My fellow St. Maarteners,
Residents of our beautiful island,
The year 2015 could not end fast enough for the vast majority of our people who have had to endure untold hardship in various aspects of their lives, from increased unemployment to a shocking surge in violent crime;
from a government that could hardly be formed to a renegade cabinet that held the island hostage in an unsuccessful attempt to hijack our democratic process and from skyrocketing prices to a depressing financial crisis that resulted in the Kingdom government issuing an instruction to the UP-led St. Maarten government to pass a balanced budget.
Very seldom in our history have the people felt so dejected, so depressed, and so disconnected from their government.
But I am not here to spread the gospel of doom and gloom; the previous government did a fine job of that by their inaction and lack of communication with the people until the handwriting on the wall was read to them through the motion of non-confidence Parliament passed against the entire Council of Ministers headed by Marcel Gumbs.
It would be an understatement to say that the last 12 months have been a severe test of the mettle we are made of as a people.
The test is not over yet, for the monumental mess the previous government left behind cannot be cleaned properly in a little over a month. However, I am here to tell you, fellow St. Maarteners, residents of our beloved island, that better days are coming.
I am here to say to you that the grueling test we have been made to face will soon become our collective testimony as we, once again, demonstrate our indomitable spirit and resilience in the face of adversity.
What makes me so optimistic about the future? Because our history has shown that time and time again, we have risen up to great challenges together as a people and with God on our side, have emerged victorious each time.
We do not, however, dwell on the past because we have always been united in our belief in a better future for ourselves and for our children, a better future that calls for sacrifice on the part of each and every one of us;
a better tomorrow that demands of all of us greater determination and hard work; a future that can only be achieved if we roll up our sleeves, and work together in unity as we have done repeatedly in the past when we have had to face natural or man-made disasters.
The truth is that the huge mountain ahead of us is no higher or more difficult to climb than those we have left behind us.
Fellow St. Maarteners, didn't we bounce back from the ravages of Hurricane Luis in record time when the rest of the world had written us off, comparing the destruction of our island to Hiroshima?
Didn't we build this island when we were subjected to benign neglect and abandoned to our own wits by the colonial masters? If we did it before, can't we do it again?
To those who may doubt our resolve and capacity to rebuild our island brick by brick, street by street and dollar for dollar, we say, take a look at our history and watch us repeat the feat again.
We are a people who see our past not as a dwelling place, but as an inspiration to reach for the future which is our destination.
And believe me when I tell you that although I have no crystal ball, I have taken a peep at that future and I see bright lights on the horizon.
I can tell you that our financial house which was left in shambles is being straightened out. The Council of Ministers has already approved the draft budget for 2016 and I am pleased to announce that it is a balanced budget.
We all know that we have to tighten our belts and live within our means as every individual family on this island must do when they face a financial crunch.
Only by doing this can we turn the corner quickly and put our economy on a more sustainable course.
My fellow St. Maarteners, this government has already shown in a very short time that it means business where it concerns electoral and constitutional reform. We have recently established an Electoral Reform Committee headed by Mr. Julien Larmonie to advise government on the matter.
Although the time may seem short to bring about meaningful change in this area before elections in September 2016, we remain committed to our constitutional order and will introduce legislation shortly, following recommendations of the Larmonie Committee that will address some of the weaknesses of our system and restore a measure of confidence in the electorate that they will not be short-changed by those they elected to represent them.
We intend to do everything within our power in the short time span we have, to ensure that the phenomenon popularly known as "ship jumping" will be greatly reduced, if not completely eliminated.
This week I have presented proposals to the Council of Ministers and to the Coalition of 8, which I am confident, once adopted will stop ship jumping and ensure stability in governance for our country.
No longer will ship jumpers, be able to use their seats to form a government.
I am, therefore, calling on all members of Parliament, especially those representing the opposition UP party and the other two independent opposition MPs, to join forces with us in passing the measures that will soon be introduced to guarantee electoral and constitutional reform which the people have been demanding.
A unanimous vote in favor of such reform will send a clear message to the world that the political class in St. Maarten is serious about change.
As I stated before, rising unemployment, especially among the youth, has become a major concern. Besides, there is an obvious correlation between joblessness and crime.
