Dear Editor,
Trying to turn back the (hands of the) clock – or forcing the clock to keep up ?
Granted – most people often react – yes – after the fact.....
Specifically – once they are personally affected.....
Granted too – they also come into action, once they realize, they had conveniently- and opportunistically ignored the many warning signs and – the messengers of the message, back in the day.....
And granted indeed – once they see they diminishing light - they start to preach to the very choir that in fact even composed the ‘hit-song’ they now are marketing.....
Granted alas – in panic they now resort to attempting to stop and to turn back the hands of the clock....
To be clear – the St. Martin Grassroots People Movement is not in the business of turning back the hands of the clock – any clock.......
Nor are we in the business of living in denial of the hardcore reality of life.
Accepting ‘It is what it is’ – is the premise we build on.
And certainly – we have no intention to getting – and wallowing in the business of self-pity, structural complaining and blaming – we respectfully leave that up to those who excel in that field...
Quite to the contrary- our movement has always been about positioning itself and its views AHEAD of ’Father time’........ AHEAD of the clock.
In our thinking – it is the (hand of the ) CLOCK that will do the catching up with us and certainly not us trying to desperately hang on and to stop the hands of the clock......
A word that captures our approach relevant to ‘Father time ‘ ?
What about creative –intelligence ? Out-of-the-box thinking ? Pro-actively thinking ? Change-agents ? Who knows ?
For now we will settle with ‘visionary’ thinking.
Not waiting until the ‘Tsunami’ is upon us and then trying to stop it with our shoulders and big pot bellies.
No- not us -we have already planned the provisions for it – ahead of its arrival.
So, when it comes – it fills our catchment-systems, flows through our elaborate network of canals, runs over of bridges, turns our turbines and generates energy, other valuable substances and services.
Over time, our movement has been recognized as to represent such ‘forward thinking’.
Consequently, while there are those, who oppose our actions to hand out St. Martin ID-cards to non-native St. Martiners, who we consider to be of an ‘added value’ - there is an even greater and growing number, who understand the concept.
And just for the record.
Any non ‘blood-loin’ St. Martiner can only qualify for our card, once at least two criteria have been met.
In the first place, that person must have LEGAL status on the island.
No criminal record and that person must have been passed our basis norm of being of an ‘added value’ to the nation building process.
So, without at least a legal status – such a person can not even qualify for our card.
The last time we checked – WE were not the ones giving out this official LEGAL documents.
Therefore, those who ‘valiantly’ oppose these people even qualifying for our card – please go knock on the doors, where it matters – if you have the courage that is.
As far as anyone having genuine-, legitimate- and constructive – even hard-core criticism on any part of our policies, actions etc. – by all means – make them known –publicly and we will take them into serious consideration.
On the other hand - trying to be cute, or simply being personal – sorry – read what the sign says ; ‘Nobody home – gone fishing’. Ok ?
And in ending.
As far as those St. Martiners, who just woke up out of eternal mental hibernation and are now desperate to survive –point well taken – but the St. Martin Grassroots People Movement did not hibernate, when it was freezing cold winter – we were providing for the spring.
Consequently, we are not now with a sense of panic and un-deserved feeling of entitlement trying in vain to stop the hands of the clock, like many others .
Thanks, but no thanks - no station passee - WE are way ahead of the clock whose hands they are trying to stop now .
Good luck.
Leopold James,
President of the St. Martin Grassroots People Movement – the inclusive one.