So imagine William, since in this respect you can do not even represent the sentiments of your own party members, you completely lack any authority or credibility to tell the Dutch Government, that the only status St. Maarten is interested in, is ‘Country status'.
My good friend William, that is YOUR personal opinion and nothing more and nothing less.
You can talk all you want in press-conferences and try to justify pushing ahead with your coveted status, it matters not you are waging a losing battle trying to deny the people their right to speak for themselves as should be in a normal democracy.
William, I will take my challenges to you and Sarah even further.
Last week I made it clear that until you both can prove me wrong, I will assume I am right, when I say that given the opportunity to express their opinion, chances are the people under the current circumstances would reject ‘Country status' for St. Maarten and choose a ‘BESS-like' option instead.
William, you should pay serious attention to the silent grumblings within your own party.
They are silent, because your party culture has conditioned people to accept leadership without any questioning whatsoever.
So William, before telling the Dutch that the only status ‘St. Maarten' wants is ‘Country status', FIRST make sure you have the mandate of your OWN party on that issue.
To this end, perhaps you should first organize a vote by SECRET ballot in your own party.
This will allow for you to OBJECTIVELY find out how many people within your OWN party agree with you rejecting the notion of a BESS-status for St. Maarten.
I dare you to put that to the test, William !
Meanwhile, judging from the many blogs, and reactions within the pubic, I have become even more convinced that right now there is not sufficient public support for separate status, simply because the people have lost trust in the local body politic, due to the existence of entrenched corruption, nepotism etc. in government.
Therefore, a ‘BESS-status' for St. Maarten will most probably get the support of the overwhelmingly great majority of the electorate on St. Maarten.
Who the heck does JAMES think he is, I can hear you asking.
Actually, that is a very fair question William, to which my simple answer is.
Read my lips, just prove me wrong,........ if you can !
How to do that ?
One only way William.
Let the PEOPLE talk for themselves via a new referendum, or allow them to ratify the results of the negotiations on ‘Country status' for St. Maarten.
That is what democracy is about William.
Government is NOT a few politicians, Government is the PEOPLE.
Again, and in ending William, jump high, jump low, not jump at all,......until then, I assume that there is a consensus for St. Maarten to go ‘BESS' all the way.......and will push for such to the extent.
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Leopold James
President SNBF & L'Esprit de Concordia