Many of those who have been committing the armed robberies in broad daylight are young St. Maarteners who believe society has given up on them. This government will leave no stone unturned to reverse that thinking.
Our youth are not only the future, they are also an integral part of the present on which the future of our country depends.
Educating them in preparation for that future is, therefore, an investment we must continue to make in a comprehensive and integrated manner.
To this end, I can announce that this week I have presented an innovative program to the Council of Ministers and the Coalition of 8, to establish in the New Year an Employment Fund collaboration with the private sector to address the nagging issue of youth unemployment.
The program will, in its basic form, entail that a business would hire an unemployed youth as a kind of apprentice for a year, with his or her salary paid for out of the Employment Fund. The youth will also be required to take courses such as computer training to improve their skills and make them better prepared for the job market.
After the year, the employer would be free to permanently hire the youth who meets their requirements and then take over paying his or her salary. Details of this Employment Fund and apprenticeship program will soon be made public.
I mentioned earlier that the Council of Ministers has received the draft 2016 budget which it will present to Parliament within short. No government can function effectively without an approved budget.
A budget, however, is not just a set of figures put together frivolously in order to satisfy the CFT or to say we have a budget. A budget is an instrument of financial management as well as a policy framework in which the priorities of government are outlined for effective execution.
Needless to say that it has to be realistic while at the same time addressing the crucial needs of the people. Proper budgeting requires that we keep costs down as much as possible and maximize income.
It is no secret that the new government administration building has been a financial drain which must be plugged. We will tackle the completion of this building without any further delay.
My fellow St. Maarteners, residents of our beloved island, the year 2015 will go down in history as the year when violent crime reached such brazen and unacceptable levels that it claimed the life of Officer Benjamin.
He is the first Police officer on St. Maarten to be gunned down in the line of duty. Fighting crime obviously requires allocating the necessary resources to our law enforcement agencies.
However, fighting crime is not a task for Police alone; like tourism, it is everybody's business. Those who commit the crimes did not drop out of the skies.
They live among us in our communities. They eat and drink at our restaurants and bars. They have friends and even families in our neighborhoods.
Therefore, for our own safety and security, and that of the general public, reporting suspicious characters to the Police is not ratting; it is a patriotic duty which can be done anonymously.
Let me stress once more: fighting crime is not the duty of Police alone, fighting crime is everybody's business.
And speaking of business, contrary to what some figures might indicate, all is not well with our tourism-based economy.
The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications, has had to cope with dwindling financial resources which has brought the marketing and promotion of the destination almost to a standstill and seen St. Maarten literally disappear from certain key markets.
That situation is about to change. To revitalize the sluggish economy, this government intends to revive the public-private sector partnership which has produced very positive results for us in the past.
The proper functioning of a revamped St. Maarten Tourism Authority will be given priority.
Further consolidating SXM airport as a vibrant, revenue-generating regional hub will continue. Our hub partners of Anguilla, St. Barths, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Martin, Nevis and Dominica can rest assured of our continued cooperation and partnership.
As sensitive as the tourism sector is to international trends and developments which are beyond our control, I am sure that we can harness the creative potential of our people and unleash their entrepreneurial spirit to jumpstart our economy so that it can roar back into life.
We will continue to put in place business-friendly policies and court well-meaning investors who will pursue environmentally sustainable projects that will create jobs and benefit the ordinary man.
All of our efforts will be geared towards revenue generation.
In this regard, it is remarkable to note that for almost a whole year, the previous government sat on the building permit for the new Fixed Base Operation (FBO) building at the Princess Juliana International Airport.
They used all sorts of delaying tactics to stall this multi-million dollar project that would have brought in close to a million guilders in permit fees alone for a government that badly needed the revenue.
And this doesn't even include potential revenue from income taxes from workers, etc for a year. How do you describe a government that deliberately starves itself of income apparently because the company it favors did not win the bid for the construction of the project?
That kind of cigar bar poli-tricking will not be tolerated by this new administration. We have consequently reviewed the files and within one month, we have issued all the relevant permits which the UP-led government refused to grant in twelve months so that the airport projects could proceed.
