DP # 12 candidate starts weekly messages.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Increasing the purchasing power of our senior citizens is one of the four primary issues Mr. Hubert Pantophlet plans to tackle in the four-year parliamentary term, when elected.
Pantophlet, the nr. 12 candidate on the Democratic party slate, made his remarks in the first of his weekly messages aired on 98.1 Pearl FM last week.
"Senior citizens should not feel forgotten and unappreciated in a country that they helped to build," Pantophlet said, while adding that our seniors need more attention.
"Our current tax system holds our people captive in a society where the cost of living is not on par with our net pay. What's more, our seniors, the pillars of our community, who worked hard to build up this country and who we love dearly cannot meet their basic needs and that in itself is disheartening."
He stressed that constructive change is possible, all it takes is political will. Mr. Pantophlet is clear about his position and is focused on the well-being of the people. He added that even if he is elected for only one term, he will be seeking to improve the quality of life for people of St. Maarten on the whole rather than those in certain sectors.
The launching of a government endorsed "We love our Seniors" island wide discount program will be a top priority for Mr. Pantophlet, once elected. The cooperation from supermarkets, retail stores, Cable TV, TELEM, UTS, GEBE etc to provide discounts to persons over the age of 60 in exchange for tax benefits will be sought for this program.
Secondly, Pantophlet outlined that once elected he will be seeking cooperation from his counterparts in parliament, regardless of their party color/ affiliation, to approve the move from direct to indirect taxation. Mr. Pantophlet emphasized that this move would not only benefit our seniors, but all of our people thus creating a better quality of life.
"With more funds being generated through the indirect taxation method, we would be able to explore an annual steady increase of the old age pension," Pantophlet said.
Over the next few weeks, Mr. Pantophlet, the nr. 12 candidate on the Democratic party slate, will go more in depth into his other three primary plans when elected to parliament, which include:
- the launching of an entrepreneurial program that will focus on training, guidance and funding to ensure financial freedom for our people and to offer former felons a second chance at being productive citizens in our country;
- ending the abuse of short term labor contracts and adjusting the minimum wage policy;
- And finally, exploring alternative energy sources to reduce our utility bills.
Hubert Pantophlet was a member of the Social Economic Council (SER) of the former Netherlands Antilles, former President of the Sint Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry and is currently Acting Chairman of the Labor Tripartite Committee.
DP Press Release
