SUCKER GARDEN:--- Education, healthcare, the spiraling cost of living, and social issues were among the many topics the National Alliance candidates focused on at the party's well-attended first public meeting in Sucker Garden on Saturday night.
Leader of the National Alliance Member of Parliament William Marlin said the large turnout to the party's first public meeting was a clear testimony of the continued strength of the National Alliance and the staunchness of the party's supporters in wanting to see the country move forward with the right crop of candidates.
The party's 23 candidates highlighted some of the ills residents were currently being subjected to and gave an insight into some of the party's plans to give the government back to the people.
Several NA candidates also addressed the sentiment being expressed by some persons in the community that they will not be voting in the August 29 parliamentary elections. The NA candidates urged the electorate to exercise their democratic right by going to the polls and casting their ballots for any of NA's 23 candidates. NA says by not voting, the electorate is putting the decision on the running of the county in someone else's hands.
William Marlin said comments were being made about the flags and banners of other political parties that were erected around the country, but he noted that this election is not about who had up the most flags or banners. He said flags and banners cannot vote. They are erected by a few persons to give a false sense of security. NA will prove at the polls that while it did not paint the island white with flags and banners; the electorate will send a clear message with their voting ballots. "This election will be a test of the will of the people of St. Maarten. For the first time in our history, we will prove that flags and banners cannot vote," William Marlin emphasized.
He called on the electorate to take NA "straight to eight" seats, noting that the party will settle for nine, but will be happy with a perfect 10 seats.
NA Leader William Marlin and the National Alliance family thanked Sucker Garden residents as well as residents from other districts for coming out in such large numbers to listen to the candidates on NA's slate address the issue and for continuing to back the largest party in St. Maarten.
He said NA will continue its public meetings in the various districts starting with Dutch Quarter this Thursday, August 14th at 7:30pm and continuing in Cole Bay and ending in St. Peters on Wednesday, August 28th at 7:30pm.
NA Press Release
