge the  other members are not  representing any other  stakeholders.  

These members are Mr.  Ralph Berkel and Mr.  Ivan Blyden. One person  is missing in this list. That  The board has to consists  is the other parent repre‐ sentative. She left. There  of seven people. Mrs.  are supposed to be two  Peggy van der Horde is  people in the board that  the head of the board  represent the parents,  and an independent  member. Mrs. Nora  and we only have one.  Sneek and Mrs. Joyce  When asked the question  Spanner are the two 

VAN

2009 and again in 2010.  This is a huge amount of  money. Bonaire will  probably get a little  more, but it must be at  least 3 million NAF per  year for Statia in the  coming two years.  Imagine what you could  do with all this money!  What are Mr. Hooker and  these ladies planning to  do and what will Mr.  Roborgh do for them?    Strange enough the press  didn’t get a chance to talk  with Mr. Roborgh, he  bluntly left the room and  left us with Mr. Hooker  and the coordinator for  education of the Bes is‐ lands.  

P UTTENSCHOOL

if any parent could join  the board now, Nora  said: “Yes!”.  Nora Sneek says all mem‐ bers of the board have a   difficult time. “Nobody  has enough time and I  always have to stick out  my neck!” Mr. Jacques  van der Horde, who is  appointed to smoothen  the communication be‐ tween the board and  management will soon  write a report analyzing  the communication prob‐ lems.   Somehow the board fails. 

Mr. Roy Hooker agrees  on that. He also agrees  that management of the  GVP school fails.   The board needs more  expertise. This is what  Nora Sneek says and she  also says “things are go‐ ing to change” within the  board.  We will wait and see  what is going to happen.  For now, a parent can  step up and join the  board. 

Page 5 News from Statia police

S TATIA N EWS

D AILY R EPORTS Stealing: Three local ladies stole goods at “Girls & Diamonds” on January 27th, On January 31st “L.R.” was arrested and confessed to have stolen watches from the Red Cross building, on February 4th, one man stole a goat. The brothel: Two [email protected]  dents at the brothel: One case of ill-treatment of the To summarize these remanager towards one of his ports: employees, and one incident There were eight cases of with a drunk customer. domestic violence and Break in: One case of suspeople being harassed by picious behavior around a other people. Most of these house, two cases of “almost” cases end up with no official a break in, no suspects were complaint and all the police found. Traffic: One case of could do was to reckless driving a pick up “reprimand” the assaulter. truck, one case of drunk Some of these cases are driving. A fight: One fight “vetes” that are going on for between medical students years, and most of them and local people in a night have to do with jealousy and club. Children: One teensex. ager snuck out of the house

This paper will provide you  with some of the daily re‐ ports our Police force  makes. Mr. Hodge sent me  the Daily reports from  January 23rd  to February  15th. If you are interested in  these reports, please send  an email to: stati-

in the middle of the night and one little child panicked and left the house when its’ mother left to do groceries. Ankle Bracelets: Two convicted felons (I.A. and T.L. from Statia, came from prison in St. Maarten to Statia to finish their jail time. They could finish their jail time here wearing ankle bracelets so that they can be monitored. Right now I.A. is a free man and T.L. is still monitored via that ankle bracelet. Every day a report is being send to prison authorities. Happy City: Police is taking more stringent measures to stop the loitering around “Happy City” in the middle of town. These measures will include individuals being arrested and physically removed from the premises and/or given a fine. The serious and difficult case is the ongoing investigation of the murder of a young man A.L. in Sint Maarten: This is the report on that: “On Friday January 23rd, 2009 the prisoner with the initial C.B. was transported from St. Maarten to St. Eustatius. C.B. was arrested on the island of St. Maarten in connection with the ongoing investigation in the murder of a young man with the initial A.L. that took place on St. Maarten on June 18th, 2008. The prosecutor on St. Maarten ordered the temporary incarceration of C.B. on St. Eustatius. The police force on St. Eustatius is still understaffed and is still not ready to run a 24 hour a-day shift. The head of the police

division on St. Eustatius Inspector Q.G. ROGERS contacted the commander of the Voluntary Corps of St. Eustatius Mr. E.J. PATRICK. Mr. PATRICK assigned members of the voluntary corps to assist the police in providing the necessary 24 hour a-day supervision. During his incarceration on St. Eustatius C.B. was interrogated by members of the RST. As the investigation into the murder of A.L. continued police discovered that another suspect in the murder case was hiding out on the island of St. Eustatius. On Saturday January 31st, 2009, the head of the Arrest-team on St. Maarten, Chief inspector C. JOHN, acting on orders of the prosecutor on St. Maarten, arrested the aforementioned suspect on the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Airport, as he (the suspect) was about the board a Winair flight to St. Maarten. The suspect was transported off island on the flight he was about to board. In the mean time the suspect C.B. was presented to the judge of instruction on St. Eustatius, Mrs. M. JAMES-BROWN. The police cells on St. Eustatius are not equipped to house prisoners for a lengthy period. The cells are not like the prison cells in the federal house of detention on St. Maarten and Curaçao. The judge of instruction therefore ordered that C.B. be transported to a house of detention. On Sunday February 15th, 2009, police escorted C.B. off island.”

