We have seen politicians come and go and we have seen a lot of our own natives come and go. This island has contributed to one and all in many different ways. The immigrants have been able to come here and make a living in order to support their families in their countries of origin. The investor have been able to come and invest, reaping the benefits that this island has to offer. The rapid growth over the past decades placed Sint Maarteners at a disadvantage,
not having the vision to be able to see the opportunities that this island had to offer back in the seventies and eighties.
We saw our Sint Maarten families selling their properties due to this lack of vision, with no one warning them of the consequences that this would bring in the future. Government has contributed to this growth both positively and negatively.
The reality and fact, is that we have all contributed in creating the Sint Maarten that we now have. A reality that we cannot change, but we must embrace and improve on for the benefit of the generations to come. As a born Sint Maartener with roots dated back for many generations, I too have to face the realities of what Sint Maarten have become, a melting pot of many nationalities coexisting together.
Born Sint Maarteners, both French and Dutch, Antilleans and Aruban natives with family ties, Dutch European nationals, naturalized persons who came from other Caribbean islands and the rest of the world, integration of our Sint Maarteners/ Dutch Antilleans with other nationalities by way of marriage, are just some of the areas in what we are experiencing as this new Sint Maarten. In outlining all of this, it is imperative that we as Sint Maarteners lead, because the others are waiting for us to do so. In leading, one must have vision and be able to take charge in giving direction to a people. In the last years we have noticed that finally the Sint Maarteners are waking up and have begun their fight for better opportunities on this island. We have seen governments, by way of greedy politicians, malicious civil servants and Lt.Governors, block opportunities presented by our native Sint Maarteners. How can government at this time use procedures and bureaucracy to hamper these opportunities, when governments have given off most of the people's prime land to foreign investors. We are jeopardizing our people from growing, while we have given huge plots of government land for hardly nothing to Maho Resort, who are in turn only submitting plans for more property, while they are not able to develop what they already have, selling condo's and villas for millions of dollars while government collects cents on the square meter. The Port the Plaisance group now controls the famous Kim Sha beach, an area that we the people have been able to enjoy over the years, while they have not added any new investments to this island. We see this same group enjoying many privileges with high authorities in disguise with foundations doing worthy community causes. We see past governments granting additional property in long lease to the Isle Del Sol, famous Snoopy Island, while the only thing that they have done so far is build a marina and present dream plans of which they have no funds to invest. We see past governments granting the last parcel of prime government property in long lease at the entrance to pelican to a Mexican Group, who have developed and sold luxury condos, raising millions in revenues while paying small canon fees to government. We see the Mullet Bay Group not showing willingness to clean up their mess, while the rest of the island have complied and re-developed Sint Maarten since hurricane Luis. We see governments continue to facilitate those who already have, while those who have been asking are being rejected and turned down. I say to you politicians who can and are willing to make a difference, wake up. The elected power is in your hands and not in the hands of a Lt. Governor/ a few arrogant civil servants and technical assistants, who have been manipulating an authority that they do not have. Politicians wake up. If the system is not working in the benefit of the people who elected you to office, then do the responsible thing and present changes on both level of the Executive and Island Council to bring about these changes. We hear government owned companies such as GEBE and PJIAE boast of funds that they have in reserve, while half of the island still has overhead cabling and our main highway infrastructure from the airport is in dire need of improvement. For this it is fitting to applaud the contributions made by the Harbor Group of Companies. Changes are coming and have come to eradicate this mentality of greed and malicious selfishness that has infested this island and more specifically government authorities.
I would say to our government. Do not let that fear that has been created by the Dutch; by way of this Lt. Governor hamper you in your quest to serve the people of this island. This is the time to open these doors for the People so that they too will be able to enjoy what they have seen others enjoy on their island due to lack of proper representation. We will not apologize for being ambitious and we have begun our fight to eradicate Sint Maarten of those who have been blocking our growth as a People. Life has taught us that what we sow we shall reap. We cannot determine the fate of one, for it is the road that we must all walk and is determined by either the good or the bad that we do in life.
The Real Voice of the People
Gustavo L. Williams