PHILIPSBURG, By Rochelle Ward - Everyone—students, linguists, cultural workers, educators, policy makers in St. Martin and abroad— can partake in this buffet of hard truths and innovative research that displays the complex realities of the St. Martin language, which its author, Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, connects to national identity and education in her new book, Language, Culture, and Identity in St. Martin, published by House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP).

Is the way we speak a language, a Caribbean English Creole or just some mash up form of the English language? What makes the St. Martin language different from Caribbean English Creoles and Standard English? Should it be used in the educational process? Which language can promote solidarity and maintain national identity in St. Martin despite the influx of additional language speakers and multiple languages? The answers to these questions are buried within the book’s 240 pages.

The dance of many languages throughout the island’s history is unique, complex and worthy of this kind of scrutiny and attention. The one language that emerged from many, the one that is often scorned by its own speakers, who are not familiar with its grammar, that is the one that Dr. Arrindell has rolled out and lengthened the red carpet for. She has built on the works of Daniella Jeffry, Linda Richardson, and Ken Decker, collaborated with Dr. Mervyn Alleyne and others and by proposing a number of essential studies, invites current and future linguists and scholars to get involved and fatten up the meager pickings of available information.

Language, Culture, and Identity in St. Martin is based on Dr. Arrindell’s Ph.D. study, which she completed at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras. In her introduction, Dr. Arrindell explains that speakers who are unfamiliar with the grammar of their language are often insecure about it. This insecurity is detrimental as the speakers would label the way they speak as incorrect; this hampers self-expression and inhibits the birth of creative ideas in the educational process.

In her findings, only a pinch from the four hundred people polled described the way they speak as positive and poetic and the in-the-river-on-the-bank approach to language by policy makers only makes matters worse.  

Dr. Arrindell illustrates how the education systems on both sides victimize too many of the island’s children. She argues the water and oil relationship between a democracy and a colony, and observes how the word “country” is placed before St. Maarten, yet important symbols like its flags, national anthem, and aspects of its governance remained the same as in the pre-2010 “island territory.” 

“These contradictions are not fortuitous; they indicate the state of mental colonization of St. Martin politicians and the bankruptcy of a colonial educational system, intent on self-preservation, and designed to damage the minds and souls of St. Martin’s children. They are also meant to confuse the people who, faced with such chaos, would then be expected to opt for the status quo.” 

The book is divided into five sections: “Introduction,” “St. Martin: A Brief Sociohistorical Background,” “Of Creoleness and Identity,” “Language Contact and the Creolization Process in St. Martin” and “Toward a National Identity.”

And although some technical explanations and linguistic terminology slows down the reading, this book is an invaluable resource and it will empower people. Dr. Arrindell makes the way we speak important, devoting her research not just to its DNA but its place in the education system and the future of St. Martin. She is frank about the challenges she’s faced and is careful to present both sides of the story and significant sources for further reading and exploration.

St. Martiners need to stand the bull’s eye of national identity and shed the skins of the colonizers’ cultural symbols. St. Martiners need to pursue and consistently uphold the symbols of this St. Martin and embrace what too many of our people refer to as broken or broke up English. Language, Culture, and Identity in St. Martin is the genesis of greater works to come; by it, we begin to digest difficult truths, and understand who we are. (Contributed by HNP; Note: Rochelle Ward (Faizah Tabasamu) is a poet, literature teacher, and blogger.) 

CARIBBEAN – The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Friday, August 8, 2014 the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa an international public health emergency, saying: “our collective health security” depends on urgent support for containment in the affected countries.

“I am declaring the current outbreak of the Ebola a public health emergency of international concern,” WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan told a press conference in Geneva on Friday, endorsing the unanimous recommendation made by Emergency Committee of International Experts on the current Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and which has now spread to Nigeria.

“This is the largest, most severe, most complex outbreak in the nearly four decades history of this disease,” said Dr. Chan who also endorsed the temporary measures to reduce the spread of Ebola agreed upon by the Executive Committee and issues as a statement.

Regarding the issue of temporary travel bans, the Committee declared: “There should be no general ban on international travel or trade” but recommended restrictions regarding the Ebola-affected travellers.

As of 4 August 2014, the cumulative number of cases attributed to Ebola in the four countries stands at 1, 711, including 932 deaths.

WHO said the disease if affecting only a small part of the African continent, but the head of the UN health agency said there is “a clear call for international solidarity” to boost the capacity if the countries currently affected.

“Our collective health security depends on support for containment in support in these countries,” Dr. Chan said.

