PHILIPSBURG:--- Several months ago the Leader of the UP stated that St. Maarten needs a state of the art center for the Performing Arts and that certain persons within the community were already selected to hold discussions about this center. The OSPP was and still is of the opinion that we must invest in our community centers in the various districts to upgrade them to the level to accommodate the performing of the arts. Most of these centers are underutilized, they lack programs and our youth from within the various communities would be better served if they can begin performing in their own communities. Our upgraded community centers must form the basis to encourage these youngsters to perform and to have the aspiration to want to perform at the Philipsburg Community Center which by the way is also underutilized. It is all nice and well to talk about constructing such a center but those in power have not acted thus far in the interest of our artists. Time and date, our Harbour Group of Companies on an annual basis pays approximately $ 15,000.00 to bring in a foreign artist at the end of the year. That same $ 15,000.00 can be divided amongst five (5) local bands that can line up the entire board walk on New Years' Eve. These funds would assist our local bands to purchase the necessary equipment to perform at a higher level in our carnival annually.
Today another member of the same UP party is talking about finding a home for our library, a home that will serve for the performing arts, library, museum and she forgot a convention center. However, it is very ironic that recently our leader had a discussion with a renowned citizen who stated that the UP had plans to relocate the Sundial School to the former Upper Princesses Quarter Hotel in Sucker Garden. It was in a far reaching stage and fortunately enough that the UP led government were thrown out of government otherwise the Sundial School would have been relocated to the Upper Princesses Quarter Hotel.
The board of the OSPP is very concerned after learning about the previous plans of the UP led government and the recent statement by a high ranking member of the party. Are the plans of the UP to relocate the Sundial School and the Philipsburg Library in order to accommodate the construction of this new structure in that same location?
Do we actually need a center of that magnitude now and to date none of the facilities including the Festival Village are being fully utilized? We must remember that the cost of these ventures will be paid by the citizens of this young nation and we are up to our ears with the high cost of living. Let's develop our communities and everything will fall in place. A change must come and it must come now.
OSPP Press Release