Fellow St. Maarteners,
In one of my very first speeches on taking office as your Prime Minister, I reminded our senior citizens of one of the cardinal points in our governing program.
I said then and I repeat now that the way we treat our seniors is a reflection of the kind of society we aspire to be. This government intends to keep its promise to treat our seniors with the respect, dignity and consideration they deserve.
We will therefore ensure that we lower the cost of electricity for them, a promise that previous administrations have not been able to fulfill. One way of achieving that is by installing solar panels on senior citizens’ homes and through the use of LED lights.
We will also establish a Community Helpdesk for our senior citizens and set up a Council for the Elderly that will advise government on matters relating to improving the quality of life for them in a sustainable manner.
After decades of hard work and sacrifice, our seniors deserve to live a decent, healthy and stress-free life. This government is committed to taking better care of them.
Another area in which we will make important investment is in affordable housing. Our millennials must have access to that significant part of the St. Maarten Dream: a decent roof over their heads.
Our young professionals who return home to help build this nation must not remain helpless in buying or constructing their own homes at a reasonable price.
Here again, this government will vigorously seek to partner with the private sector to make this goal achievable.
My fellow St. Maarteners, residents of this beautiful island:
It would be remiss of me not to mention the hot potato issue of how some of our professionals are treated, especially those whose records show the kind of exemplary performance that makes us all proud.
The way in which the managing director of Princess Juliana International Airport operating company, a government-owned company, was abruptly suspended on St. Martin Day, just two days after the whole Parliament had praised the outstanding work she has been doing is certainly nothing to be proud of.
It has sparked a lot of frustration, anger, and even despair and disillusion among the population. In fact, it has been brought to my attention that the process has begun to dismiss her as managing director at the beginning of the New Year.
I do not know what wrong she may have committed to deserve such a punishment. We send our children to study precisely so that they can come back home to occupy the highest positions available and to contribute to the progress and prosperity of their country. People are asking what kind of message we are sending to our students when we bring down our own professionals in this manner.
When government embraced the arms-length policy towards its own companies several years ago, it was to ensure good corporate governance, and avoid political interference so that these companies could function optimally and profitably.
It was also meant to curtail the practice whereby some politicians turned these companies into their personal piggy banks.
Obviously, old habits die hard as it appears that some government officials and political leaders want to continue to call the shots as they did in the past.
Government-owned companies are strategic assets owned collectively by the people. As one elder statesman would say, they are the patrimony of the people.
This government as sole Shareholder will review its relationship with these companies with a view to ensuring that they can fulfill their objectives and their corporate social responsibility, as well as contribute their own share to government coffers in an efficient, business-like and professional manner.
My fellow St. Maarteners,
The challenges we face are multiple and complex but they are not more than those we have surmounted in the past. However, there are no quick fixes; no magic formulas.
For us to reach our goals, it cannot be business as usual anymore. To transform our island into a nation where opportunities abound for all, we must replace despair with hope, and fear with faith; faith, which they say can move mountains.
We must believe again in ourselves, in our children, in St. Maarten.
Why profess our love for this island if we do not have faith in its people and in its future?
We must work harder than ever before, and unite more than we have ever done before, because we have embarked on a mission of profound transformation for which there is no turning back now.
The New Year beckons to us, offering us a fresh start, a new chance to fashion a better future for ourselves and for our children's children. We are a unique island with a great past and a glorious future.
We, who have beaten the odds over and over in the past, can do it again together – you, the people, and this government working as a team – and through the grace of the Almighty.
The New Year holds a lot of promise. In 9 months' time, this government is called to deliver, like a pregnant woman, a bouncing economy, political stability and social improvements.
2016 will be an election year. Elections by nature are divisive. However, I urge every St. Maartener at home and abroad, every resident of this island, all men and women of good will, to come together, work together, and show that together we can lift our island up to where it belongs.
May the New Year usher in a better future for all of us.
On behalf of my wife, Gabrielle, my children, Indhira and Ondhae, Ighmelene and Hakeem, and my entire family, I wish you and your loved ones A Very Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year.
God bless you and God bless St. Maarten.
I thank you.
