PPA leader Gracita Arrindell (standing, fourth right) with candidates.
DUTCH QUARTER--People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) Number Two candidate Lisa Alexander outlined her vision for a ten-year budget plan during the party’s first Town Hall meeting held at the Dutch Quarter Community Center on Friday, December 6.
At the heart of the 10-year plan is a US $15 environmental tax to be paid by the 2,000,000 plus tourists visiting St. Maarten annually. This, she said, will amount to some US $30,000,000.
She said the first $10,000,000 will be used for infrastructure maintenance and rebuilding of St. Maarten; the second $10,000,000 will be used to establish a disaster relief fund and address existing government budgetary shortfalls and the third $10,000,000 will be used for social welfare programmes and beautification.
“This solution makes sure that visitors contribute their fair share while using our amenities and infrastructure. We will also direct our government to ensure that the Dutch Quarter emergency home residents and the Belvedere Duplex residents are given the option of owning their own home via lease-purchase agreements under the PPA’s Own-Your-Own-Home Programme and that existing and start-up businesses benefit from our tax-relief incentive programmes,” Alexander said.
“Lack of planning on the part of our sitting government ministers and parliamentarians alike is the reason why St. Maarten is in this economic state of emergency. Our 10-year plan is necessary not just for long-term macro-economic planning, but also for stability of the financial budgetary system. It must therefore be passed by Parliament into law. This is especially needed right now due to government instability and the economic slump that we are faced with following the impact of [Hurricane – Ed.] Irma,” Alexander said.
Issues affecting residents of Dutch Quarter were at the centre of the evening’s discussions. PPA intends to host several Town Hall meetings in the various districts in the run-up to the 2020 snap parliamentary elections.
Candidates took to the stage to discuss several issues including the deplorable state of the Dutch Quarter main road, the maintenance of the Dutch Quarter Community Center and the lack of investment in the beautification of the Dutch Quarter area over the years. Candidates also raised the issues faced by all communities on the island including high rent prices, lack of homeownership opportunities and a stagnant minimum wage and pension.
PPA Leader Gracita Arrindell thanked candidates, their supporters and the Dutch Quarter community for welcoming the PPA with open arms. She spoke of a plan to investigate the Dutch Quarter road/sewage project, which she said: “has not been mentioned by either our sitting parliamentarians or government ministers to date.”
“Dutch Quarter and surrounding areas have been neglected. The choices we are faced with are not an option between political parties, but rather a choice of the future of St. Maarten for the next 10 years. It is time we make sure that everyone pays their fair share into our system, and those most vulnerable in our society are being taken care of. It’s time for PPA to return to Parliament and provide much-needed stability. I and the PPA slate have provided St. Maarten with an alternative, with a wealth of experience and diversity. On January 9, 2020, let’s vote PPA and Gracita Arrindell,” she said.
Candidate #4 Adonis Cyntje, one of the younger candidates, spoke about the daily struggles that he sees within the community. “While growing up, in the 6th grade was the first time I realized that many children within my community went hungry and I went home and asked my mom to assist my friend. Nothing has changed and because of this I have chosen to postulate myself.”
He spoke about the “Belly Full Plan”, which includes job creation via entrepreneurship in agriculture and education. “Agriculture and entrepreneurship are the pillars of a sustainable livelihood and any economy. Your support for me is a support for a long-overdue St. Maarten’s Market that I call the Belly Full Plan. Let’s deal with poverty through micro-business and small business development.”
He said small businesses need sustainability, even via shared operating spaces or small business schemes.
He proposed the development of a St. Maarten market as a place where locally produced products, our locally grown goods, foods and more can be sold, to put more options in the market to regulate the prices of goods.
President of the PPA Board Leandra Cyntje considered the evening a success. She urges the electorate to support the PPA and “allow them to bring families to the forefront of Parliament once again.”
A section of the audience at the meeting.
