Forget Country Status St. Maarten by 2010.....if at all !
The ‘fuel' for this ‘not- yet-ready-country- status' for St. Maarten ‘ground-swell' ?
To begin with, there is a total lack of confidence by the population in the ‘body politics' in terms of being able to clean up and govern this island effectively and in accordance with good governance.
In addition, there is an escalating ‘disconnect' between Government and the people in terms of socio-economic and other priorities.
Despite the constant bickering between the ‘blues' and the ‘reds' and them consequently holding the entire island ‘hostage', for the politicians is their so coveted ‘Country status' for St. Maarten, at all cost, is their priority.
Meanwhile, our society is completely disintegrating and its members not having their priorities recognized, let alone addressed.
Some of these priorities have to do with the consequences of an un-controlled influx of immigrants.
This results among others in complete ‘mix-up' of cultures, the existential threat to the natives of this island, the over-development of the island, the rampant and violent crimes, the prices of food stuff and other commodities, controlled by an ever growing foreign number of businesses etc.
Also very interesting is that justification for the question we posed many years ago, ‘Separate status for WHOM' is becoming very clear.
While our politicians, from one corner of their mouth are ‘preaching' Country status and ‘doing we own thing', more and more it appears that locals, no longer seem fit and/or qualified to hold decision making posts, certain groups foreigners are dominating the ‘official' economic circuit.
In addition, increasingly, other foreigners are boldly creating and dominating their own ‘underground economy', in the process evading taxes and sending millions to their own respective homelands
Since the Government never realized and acknowledged that the absolutely essential
'key' to any development is the PEOPLE of the land, in the FIRST place the NATIVES of the land, the Dutch will be able to deny them any new status, regardless, because they know of that ‘disconnect'.
Combined with the many cases of corruption and investigations on many levels taking place, we should safely conclude, that barring some ‘extra-terrestrial intervention', there will be NO country status after 2010...if at all !.
Now, those who want to bury their heads in the sand, please my guests.
Our approach will be realistic and forwardly thinking.
To this end, we appeal on all those who want to ‘step up to the plate' and make their contributions towards deciding the content of the ‘Post 2010 period', to join with us.
We will start charting this transitional phase, which will mark the end of the Antilles as we know it now and end when according to ‘specific markers', we WILL be ready for a major ‘new constitutional day'.
It is up to every person to, either remain ‘part of the problem' and simply RE-ACT to every move by the Dutch Government, or to become part of the ‘movers & shakers' who will PRO-ACT in manners that the Dutch will have absolutely no other choice than to co-operate.
The choice is ours.
We have made ourselves ‘stakeholders' in this ‘New St. Martin Order'....that is for sure.
For us that is not only the smart thing to do, but also the right thing.....
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Leopold JAMES
President SNBF & L'Esprit de Concordia
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