PHILIPSBURG--There is no room for complacency in the building of country St. Maarten, President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell stresses in her message to the community to mark Constitution Day, today, Monday.
"As we pursue our goals, we cannot afford to be complacent and hope matters will fall in place. We will have to work diligently and smartly as we rise to the many challenges in order not only to achieve our goals, but also to remain committed to firmly establish the foundations of this new entity," Arrindell said.
This October 10 marks one year since St. Maarten attained the status of country within the Dutch Kingdom and the first anniversary of the Constitution, Parliament and other institutions of the country.
"Today, October 10, 2011, as we celebrate on our first anniversary, let us forget our differences and rededicate ourselves to building Sweet St. Maarten as we move ever closer to true statehood," she said.
She assured that Parliament was committed to overseeing the orderly and sustainable development of the young democracy "as it matures into a kinder and gentler society in which all our people ? citizens and residents ? enjoy a very good quality of life."
Arrindell described the past year as "a very challenging period" during which "we have confirmed that it is not easy and that building St. Maarten from scratch will take time." She added that there were still many things that needed to be put into place.
"There is still a long and arduous journey ahead, but we have the lessons of history as our guide. We know that the sooner we come together and let our love for country inform our decisions and our actions, the easier will our tasks be, and the quicker we will build the kind of St. Maarten we leave behind for posterity."
Further, "Our country was founded on our belief in freedom, equality, justice, integrity, accountability and good governance, and we must remain committed to these principles. Also, we are governed by the rule of law, and our Constitution has enshrined the various institutions that are part of our democratic system. The focus must be on improving the quality of life of the people of Country St. Maarten."
As the first anniversary is observed, Arrindell said the many persons who had played different roles, whether minor or major, including those who had been sceptical about separate status in its present form with good reason, must be remembered. "To all of them, I say thank you for your contribution and remember that we continue to need all hands on deck to make this new entity work for the benefit of all of our people."
Various activities have been planned for Constitution Day, starting with an ecumenical service in St. Martin of Tours Roman Catholic Church on Front Street from 8:30am to 9:45am.
An extraordinary meeting of Parliament requested by Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Rhoda Arrindell will follow the church service from 10:00 to 11:00am. Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams, Minister Arrindell and leaders of parties and independent Members in Parliament will speak on "The Experience of the New Constitutional Status."
Governor Eugene Holiday will also be present for the meeting.
Civil servants will follow the Parliament meeting on three large screens via an Internet feed in Celebration Palace. They also will be recognised for their patience and endurance en route to country status. Wescot-Williams will join the civil servants at 11:15am for a special motivational session that will end around 12:30pm.
Government departments that provide services to the public, such as the Civil Registry, Receiver's Office and Tax Department, among others, will continue to operate.
City breaks Endangered species Stan Collymore Alps Chelsea Manchester United
No comments:
Post a Comment