This conference takes on additional significance as the party strives to get input from their members on topics related to the elections, such as prospective candidates, but more so on topics of importance for the community at large. The information from members on the upcoming election especially, will be collected and analyzed. The congress is slated to be an interactive one, giving the audience the opportunity to participate in discussions on Health, Crime, Taxes, Youth and Language and of course the New Country Sint Maarten. We want to keep it simple and practical to stimulate full participation.
As already announced, the Keynote speaker for the conference is Professor Dr. Eustace Arrindell of the State University of New York, who is originally from St. Kitts. Dr. Arrindell holds a double PhD , one of these being in Political Science from Cornell University.
The party is equally excited by the line-up of local speakers on the different topics , taken from within the Party as well as outside, one sure thing being that all speakers are well versed in their topic.
All who have registered are reminded of the time and venue of the conference. Especially members of the Party who might feel they don't have to register are reminded that to facilitate every-one, we need to have an idea of the number of participants. Registration is being currently monitored as space is becoming limited.
Setting the tone, will be an opening presentation on the topic "Media and Politics" by the nation's foremost TV personality.
The DP Express has also picked up steam, causing a member to jokingly remark that we might have to register persons for the Express as well.
While we believe that we live in serious times, we are also very confident that the people of St. Maarten will overcome and will rise to the occasion and so we remain optimistic.
We however remain concerned and will continue to express these concerns that less than 5 months away from Country Status, the people of Sint Maarten are still in the dark as far as arrangements are concerned for their health insurance, for the currency of our new country, for the tax system for country Sint Maarten, the budget 2010 and the Constitution for country St. Maarten, to mention a few important issues.
Requests for meetings on especially the Constitution for Country Sint Maarten have been blatantly ignored by the Chairman of the Central Committee, leaving us no choice but to request a meeting of the island council, which will have to be convened by the Chairman of the Island Council, the Lt. Governor of the Island Territory.
So while we want to remain optimistic and encourage the population to be as well, we have said it before: "What we are witnessing today in government does not bode well for the future Country Sint Maarten".