Recently, the Caretaker Prime Minister decided to play tit for tat with the Parliament and invoked Article 59 of our constitution to dissolve Parliament and call new elections. I have been contacted by many people who wanted to know whether or not I would run.
After discussions with my family, close friends, my team and the Party, I decided I will be a candidate once more on the SMCP slate for the upcoming Feb 26, 2018 election.
While I had hoped we would end up with and pushed early on for a NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WITH A PROFESSIONAL CABINET OF NON POLITICALLY AFFILIATED MINISTERS to handle the reconstruction process while being supervised by a Unified Parliament, the older Party leaders once again demonstrated their inability to show humility and work in the best interest of the PEOPLE AT A TIME OF GREAT CRISIS AND UNCERTAINTY FOR OUR ISLAND.
On a daily basis, I see the despair and frustration of many persons.
People are talking about leaving the island and many have already done so. So many are trying to cope day by day with their damaged homes, unemployment and uprooted lives. I fear that many are already showing signs of depression and post-traumatic stress.
More than ever, I feel the need to stand up and try to be part of the CHANGE which is needed for Sxm, Sxmners and Sxm people.
If we have elections on February 26, 2017, I sincerely hope the voters will vote their future and elect 15 Parliamentarians who will put COUNTRY ABOVE SELF while we work together on rising up from the devastation Hurricane Irma brought upon us.
SMCP, under the Leadership of Mr. Wycliffe Smith has kept our promise to the people in 2016 to stay engaged and continue, not only highlight the functioning of Parliament but also that of Government. As a party, we are very ENERGIZED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE FOR A CHANGE.
CORRUPTION IS NOT MY CULTURE. DON'T LET IT BE YOURS!!!
Claude CHACHO Peterson
