Dutch Quarter Residents Lay Forth Their Vision for their District to Form Part of the NDP
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams joined the people of Dutch Quarter at the Dutch Quarter Community Center where she actively engaged in the community dialogue sessions which will eventually form part of the National Development Plan. Prime Minister Wescot-Williams attended the session until close to eleven at night where she was able to listen and participate in the workshops and sessions in which the residents of Dutch Quarter laid forth their vision for the development of their district. The Prime Minister thanked the almost eighty participants for attending and ensured the crowd that their vision and suggestions will be included in the National Development Plan; "I want to thank you for your participation and I want you to realize that this is not just an exercise. It is not just another coming to Dutch Quarter to get your opinion. This is about coming here and getting your vision for what you want for your district and for all of the districts of St. Maarten. This is an intense process and we are extremely grateful to all of you who have spent the time here until late this evening. This project is about developing, about building a nation and thus we need to ask ourselves how we can build a nation without involving the people; the people that pick up the nation.
"Again I want to thank those of you who will be a part of the process, the process of heading into the community in order to create the dialogue necessary to ensure the building of our nation, to ensure that the aspirations of the St. Maarten people are included in the plan. You will be challenged going forward as well; too often we like to see things to soon but this is a process we should be careful and steadfast in. This is not just another plan but one for the people and by the people. It is a pleasure knowing the challenges that we are facing but we know that we will get it right. We can celebrate what we have achieved and we should look forward to moving forward," commented Prime Minister Wescot-Williams.
Some of the notable wishes of the community for the development of the district were centered around an increase in green spaces, areas for agriculture, eliminating of running sewage in the roads, an increase in security and street lights and sports and recreational activities for the young people of the district. The community dialogue sessions will continue to occur within the districts of St. Maarten, enabling all to contribute to the National Development Plan.
From the Cabinet of the Prime Minister
