Expectations are high and a lot needs to be done. What should not be forgotten is the fact that we can't do it alone. We are calling on our partners in the Kingdom not just to extend a hand but to seriously assist and help us prepare for separate status. We and the Netherlands are joined together by the hip and nothing will ever change this. We know that the Netherlands is under pressure from external forces and therefore it is within their best interest and reputation to ensure that the people of the Netherlands Antilles and St. Maarten succeed.
The campaign slogan of President Barack Obama is "Yes we can" my slogan as we prepare to enter into office is "We can't do it alone. The public and private sector have an important role to play. Professionalism is the key. This is no time for political grandstanding and rhetoric but serious governing. It is not about whose party is in government, it is about what is in the best interest of the people. We are facing a global financial crisis effects of which are starting to be felt more and more, we are dealing with the issue of crime, the H1N1 virus is spreading and our educational system needs serious attention. We are asking the people to give us a chance to work. Rome was not built in a day and remember "We can't do it alone".