Party President Highlights Pragmatic, Realistic and Inclusive Approach to Politics in Moving Country Forward
PHILIPSBURG:--- "Historically the Democratic Party has provided transparent and accountable governance on St. Maarten for the better part of the Last 60 years. Our party's' center left and center right policies have stimulated economic growth while protecting the sovereignty of the people. I am therefore confident in our Economic Hub development strategy that bridges the social and economic interests of Europe and the Caribbean for the better half of the last century," were the words of the New President of the Board of the Democratic Party Hasani Brendan Ellis, the young and dynamic St. Maartener who is quickly becoming a rising star in the political landscape of St. Maarten. Hasani, born August 17th 1985 at the St. Rose Hospital, grew up between French Quarter and Upper Prince's Quarter. In 2003, while attending St. Dominic High School, his lecturer posed a profound question which remained with him as he explored his future; Acknowledging the imminent recession and its effects on small Caribbean states, the lecturer asked; "Are you confident in St. Maarten & Saint Martin development strategies?" This profound question led Hasani to explore his future career and his dedication to the development of St. Maarten.
In 2005, with a CXC high school diploma in his hand, Hasani was accepted at the Fontys University of Applied Sciences where he pursued his BA in International Business and Management. Within this dynamic and international environment, he first learned to interact with people from different cultures. Soon his lecturers recognized his inherent abilities to be resourceful and think critically. Hasani received excellent grades and was given the opportunities to conduct internships at Philips Supply Management in the Netherlands and at the Department of Economic Policy and Research in St. Maarten. He later confidently completed his BA in 2009 and returned home.
Acknowledging the measures taken by country St. Maarten on 10-10-10 to further fortify its unique economic hub position in the North-East Caribbean, Hasani returned the Netherlands in August 2010 to pursue his MA in European law and Policy at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. During his intensive tenure as a Student in the globally recognized city of International law, he visited multiple sites of governance such as the European Parliament, the European Commission and participated in an exchange program with the University of Portsmouth in the U.K. During his time there Hasani has written academic papers on external relations to the European Union (EU), Governing Europe, Policy making in the EU, Judicial Protection, Migration and Asylum Law, and European Community Competition Law. Here he fashioned his intuition to incorporate pertinent debates on St. Maarten such as the proposed Waste to Energy Plant, the disputed benefits of the open border of St. Maarten, and the benefits of establishing a Competition Authority all based on the application of International Treaties and European Legislation.
According to Hasani his success in his studies and his professional life thus far was based in his personal strength and dedication; "the studies I pursued were carefully identified after I discovered my personal strengths. It did not happen overnight, it was a long soul-searching process that took me down many long, narrow, and meandering roads. I had to develop a tough skin to never give up, when one door closed another had to open and I always made the best of any situation. For example when returning to the Netherlands I choose to work as a part time postman although I had a Bachelors in Business Administration. With country St. Maarten in mind, I was not able to dedicate the time to a full time job while waiting to start school. I studied European Law and Policy as it sets the European standard for good governance and commerce, which gives me the opportunity to compare, analyze, and defend St. Maarten laws and policy."
Regarding his source of his motivation Hasani stated; "I have always been told that I am restless. I always needed to be doing something fascinating. Apart from the last three years where I spent a significant amount of time hidden away in some of Europe's best libraries, I always needed to interact with people and have grown into an exceptional observer. Besides my keen interests in motorsports and my experimentations in many of the arts, I also became a rugged outdoorsman; I enjoy diving for conch, spotting turtles, and being chased around my favorite reef by eagle rays. Like many other young people on St. Maarten I participate in activities that improve my community and was the Community Service Director of the St. Maarten Sunrise Rotaract Club. We organized food drives for the Red Cross, distributed hot lunches to the less fortunate, and held fundraisers to bring the Rotaract 7020 District conference to St. Maarten.
Currently Hasani works on EU Relations filling a new function at the Department for the Interior and Kingdom Relations. The function mostly involves coordinating the identification, and implementation of EU funded programs on St. Maarten. Within his functions as policy worker Hasani says; "I am confident in both St. Maarten & Saint Martin's development strategies. An expedition into St. Maarten and St. Martin's development would identify that more self-determination in decision-making originates from arguments that the Dutch and French Antilles structures had deficits in democracy such as sovereignty, transparency, and accountability. In 2007 and 2010 a unique Mid-Atlantic Europe-aid case study emerged within our 37 square mile territory that bridges the social and economic interests of Europe and the Caribbean for the better half of the last century. Here the governments of St. Martin and St. Maarten aimed to overcome the threats to liberal institutional democracy by leaving the central government structures of Guadeloupe and Curacao to pursue further self-determination within internal decision-making. This status created a new association with the European member state and has given both territories a better representation at the EU to pursue their future development. The benefits of this new representation are already illustrated, where for example the 4.9 million Euros allocated to the 10th EDF have been significantly increased in the 11th EDF to 7 million Euros. Between 2014 and 2020 St. Maarten may have the opportunity to tap into a EU envelope of 20 to 30 million Euros. The availability of these funds will be based on whether tapping into these funds will benefit the development of St. Maarten, and our ability to efficiently cut through EU red tape before deadlines," stated the DP Board President.
Elections are right around the corner, as President of the Democratic Party what motivated you to become a Member and President.
As far as his motivation to become the President of the Board of the Democratic Party, Hasani says that, with elections being right around the corner, significant focus should be placed on the National Development Plan; "Throughout the next four year governance period it would be detrimental to the island if incumbent leaders choose to divert from our National Development Plan. This would illustrate that as a country, St. Maarten does not have the vision to represent itself internationally. All efforts made by our current leaders and civil servants to build professional capacity would be lost, and would stagnate economic, social and environmental growth.
"As President of the Democratic Party I will remind constituents that parties pursuing purely opportunistic agendas exist, and should be identified by monitoring what transpired when they are in office. These parties and their policies will destroy our local and foreign currency bonds rating of Baa1. Radical leaders illustrate no long-term vision for a young country St. Maarten and have already been detrimental to the country by agitating the people with propaganda, short-lived schemes, and false promises. Based on St. Maarten's unique position in the northeast Caribbean with one foot in Europe and one foot in the Caribbean, we need to maintain center left and center right policies that respectfully protects the sovereignty of the people and provides equal rules for commerce that fosters local and foreign investment. The Democratic Party will put God and Country first, and will pursue quality representation for the Nation, rather than Quantity," stated the young leader.
When asked what advice he has for the people of St. Maarten, especially the young people that are pursuing dreams of starting their career, Hasani stated that; "I would advise the young people of St. Maarten to individually decide your own fate. Never settle for the nonchalant status quo found between peers and gangs respect your island and always put the greater good of your community first. You are never too old to learn, I like to remind myself that the day I believe I know it all is the day I am no longer part of this world. One virtue I try to practice every day is Humility and I believe it would go a long way in our dynamic fast moving society that sometimes seems to have lost its modest and respectful charm. To our leaders, young adults and children learn by example and if we illustrate Nonchalant, Hostile, and Anarchist attitudes we are bound to live in a conceited society. We are living in interesting times, as a young country we can be progressive and learn from the mistakes of others that have gained their independence in the past. I would advise the young people to do same and learn from the success and mistakes of those that came before us," emphasizes Ellis.
DP Press Release