Page 6

STATIA SPORTS

S TATIA N EWS

Golden Rocker team 1 and 2 together with their trainers: Wilfried James and Romario Renfrum 

S OCCER Y OUTH Four teams of the Statia  Youth Soccer Programme  Foundation played their  sixth game in the Local Soc‐ cer League 2008‐2009 on  Sunday, February 15, 2009.  The scores were as follows: 

TOURNAMENT Anyone interested in watch‐ ing these youngsters enjoy‐ ing the game of Soccer,  please come out to watch  the games on Sunday at 3  pm. at the Cruijff Court on  the Cottage Ball Park. 

Ages 6 until 9:  

Let us all support our  YOUTH! 

Golden Rockers 1 : 0 –  Golden Rockers 2 : 3 

 

Ages 10 until 13:  

The finals will be played on  the 3th of March. 

Golden Rockers 3 : 2 –  Golden Rockers 4 : 3  

 

  With two more games to go  team 2 is leading with 9    scores in age group 6‐9, and    team 4 is leading with 5  scores in age group 10‐13.   

SUNDAY MARCH  8  

The St. Eustatius  Our  soccer youth will  Swimming Associati‐ go to ST. KITTS for a  on  gives Swimming  soccer tournament.  lessons for all child‐ 100 people are going,   ren on Tuesday en    Thursday afternoon  We will have a report  from 2.   about the tournament    in this paper.  

Learning how to swim  is very important,  especially when you  live on an island sur‐ rounded by the sea.  

We will report on any  tournament.  

Page 7

Music

On March 8, the legen‐ dary Wailers, who are the  greatest exponents of  reggae music in the  world, will perform at the  29th St. Maarten Heine‐ ken Regatta on Sunday.       The band, recognized  worldwide as the only  group still capable of de‐ livering Bob Marley’s  message of peace, love  and equality will be per‐ forming on Kim Sha  Beach to close out the  Caribbean’s largest re‐ gatta.     The group is led by bassist  and musical director As‐ ton “Family Man” Barrett.  Aston was one of the Bar‐ rett brothers (the other  being Carlton "Carlie"  Barrett) who played with  Bob Marley and The Wail‐ ers. It has been stated  that Aston was the leader  of the backing band and  responsible for many, if  not all bass lines on Bob  Marley's greatest hits, as  well as having been active  in co‐producing Marley's  albums and responsible  for most overall song ar‐ rangements. He is an in‐ fluential bassist, and Flea  of Red Hot Chili Peppers  amongst many other  famed bassists cite him as  an influence. 

S TATIA N EWS

He was the mentor of  famed reggae session  bassist Robbie Shake‐ speare of the duo Sly &  Robbie and is considered  one of the elder states‐ men of reggae bass guitar  playing. 

farm in Kingston.    Aston Barrett joined the  band after Peter Tosh  and Bunny Wailer left.   He is called “family man”,  because he has 52 chil‐ dren. Family Man worked  as a welder and bicycle  mechanic before his mu‐ Peter Tosh founded the  sical career. He started  Wailers with Marley and  playing bass by creating a  Bunny Wailer in 1962.  home bass from an up‐ Bunny Wailer is the only  side down wash pan at‐ founder member alive  today, and reputedly Bob  tached by fishing cord to  Marley’s best friend. Born  a stick, while Carlton  used an upside down  Neville Livingston in  1947, he attended school  cheese pan as his drum  set. They would play  with Marley ‐ only as a  Skatalites music with  member of the band he  their neighbor Robert  acquired the surname  "Wailer". Peter Tosh and  Hemmings who blew an  alto sax. As they played  Bunny Wailer left the  their music crowds would  group in 1974, and Bunny  gather on the clinic wall  Wailer now lives on a 

to listen to this trio. Back  in the day Carlton always  said he would be the  greatest drummer in Ja‐ maica. Robert Hemmings  gave Aston a guitar which  he proceeded to remove  two strings to create his  first bass and the rest is  history.    Aston Barrett claims that  the Marley empire owes  him millions of dollars for  his contribution to the  music, but unfortunately  he surrendered his rights  to any further royalties in  a 1994 settlement in ex‐ change for several hun‐ dred thousand dollars.  

Aston 'Family Man' Barrett outside the High Court before the failure of his lawsuit in 2006. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

S T . E USTATIUS G AZETTE I NDEPENDENT NEWSLETTER St. Eustatius Gazette will be  published every other Monday. It  is sent to all interested by email.     You can also buy the paper for 2  guilders at MAZINGA, HAPPY CITY,  PESOS SUPERMARKET and   GOLDEN ROCK SUPERMARKET.     If  you want to recieve the paper  for free via email, please send a  note to: 

[email protected] If you want to place an advertisement, announcement, please contact Annemieke Kusters tel. No. 3184092, or send an email. In the next edition, we will focus on the FBE system and the problems at the elementary schools. We will also try to analyse the language issue. Do we want the English system, the Dutch system or the Bilingual system? What concequences will these choices have? If you have an opinion about these matters, please don’t hesitate to write!

On Friday the 13th, we celebrated Valentines day at the  Gwendoline van Puttenschool. The school organized a  poetry competition. The theme was friendship. The stu‐ dents worked hard to create a lot of beautiful poems.  The winner of the poetry competition was Ravonya  Maynard. She worte this:   

Jouw kleine zus. Dagen komen en dagen gaan Wat zou je doen als ik niet zou bestaan? Zou je je afvragen wie ik was? Wanneer je over een klein zusje las Ik ben nu hier en ik vind het fijn Om jouw kleine zus te mogen zijn The library will be sponsoring a used books sale, adults’ and childrens’ books. Thursday February 26 10 AM—2 PM At Charlie’s Place. Drinks and snacks for sale.