Dear editor,

Did we choose neocolonialism during the referendum in the early 2000’s? I don’t think so. For anyone who does not know what the word means, the dictionary says the following: “the use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, especially former dependencies.” Strikes a cord? If not, wake up people!! 14 years after 10.10.10, 14 years after choosing so called direct ties with the Netherlands – we got fooled big time. Direct ties with the Netherlands??? We went from Willemstad to Kralendijk people!

Saba is my island, I born here. But this is the first time in my life I see us giving it away so freely. Are the politicians aware and fighting for us?? We also chose them to be in power.

Saba people wake up and stand up! Don’t let the Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland with all their neocolonial employees give you s*it. Better yet, flush it down the toilet, we have enough water to do so, rain has been falling on a regular. There is no excuse not to do your part and safe our beautiful Unspoiled Queen.

Talk to anyone on the island, anyone that is from here or has been living here long enough and you will hear the grievances about our neocolonialists and their departments. July 1st is the commemoration of slavery, still this is not recognized as a holiday on the island. Why? Because there is a denial of slavery and really, are we free? Are we? Being tossed about by Bonaire and their so called regulations that all of a sudden have to be applicable to our 5 square mile island. Bonaire is a few thousand miles away, we do not even speak the same language! How is our small, limited micro economy even comparable to Bonaire’s?? How can the same rules and regulations be applicable to our island. We are still not recognized as our own island, our own people. We do not even have our own postal code so all our mail ends up in Bonaire first. Talk about non sense and disrespect!! And this has been going on for 14 years. Bonairians come here to look down on us, give a monkey a uniform, it is still a monkey! We see it, but we shut our mouths. Police is taking advantage, but we shut our mouths, immigration officers are pulling rank on a regular, but we shut our mouths and let not even start about customs – talking about monkeys in uniform. Black, white and purple, all of them! They cannot even talk to you properly, since their English is just as bad as their Dutch, so they talk Papiamentu to each other in your presence – out of respect?? There is especially 1 female customs officer that is pulling rank in such a disgusting way that I still wonder how she is still here. Oh yeah, that is because we Saba people do not speak up!~

We are good in complaining to each other but to go to the source, now now, that is too much to ask and so our neocolonialists get away with it. Because we let them! Everyone is protecting their behinds – we don’t complain because the experience is that if they know we did, especially customs, the next time we have stuff coming in they will really make life hard for us. Yes, this is what is happening. Not only are the neocolonialists keeping us down, the seek revenge too!!

And then taxes, do we even want to talk about ABB? When a company imports goods, it pays ABB whether they sell the good or not. That is easy for government isn’t it? No matter what, that money is in their pockets. Many business people are saying to give back the Turn Over Tax, at least double and triple taxation was avoided. I think Ms. Schouten should keep her ears to the ground and maybe someone can open her eyes in the process to see that her so called poverty prevention is bull crap. Preventing poverty whilst taxing the s*it out of us? Not looking for alternatives but again, do like Bonaire, cause these colonies are all the same anyways. Ignorance is bliss but also destructive!

I from here, I born here, I will be here when you are gone. In the meantime I wanna live the happy life I lived before you all came here and took over the island. Ok, not all is bad, some positive changes have made as well, but PVV is coming guys! You better brace for impact! And whilst we brace for impact, let’s open our mouths and say enough is enough.

Do not complain to each other, complain to the forces that be! Stop being complacent and let’s save our little paradise!

Name withheld at author’s request.