Newly elected President of the Board of the Democratic Party Michael Ferrier "called a spade a spade" by stressing that the party has not been served well by a few individuals and as a result, the people of St.Maarten have not been served, primarily because the party allowed those individuals to place themselves before the party, before the people, before St.Maarten.
By doing so, he added, the DP has allowed the Government and the leadership of our island to be high-jacked by "our opposition and a few infidels." Ferrier was addressing DP’s general membership soon after being elected by acclimation on Saturday last during the party’s mid-year conference.
Ferrier said the leadership of the party will be decisive and emphatic regarding the principles and philosophy driving the DP party and there must be a break with the past in terms of candidates and the party management. "Whether based on perception or fact, the party can no longer be viewed as simply a vehicle to achieve individual political or financial personal objectives," he said.
He said his new board will focus on Integrity, capability, commonality of message, projection of leadership, inclusiveness and consistency. "For political candidates which we will present on the DP slate, we will strive to attract only persons who bring these and other positive attributes and strengths to the party’s table," he said.
Ferrier saved his harshest words for his membership and underscored his message with one line: "the selfish will not get our support." He said it is time to show by deeds as a party that the DP means what we say when we claim: "Country before Self".
"It cannot and will not be just an empty slogan; it is a promise, a promise that has to be kept by the entire Democratic Party, board, leadership and members alike. To go forward, this party needs to consider what relationship we want with the public, and most importantly, how can that relationship be attained? Selfishness has no place in that relationship," he said.
The new board, he continued, must avoid the usual political blah-blah and instead work with whomever it chooses as candidates to present a strong, coherent, fact-based platform. "No more complacency and rampant individualism and egotism. That was yesterday and it has no place in the DP of today or the DP of tomorrow," he stressed.
Adding: "There are some out there who are "hedging their bets": waiting to pick a side once the dust settles. There are others who, at the first sign of challenge, seek cover. There are those who watch things happen, there are those who wonder what happened and then there are those who make things happen. The DP will put together a political team capable of public service, whose skills, experience and integrity are unquestioned and who are can make things happen.
"Those are the people who need to answer this call. If you want to postulate yourself only to make sure "you going to get your share" of what is left, save yourself and us the trouble and embarrassment, for we will expose you ourselves, before the opposition has a chance to do so. Time for watching and wondering is over."