At the Alternative Party press conference (from left): Alex Pierre, Audrey Gil, Valérie Damaseau, Bernadette Venthou-Dumaine and Jean-Raymond Benjamin. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT--Current First Vice-President of the Collectivité Valérie Damaseau confirmed her candidacy for the Territorial Council elections by presenting the Alternative Party at a press conference in Marigot on Monday.
She was joined by four members of her list: Alex Pierre, Audrey Gil, Bernadette Venthou-Dumaine and Jean Raymond Benjamin. Her team had already been presented in French Quarter, her home district, on Friday evening and submitted to the Préfecture. The party’s slogan is “Innovate, Preserve, and Transmit.”
The coming week will be taken up with finalising the party’s programme and completing legal documents for the start of the campaign. In the meantime, team members will also be out in the field wooing voters.
“I’m surrounded with men and women determined and motivated and ready to engage themselves to be part of the solution for St. Martin,” said Damaseau.
Asked whether she had considered joining other lists, she said she did have some exchanges and discussion with other lists, but in the end did not agree with the sentiment of running against one man.
“Politics is not my main objective in life. But I could not have done this without meeting other heads of lists. But anyone who wants to run a campaign against one man, that’s not for me. I’m running a campaign for a better St. Martin. It didn’t work out with the other lists for this reason or for that reason.”
Audrey Gil and Jean-Raymond Benjamin both expressed their endorsement of Damaseau. “I’m here today because the country needs governance and people who understand governance and who have shared ideas and are all pulling in the same direction,” said Benjamin. “I think with the leadership of Valerie Damaseau we won’t have the usual in-fighting because she knows how to manage a team and has earned respect from many departments.”
Indeed, the press package of literature outlined the 38-year-old’s actions and achievements over the past five years as Vice-President, including deputising for the President in his absence. A separate section outlines her actions as President of St. Martin Tourism Office, while her portfolio as Vice-President included being in charge of sport, youth, quality of life and culture.
Added Damaseau: “The name of Alternative was chosen wisely. The objective is really to be the alternative. We have a generation that leaves school and many who are abroad want to come back to work in St. Martin. We need to give them a chance. We have seen on the Southern side a growth of younger politicians coming up. Whether they are doing a good or bad job, I’m not the judge of that. But it does show promise of a better future, a breath of fresh air.
“Alternative will also work closely with associations and the population and continue discussing on what we want for the territory. This is a platform building propositions for the next 20 years, not just to be a group creating projects for a mandate. It’s time that that we know where we are taking our people, so that they can also align themselves with what is coming to them.”
The 26-member list from the top down is: Valérie Damaseau, Alex Pierre, Audrey Gil, Jean-Raymond Benjamin, Bernadette Venthou-Dumaine, Ken Seymour, Peggy Oulerich, Thierry Berte, Josiane Davoren, Michaël Moutou, Bahia Yacine, Claude Jeffers, Hélèna Clarisse, AShille Brooks, Murielle Fournier, David Pivetta, Rosanna Castillo, Alvarado Burnett, Perette Dorce, Joseph Carty, Micheline Saint-Germain, Shermon Maccow, Malika Hughes, Mittler Louissaint, Joane Felissaint, and Kareem Brooks.
