MARIGOT/GREAT BAY:--- “Where do we go from here?”, is the question raised by members of Soualiga United, in their evaluation meeting held recently. “We at Soualiga United Collective deem it necessary to undergo an evaluation of our work during the past year and ask ourselves the important question: where do we go from here?” said Lenny Mussington, a founding member of the group.
Soualigua United Collective was created in the summer of 2018. One year after the passing of hurricane Irma, amidst the high-handed and disrespectful approach the French state took toward St Martin and its people under the false pretext of exemplary reconstruction. It was important at this critical hour to unite and defend our general interest, our way of life, our heritage, our identity.
2020 was a special year. Indeed in our recent history, it was undoubtedly, one of the most challenging for us as a country, as a people, as a community. Many lives were lost, businesses closed down, workers sent home and dreams were shattered as a result of the worst pandemic our generation has seen and the economic and financial collapse that has followed. Not forgetting the fact that we were at the same moment recuperating from the effect of the most devastating hurricane in recorded history.
It is at this darkest hour that the prefet decided unilaterally to maintain indefinitely the closure of our symbolic borders, preventing the long-established free movement of persons and goods and therefore further increasing the hardship of the people. Soualiga United Collective rose to the occasion and on September 16th sent a resounding message to the French state: “St Martin is One island, One people, One destiny!” and the rest is history.
In that moment of deep crisis, Soualiga United Collective in collaboration with numerous associations and personalities brought out the best of who we are as a people, united, resilient, and strong.
Where do we go from here?
Many challenges still loom over our head:
-The PPRN (Plan de Prévention des Risques Naturels) issue is still not finalize.
-Locals beach restaurant authorization to reopened is still pending while others have gotten the green light a long time ago,
- Passengers coming from St Martin are being discriminated against as if we are more Covid infected than everyone else,
-The non-acceptance of development prevention for Esperance airport for the next 20 years, is a cause of concern,
-The Galion development project has to be done in the best interest of the people,
-School bus strike is still ongoing, this situation is putting a heavy financial strain on the less fortunate parents,
-Natives that fish just to have something to eat are persecuted,
- The uncontrollable erecting of pylons/towers in the French Quarter like a mushroom,
-The deforestation of our hills is rampant and no one seems to care about protecting our natural environment,
- Too many of our youngsters are victims of gendarmes useless harassment and brutality because they are jobless and without a sense of direction. We could go on and on.
It is clear to see that all these conflicts have a common denominator: injustice towards the people of this country. Therefore Soualiga United is monitoring vigilantly these major issues and more that are brewing in the St Martin community. We reserve the rights, if need be, to call on the people to stand United and defend their general interest and dignity.
We are also aware of the fact that it is impossible to solve these conflicts with the same approach and mindset that created them. For that reason, Soualiga United is calling on the French state to engage in a new approach with the people of Saint Martin base on these core values and principles: mutual respect, cooperation, transparency, justice, and dialogue in 2021. The old political models base on domination, coercion, and deception that lead inevitably to conflicts and chaos are collapsing all over the world. They are no longer sustainable in an information age.
In the final analysis, there are only two options: chaos or community. We chose community. Therefore, amidst these challenges, we move ahead in this New Year with renewed courage and faith to forge a St Martin community with a common destiny, united, resilient, and strong, making sure our land, our people, our identity, and our dignity are protected and promoted.
United we can!
