Of course without a shadow of a doubt it should be mentioned in our draft constitution since it is called the draft constitution of St. Maarten and it has to do with the St. Maarten people, which are now the native people of this island. The former Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs mentioned in the opening remarks of the handbook for Foundation Based Education (FBE) the following: and I quote "We have seen and experienced many changes in the past and are confident that we can face the 21ST Century as a forceful, prepared, knowledgeable and strategic generation of St. Maarteners"
When the former commissioner speaks about St. Maarteners I would like her to explain to the St. Maarten people exactly who she is referring to because as we all know that currently there is no nationality that is called a St. Maartener. Therefore she must have been speaking about our Cultural Identity which is not a Nationality. I would like to challenge the former Commissioner, currently Island Council lady to please stand up and defend the St. Maarten people by letting her voice be heard and not to allow the constitution to be approved without mentioning the people of this country called St. Maarteners as she mentioned in her opening remarks in the above-mentioned handbook. I believe that our politicians should let the St. Maarten people know why the Island Council of Curacao were not able to pass their draft constitution with a 2/3 majority.
Nevertheless, St. Maarten has a prime opportunity to ensure that St. Maarteners be counted in their own country just like any other country that mentions the existence of their people. The Island Council is the people's representatives and it will be a sad thing to know that our representatives who we have voted into Government will deliberately forget to mention in our constitution the fact that we exist as a people. Our forefathers made a sacrifice to get St. Maarten where it is now and we will not leave it up to any politician who we think doesn't know or care about the yesterday or today's hard times that we bore. St. Maarten is our home and we'll do anything to make it bloom.
We'll think of it dream of it in the morning, night and noon and to it we'll give our life to keep it shining like the sunshine that comes out in the morning.
We have worked hard to build this nation working together as one people called St. Maarteners and we will not sacrifice our heritage nor would we allow any politician to exclude us from being mentioned in our constitution. We are demanding that the Island Council include us in the draft constitution of St. Martin, which will benefit not only the living St. Maarteners but also the unborn St. Maarteners as well. Politicians please do the right thing. Our future and the future of our children depend on it. Make the St. Maarten people a proud people.
C. Jeffrey Richardson
Youth Activist