United People’s Party (UP) Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Theodore Heyliger on the occasion of the birthday of his grandfather Dr. A. C. “Claude” Wathey’s wreath laying ceremony asked the question what his grandfather would say about Sint Maarten today if he was around.
The ceremony took place at the statue of Dr. A. C. Wathey in front of the Government Administration Building at 10.00am on Sunday morning.
In summary, “He would have said it was time for the healing of Sint Maarten to begin and for a new future to be brought forward for the people of country. A future of stability, a stable government, a government for the people, and by the people, and a government that puts country above self for people. That is what Claude would have said if he was here today.
“We are now in a period where we have to put aside differences. Let the healing begin he would have said. We need to fix our education system because people need the strength and education in order to move the country forward. He would have said, look at the economy, the people are hurting. He would have gone on and on about the injustices taking place and how the country has gone backward.
“The Ole Man was always about the people; about putting country first. Claude along with co-founder Clem Labega helped build this island. On the commemoration of his birthday, I decided to wear a red coloured shirt, the red of the party that he co-founded with Clem Labega. Red means the true blood and heartbeat of the country that they helped to build. Let’s work together because the people need leadership and more than ever stability in order for progress and growth to take place,” MP Theo Heyliger said on Sunday.
Present to lay wreaths were representatives of the A.C. Wathey Political Awareness Foundation, and representatives of the United People’s (UP) Party, and the Democratic Party (DP).