That a local media house owner has challenged St. Maarten's politicians to make crime the only priority (see related story) in the current election campaign should not come as a big shock. After all, recent incidents have served again as stark reminders that unlawful behaviour continues to be one of the island's most serious issues and a "clear and present danger" to its tourism economy.

The problem is that while everyone in principle agrees on the increasing crime threat, few offer any practical, feasible and effective solutions. The local police have been short-staffed and under-resourced for years, while the criminal ranks apparently continue to grow.

There has been much talk of bringing back the Dutch military police, but so far the assistance provided this time around has been mostly restricted to border control. Because of that limited role – having to do with the local police fearing competency issues based on experience in the past – their visible impact certainly in terms of more "blue in the street" has been minimal.

Whether having marines come to train here and help "clean up the place" as now suggested is something the Dutch Defence Ministry would even want to consider is not clear, but at least it's a concrete idea. The election campaign up to now has been characterised by a lot of noise with little content in the sense of specific proposals and solid plans to execute them, also when it comes to the cost involved.

But that goes not only for crime. In general, people are being asked in all kinds of ways to support a party or particular individual without being given even a broad sense of what policies they can expect from such a vote, the corresponding price tag and how it will be paid for.

The continued vagueness and lack of clarity as to how the candidates on the various lists plan to tackle some of the major issues facing "the Friendly Island" are regrettable especially in this day and age, when members of society are better informed than ever and, as a result, also increasingly critical and, therefore, less gullible. What many no doubt want to hear rather than whom they should vote for is a good explanation why.