OPEN LETTER TO ALL POLITICIANS
Although, they are not (yet) openly admitting such, an increasing number of politicians in all parties and on both sides of the island are recognizing the importance to define, recognize and create special provisions for native, indigenous St. Martiners, to prevent their extinction as a people.
Like most St. Martin native people, they are realizing that the 'window of opportunities' to save St. Martiners from certain extinction as a people, based on 'genocide by substitution' - is rapidly closing.
The original, St. Martin Grassroots People Movement for many years, has dedicated itself completely to developing nation building and unification concepts- and strategies for this island, which simply is a must.
This does NOT automatically imply going into independence necessarily.
It is about making sure that native, indigenous St. Martiners are THE key-players in ALL forms of developmental processes, in which stability and sustainability are required.
In our concept of nation building, the recognition, preservation, protection of the native, indigenous St. Martiners, is the foremost important and morally acceptable foundation for inclusion of all other people with an added value to the process.
In this entire process, the first and most important step is to recognize the native, indigenous St. Martiner form a HERITAGE point of view.
To that end, since a number of years, we have developed the St. Martin (cultural/heritage-) ID card.
Also, we are very proud to have among our ID-card bearers, a number of politicians.
For instance, Senator Louis-Constant Fleming, (former-) Senator Marcel Gumbs.
In addition, even Mrs. Leona Marlin-Romeo, a highly intelligent and qualified St. Martin technocrat on the list of the US is a card-holder.
Her party-leader, Mr. Frans Richardson, a number of years ago, showed a lot of interest in the card himself as well as in our efforts to unify the island - bottom-up that is.
Also, Chief-minister of Anguilla, Mr. Hubert-Hughes, based on his St. Martin roots, is also a recipient of our ID-card.
The card will allow its bearers not only to proudly display their St. Martin heritage and their mutual bond as a people, but is also intended to provide them with special benefits and services, justifiably deserved as a native of this country.
Even Theo Heyliger, leader of the UP-party, at the Governor's New Year ceremony a few years ago, asked me for his ID-card.
Whether he was joking, or not, his request will certainly be considered if indeed presented.
The concept of the ID-card is NOT to take away any rights from anyone with a French-, and/or a Dutch nationality – we can NOT and will not even try that.
Our card is to make sure that we, native St. Martiners find a way to survive in the country, ourr ancestors paid for with their blood, sweat and tears !
Any politician, who REFUSES to contribute towards the preservation of native, indigenous St. Martiners, will have to give an account why the betrayal and will have to bear the consequences.
However, our St. Martin Grassroots People Movement, which is official registered on both sides of the island, hereby - ONCE MORE invites ALL and EVERY St. Martin political party to delegate a representative to our movement, who will be given the opportunity to participate in the application process for our St. Martin ID-card.
Eventually, both Governments, North- and South, will be allowed to be represented in a committee of our movement to do such.
We will be closely following to see, IF there are any REALLY proud St. Martiners in politics, willing to stand up against the genocide of their own people, or if they are all simply cowards and traitors.
The clock is ticking.
Leopold JAMES
President of the St. Martin Grassroots People Movement
