The smiling faces at the signing of the airport reconstruction agreement could have been a picture of several months ago.
However, with personal agendas prevailing in the current NA-led government, it was evident that at all cost, the airport reconstruction was sabotaged and the people of St. Maarten held hostage until the signing could have been accomplished by those who fought against the Dutch Trust Fund with all their might.
Remember the ridiculing former PM Leona Marlin had to endure at the hands of the very persons, such as the current PM, because she, Leona, carried out the mandate of the UP/SMCP coalition.
“Leona sold out to the Dutch,” was the statement of the day.
“Sarah sold out” was the chorus.
But today what do we see? That “selling out” allows the picture of one happy Prime Minister, signing the airport reconstruction agreement, with trust fund money, with the conditions imposed by the Dutch government.
The NA/USP coalition’s feeble argument is that the current government did not have all of the information to make an informed decision.
From day one, it was clear that there was no Plan B for the country following the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
There was no viable alternative to reconstruct the airport, our economic lifeline.
The current Jacobs-led government is responsible for the delay in the reconstruction, for the financial hardships created for the airport and those who depend on the airport for their livelihood.
So, who was right, again?
In the end, we of the United Democrats congratulate our government, under the leadership of Leona Marlin, the steadfast members of the UD/SMCP coalition, our leader Sarah Wescot-Williams, and the people of St. Maarten for trusting us to stay true to what we promised in 2018: that we, the United Democrats, had one goal, to bring St. Maarten out of the despair caused by the hurricanes and rebuild our country in a sustainable manner.
That commitment in 2019/2020 is even stronger!
Long live St. Maarten!
The United Democratic Party (UD)