For example, the Executive Committee said: “It is essential that a strong supply pipeline be established to ensure that sufficient medical commodities, especially personal protective equipment (PPE), are available to those who appropriately need them, including health care workers, laboratory technicians, cleaning staff, burial personnel and others that may come in contact with infected persons or contaminated materials.”

Dr. Keiji Fukuda, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Security who joined Dr. Chan at the press conference noted that fear and misinformation were contributing to the current outbreak, and reassured his audience, saying that Ebola can be contained.

Ebola “is not mysterious,” Dr. Fukuda said. “This is an infectious disease that can be contained.”

The statement by the Emergency Committee said: “It was the unanimous view of the Committee that the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) have been met.”

Among its recommendations was that: “There should be no international travel of Ebola contacts or cases, unless the travel is part of an appropriate medical evacuation” and outlined specific ways to minimize the risk of international spread of the Ebola virus disease as well as advice to currently unaffected countries and those bordering the affected states.

Based on the advice of the Executive Committee, “the Director-General accepted the Committee’s assessment and on 8 August 2014 declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).”

WHO has scheduled to convene a panel of medical ethicists to explore the use of experimental treatment in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Currently, there is no registered medicine or vaccine against the virus, but there are several experimental options under development.

The WHO has launched a $100 million Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response Plan in West Africa.

WHO says the incubation period, or the time interval from infection to onset of symptoms, is from 2 to 21 days. The patients become contagious once they begin to show symptoms. They are not contagious during the incubation period.

CUPECOY - A Physician-in-Training at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) came up with an unusual way to raise funds for the St. Maarten AIDS Foundation - by offering haircuts in return for donations. Jesse Curran from California is currently a fifth semester student at AUC.

Holding a Masters Degree in Public Health, he was interested in helping out the AIDS Foundation during his stay on the island, and after volunteering at one of the HIV testing events, Mr. Curran brainstormed a way to raise money for the Foundation. He knew that his classmates needed a barber nearby school and seized on that unmet need - even though he never formally trained as a barber, he had been cutting his own hair since the age of 13 and has been offering haircuts to friends for about 10 years now. 

"It seemed a match - the need for my classmates to get a haircut, and the need of the AIDS Foundation to continue to raise funds for its free HIV testing events", said Mr. Curran, and he embarked on a one-man hair cutting venture, which he named "Haircuts for Health". Over the past two months he was able to offer 27 haircuts and raised $500, which he then presented to the AIDS Foundation.

"It's amazing how creative the students at AUC have been to raise funds on our behalf. We are deeply grateful to Jesse for his efforts that he was able to squeeze in between his studies and know that his civic-mindedness and generosity will serve him well in his future career. We also thank AUC and its student body for keeping HIV top of mind in their fundraising and volunteer efforts", remarked Rae Merlet, AIDS Foundation Executive Director.

PHILIPSBURG - On Thursday the Democratic Party of St. Maarten presented its Party Platform on Labor and Human Resources vision as part of the DP Party Platform. The vision highlights the party’s commitment to ensuring social dialogue and commitment in ensuring that the country’s labor force and human resources continues to grow; “The DP will continue its approach of social dialogue on matters related to labor, allowing workers and employers to contribute to the process.  There is a general consensus on more flexibility in the labor market; the need for adaptation of the dismissal law; control on compliance; and unemployment benefits. The DP will bite the proverbial bullet and champion a change from the “cessantia” system to a more modern system of unemployment insurance and pension benefits,” read the platform.

The party platform also highlights the party’s plans in addressing Immigration and Foreign Labor; “Since 2010 the Immigration and Border Management of our Country has made great leaps. Our borders can now be much better controlled and managed. Persons wishing to enter St. Martin other than for the purpose of a visit will have to follow the rules that govern residency on our island. With the new system in place, much more effective service can be provided, alleviating the temptation by some to try and beat the system.

“The DP advocates upward mobility for our own people in the labor force.  This mobility is enhanced through provision of training and re-training programs, which is most effectively done in cooperation with employers.  A versatile and easily adaptable workforce will be the result.  Availability of skilled labor is part of the criteria foreign investors use to judge the feasibility of investing in a particular region or country. It also reduces the need for importation of expatriate labor. However, for cases that do require expatriate labor, the foreign labor policy must be transparent and efficient.  The DP believes that the foreign labor permit policy should be a differentiated one,” emphasized the Democratic Party Platform on Labor and Human Resources. (Contributed by the DP Party)