SXMElections.com

Dear Editor,

Allow me to first of all inform you that I am not an educator nor do I pretend to have all the answers. I will try as much as possible to steer clear of the clichés and any semblance of personal attacks, however, should some feathers be ruffled so be it.

We have all heard or read in the wisdom of our forefathers the adage "those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail." This seems almost prophetic looking at the St. Maarten experience in the building of a nation. The narrative and the actions coming from the halls of power in Philipsburg are ambiguous and sometimes wilfully puzzling.

Government in justifying its lack of a policy on immigration declares that we don't have or haven't created what we need to move our economy forward. In the same breath government readily boasts of spending over thirty percent of the national budget on education.

Without looking back we can at the very least proclaim to have an idea what we needed since 10-10-10, yet our scholarship policy does not reflect that. It would seem that we are elected to follow the popular claims of the employers and some members of the fourth estate that we are unemployable for we don't have the training they require.

While perusing the classified ads seeking persons to fill positions in certain businesses you see requirements like Scandinavian Language or Hebrew as a prerequisite. Everybody knows these languages are not taught here and it's a simple excuse to foster their claim and import outside labour. Some of them I have had the pleasure to speak to and they don't even have a primary school certificate. Some of the so-called directors barely speak understandable English. We have to really start addressing the needs of the next generation instead of our habitual planning for the next election.

Our young people are crying out for jobs. The situation is explosive and if we don't act now all the investment in the promotion of tourism will be lost for those who feel they have nothing to lose or have no stake in our economy. It is high time we take a serious look at truly providing opportunities and HOPE for our young people.

I honestly don't believe that any outsider can reasonably expect that we built this economy for their benefit. We also have to take a decision on USM. Today we send people all over the world at a very high cost. If some of these scholars were to study at USM, we would save on housing and transport among other things and afford USM the funds it needs to become the country's pride in tertiary education.

Our country while we boast of being better than so many others, controls less than five percent of this economy. Twenty seven percent of our youth are unemployed and by government's explanation unemployable. Besides the twelve percent unemployment among those already in the system not considered young or youth they believe their salvation lies in game of chance (casino or number game) where the little you have is taken away.

We cannot continue to believe we can build this country around foreigners, and government loading all departments with Dutchmen, Surinamers and Curaçaolenians isn't helping.

Offer our young professionals the same deals the outsider gets. Free housing, free car, free phone and three airline tickets a year to where ever. You might be surprised how easy it is to attract your own offering the props you offer the outsider. The natives are getting restless. Take action before it's too late. Educate and offer HOPE and opportunity or it will all soon come crashing down.

Elton Jones