Dear Editor,
The published literature describing the history of St. Martin has misled our people in so many ways that we are confused about fact and fiction. In all countries in development, rising up means building people in mind, body, and soul. Knowing your history becomes a priority and it is time that we St. Martiners get our historical facts published so that we have the correct information. I commend all those who are making dire efforts in concretizing information for publication.
On a day like St. Martin Day, November 11, we celebrate and acknowledge the North and South sides as “A united people of St. Martin”, or as we often say, “one people”. The “one people” concept of this island is real, even though there are physical borders and two administrations. When we speak of unity of the people, we break down all barriers in order to make us one, namely our culture, our language, our values, and our heritage, which are inherent in us.
When Dr. Claude Wathey and Dr. Hubert Petit in 1959 planned the 11th of November, it was to celebrate the people “together as one” … one island, one people, one destiny! What great vision they had as we celebrate St. Martin Day for the 62nd time this year!
The “people concept” hereof residing on both sides of the Island, recognizing the unity and oneness of this Island must never be forgotten. November 11 is our day, a unique national day of the people of this island, which now embraces many people and many cultures but one destiny; St. Martin.
The people of St. Martin remain inspired to attain and maintain the nation’s sovereignty, autonomy, and peaceful existence. Much can be said about the spirit of the people of this Island, through their resilience when encountered with the challenges of their complex history, polity, natural disasters (hurricanes, earthmoving, and pandemics), and unnecessary socio-economic threats in the form of poverty, and lack of opportunity and hope.
The soul of the people of St. Martin is triumphant, because of its resilience, its drive and guide to attain and maintain a St. Martin unified socio-cultural reality and heritage. The aim of the people of this constituent state is constantly focused on and guaranteeing the natural “one people” experience of this island.
Although history in all its dimensions is a contributing factor towards the evolution of a people’s future, it is detrimental for reflection on St. Martin Day to acknowledge the past and especially to accentuate and use this day as a tool to aid the empowerment and enforcement of our nation-building in progress.
Our resiliency, our persistent struggle to conscientize our own people to assume more responsibility as a committed citizen in this country, our urge to improve the pillars that really make our constituent state an autonomous country, and our proven success in living peacefully in a country with more than 120 nationalities, must encourage us to continue celebrating our St. Martin Day with the aspiration to continue improving the livelihood of our people in spite of our restrictive financial resources.
St. Martin Day celebration is a catalyzer to enforce the progress of an already existing promising unification in this country. It is all about our responsibility as a citizen, our pride, honor, dignity, and integrity to empower our island identity and future. The history of our people is embedded in the stories of our ancestors, the music and dance of our people, the food and remedies of our soil, and the occupations of our hands and minds. The labor and love, the blood and tears, renewed hopes and dreams of the people of this country have given birth to a national consciousness that must be acknowledged with this celebration on St. Martin Day.
In achieving our national destiny, which can only be prepared for democratically, lies our fullest sense of nationhood and prosperity.
Hence, I will continue to conscientize my people who deserve this great day called: “St. Martin Day.”
Congratulations St. Martin!
Dr. Luc Mercelina
Political Leader of the URSM
