Gibbs calls for ?real cooperation? between Dutch and French sides

~ Still tight-lipped on candidacy declaration ~

MARIGOT--Union for Democracy (UD) President Daniel Gibbs has expressed strong views on joint cooperation with the Dutch side and suggested that a type of "United Nations" commission comprising French- and Dutch-side officials would discourage divisive interests and be effective in "uniting" the island on common projects beneficial to both sides.

"I'm sick of hearing about cooperation and I'm the bad guy who doesn't cooperate," he said in an interview, on Friday. "When we have equal cooperation and not disadvantaged cooperation, that's the time I'll be willing to discuss matters. We've got to stop talking about cooperation during nice speeches on national holidays that see no follow-up action."

"I say a big bravo to the Dutch side for their developments and infrastructure, but there is also a French side that needs infrastructure and jobs; and businesses are needed. If we're talking cooperation, let's talk real cooperation in the sense of complementary product.

"If we do something, it must be in accordance with the Southern side," he continued. "And if they do something, it must be in accordance with the Northern side. We need to support each other. All these years we have been supporting the Dutch-side investment. So today I expect a minimum of respect, so our developments on the French side are not blocked, because this is what I'm hearing on the street. We are competitive, but we are also one island. I'm not prepared to accept one side as a ghost town and the other side developed."

Gibbs said a local United Nations type of commission would take decisions on common projects and facilitate a vision for development on either side. It would be an autonomous, self-governing structure.

"We need to do this also for security, social, urban, environmental and financial topics. If they (Dutch side) don't have our figures and we don't have theirs, we cannot fight against the problems we encounter. If what is in place on French and Dutch sides is not practically similar, we cannot have decent unity. I'm not saying everything has to be the same, but there must be a base there, so that you don't feel robbed by one side or the other."

He said there must also be a joint discussion on currency.

"We have to ask ourselves: 'Do we want to be in a dollar zone or a euro zone?' For once, let's get a sense, for the economy's sake, of what we want. We need to ask ourselves: 'Do we want to be united or stay separate, one side in Europe, the other a Pays Territorial d'Outre Mer (PTOM)? Which is better?' I don't have the answer, but the population needs to know the consequences of either policy. If we don't solve this question in 2012, we will always be having this disparity and non-conformity issues between the two sides."

While the UD movement is so far the only group keen to publicise in the Dutch-side press its vision for St. Martin, Gibbs himself is reluctant to declare himself a candidate for the 2012 Territorial Elections.

Pressed on why he doesn't formally announce it, his response neither confirmed nor denied his candidacy.

"We said we would not talk about candidacy without having certain elements in our hands. The work I have been doing with UD I have been doing since 2001. When all the ingredients I have evoked are put together, that will be the time for UD to present or support a candidate. I don't come out with projects unless I fulfil all the different stages and studies. I'm not saying I won't be a candidate. I'm just saying I need to have the minimum ingredients that I and my colleagues want, in order to have a credible candidacy."

Gibbs also discussed economic development, tourism, the youth and security and he has suggested that the Territorial Police be armed.

The much-hyped waterfront projects appear to be on hold and there is nothing forthcoming with regard to the Collectivit�'s plans. Gibbs said Group Jutras had been asked to keep its project on hold until the elections have taken place.

According to UD, its movement has 300 members and in the past six months, Gibbs and colleagues have met some 2,000 members of the public in their homes.

"Everywhere we feel the need for change, a determination that politics have to be done differently than in the past. ... The ruling of a minority of very wealthy persons working in their own interests has to be stopped," he said.

Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/20553-gibbs-calls-for-real-cooperation-between-dutch-and-french-sides.html

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