Prime Minister Heads into Community to Discuss Nation Building
"I encourage St. Maarten to give your two cents in building our Nation in a constructive way as is opposed to a destructive way"
The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams encouraged the community on Friday to play in active role in not only the development of the National Development Plan but in the Development of Country St. Maarten in general.
Her comments were based on the increasing momentum in the community regarding the NDP and the call for all sectors of a community to form an integral part of that process. "More than being about the National Development Plan it is about National development, about our Country’s development. In coming to the National development Plan we have to be engaged in dialogue and Nation Building. We have to encourage everyone on St. Maarten to talk about the future of his or her country and contribute to the development of the island. The process to get to the plan is as important as the plan itself.
"We are building our Nation and a central part of that is making people aware. Making them aware about what it really means to be a citizen of St. Maarten. Social Dialogue is very important and this requires certain skills to attract people’s opinion. There is a certain way to do that. Everyone’s opinion counts and that requires skill. Everyone is encouraged to give his or her opinion in the context of building. We should pick each other’s mind and brains and that is why in the past we have taken issue with expressions such as genocide in the context of our community. Do we really know what we are saying in terms of what we are saying?"
The Prime Minister also emphasized that the process of dialogue should be on centered on mutual respect and understanding and should not be done with the aim of breaking down an individual or a group. "We will be talking about this National Development Plan as we go along, we will be talking about Nation Building and I encourage St. Maarten to give your two cents in this building in a constructive way as is opposed to a destructive way. We do not lack opinions but we should not break down someone else. For example why hide under the mum of anonymity. When things are wrong it should be said but not just say things to destroy people or their reputations; not hearing the truth but saying things just to say things.
As we continue I will be out there in the community talking and listening to show that this is not about the Government just making a plan we will do all of this together; government, business, society to come to a common vision for St. Maarten," concluded the PM.