PM: "In the process of the National Development Plan the voices of St. Maarten should and will be heard"
The project leaders of the National Development Plan and participants of the Social Dialogue Training Course joined the Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams in explaining the process and the importance the National Development Plan has with regards to the building of Country St. Maarten.
The Prime Minister joined by Department of Kingdom Relations and Interior Affairs reps Okama Brook and Joeri Arion as well as Gerald Davis, participant in the Democratic Dialogue Course.
"The completion of the National development Plan is just as important as the process of getting there," commented the Prime Minister. The PM continued by stating that the process is part of the general Nation Building that is the collective vision for St. Maarten; "We believe that this should be a bottom up approach. In the process of the National Development Plan the voices of St. Maarten should and will be heard," explained the Prime Minister.
The PM further elucidated that the Department that has been guiding this process in collaboration with the UNDP, the Department of Kingdom Relations and Interior Affairs falls under the Ministry of General Affairs and that considerable time was spent putting together the organization for the process which will eventually lead towards the NDP. "It is important that we monitor the way forward with our goals concerning a vision for St. Maarten. We are continuously monitoring weather or not the community gives the feedback that is necessary for this Plan but we also need to realize that Government cannot do this by ourselves. We have looked at persons and institutions that can play a vital role in helping that process along.
"It is similarly also important that there is a collaboration and involvement with the UNDP and we look forward to having a healthy and dynamic process in the definition of that vision for St. Maarten. Oftentimes you hear comments saying that people do not have ownership of their island anymore, giving the usual ‘whatever’ answer. Finding excuses why they cannot be a part of the process. We are now challenging all to be a part of the NDP and let us channel the positions which we all have into a direction so that everyone’s input can be taken along," emphasized Prime Minister Wescot Williams.
Okama Brook of the BAK Department and Project Lead stated that the NDP is a partnership between the Private Sector, NGO’s, and Private Citizens from all walks of life. "We would like to have everyone have a space in the development of this plan through using the concerns and the assets to place the plan where it has to be. This is not just a beautiful plan that will end up in someone’s draw collecting dust. This is about building the foundation and the process in developing this Country St. Maarten. It is about the people to ensure that they see the development they want to see for their country. Each community should form a part of the plan and take ownership of it.
The Prime Minister continued by stating that in the coming weeks more emphasis will be placed on the public relations side of this process of arriving at a National Development Plan. "There are so many discussions regarding the process of building and developing our Nation that I don’t think that a week goes by without mentioning the NDP. Therefore the public can expect much more information in the coming weeks regarding this process," concluded the Prime Minister.