PHILIPSBURG – The University of St. Martin (USM), will be holding a lecture with the theme "How Prepared are we?" tonight from 7pm to 10pm with Minister of Constitutional and Home Affairs Roland Duncan and ministerial attaché and advisor Terry J. Peterson being the main speakers.
This lecture hailed as the ‘Duncan Lecture’ is free to the general public and is part of a series of lectures, of which the main objective is to inform the community and bring about more consciousness on the constitutional status.
According to USM President Josianne Fleming-Artsen, the lecture series will be offering the community of St. Maarten an opportunity to hear from government officials and other experts in their fields who are participating in building country St. Maarten.
Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles recently passed the ‘Duncan Law’ or the Transition Regulation Early Elections which paves the way for St. Maarten to move closer to Country status. Minister Duncan is expected to address the finer details of ‘Duncan Law’, and the preparedness of country St. Maarten, as we step out of the Netherlands Antilles.
Minister Duncan was also a delegate to the second Chamber discussions where St. Maarten and Curacao were given the green light to become country by 10.10.10. He was instrumental in the entire dismantling process and will be updating the public on this matter.
Accompanying Minister Duncan is his special advisor Mr. Terry Peterson and his presentation is entitled "Country St. Maarten: Forging New Alliances."
" Country St. Maarten is well positioned to be a catalyst in fostering new relationships and forging creative alliances of functional cooperation, coordinating policies, establishing treaties and exploring other models of integration with regional and international entities such as the OECS, CARICOM, ACP, OAS, EU, UN and their respective agencies," Peterson states in his summary.
USM President Fleming said she is very enthusiastic about the lecture series and hopes that the members of the general public come out in large numbers to attend these.
All the lectures are free. The USM lecture hall has a seating capacity for about 200 people and attendants are urged to be on time.