Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, the Honorable Silveria Jacobs, attended the 5th annual Pre- St. Maarten’s Day Unity ceremony and parade at the L.B. Scot Sports Auditorium on Thursday, November 10th. Every year the Division of Public Education arranges for a public elementary school to host the event. The Prins Willem Alexander School hosted the Unity parade and ceremony this year. Head of the Division of Public Education, Mrs. Glenderlin Davis-Holiday, thanked all the schools for taking part in the 5th annual event. Also in attendance were MP Chanel Brownbill, MP Sarah Wescott-Williams, MP Ardwell Irion, and President of Parliament MP Claret Connor. The Minister addressed the students, teachers, school staff, and management stating that she hopes to continue to see the unity amongst the public schools and throughout the entire island. According to the minister, St. Martin Day is a day to come together to celebrate “What is St. Martin.”
The Minister also thanked all the staff and teachers of the public schools for the work that has been displayed. “I knew I had to come here to witness all the joy on the faces of the children… what we put in to them [children] is what we will get out, so I thank you teachers for all you are doing to bring education to where it needs to be. It will take all of us … but together, we must be strong, we can survive, because these children are the future of St. Maarten,” the Minister added.
The public schools that were in attendance were the Prins Willem Alexander School, The Oranje School, Ruby Labega School, The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School, the Marie Genevieve de Weever Primary School and the Leonald Conner School.
The Minister wished everyone a safe, blessed and happy St. Martin Day, and encouraged everyone to enjoy the planned manifestations all around the island, food, and games. “Today’s celebrations are a day early, but I think everyday is St. Martin’s Day,” the Minister concluded.
The Unity walk commenced at 10:30 a.m. and made its way up the Pondfill, turned at GEBE, on to Front Street, turned at the Courthouse, and ended at the Festival Village