Philipsburg:---On Tuesday, September 15, 2009 Mr. Leopold JAMES, president of the SNBF/L’ Esprit organizations will deliver a power-point presentation entitled ‘ A draft proposal for a Joint-private-public-partnership-Saint Martin-St .Maarten.
Representatives of Government, private sector as well as a number of well known community- and radio personalities from both sides of the island have been invited to this session.
After the presentation those in attendance will be invited to give their input on this draft presentation in order to come to a final proposal and an eventual Memorandum of Understanding.
The organizers are looking forward that such a MOU being signed as part of the celebration of St. Martin’s day, November 11, 2009 in order to add more concrete content to the notion of unity among the people of the island as opposed just the usual annual rhetoric of the officials on that day.
Considering the fact, that short of more concrete examples of real and sustained island-wide partnership and unity in the daily lives of the people from both sides of the island, the event runs the risk of losing its credibility and interests of the people.
Undoubtedly, the proposed partnership has the potential to provide in a long felt lack of meaningful experience of cooperation on all levels in the daily, real-life experience of the residents on both sides of the island.
With this historical proposal from a grass root St. Martin movement, which represents all St. Martiners, regardless of nationality, and which can form a ‘bridge’ for all residents on the island, a new era is about to begin, which can contribute towards removing the current feeling of apathy and despair on the island.
Judging from the mood of the general public, especially of the native St. Martiners, the time for nice rhetoric about cooperation between both sides of the island is over and therefore not following up on this logical grass root St. Martin initiative is not an option.
It is the intention, that in the coming days and weeks, the organizers will be available on the various talk shows and local newspapers, to promote this initiative and to solicit input from the community as well, before presenting a final proposal to the Island government of St. Maarten and the Collectivity of Saint Martin for its ratification on St. Martin Day 2009.
