Dear Editor,
With the death of the late Joe Richardson, Roy Marlin and others, it is unfortunate, to say the least, that not many people in my generation knew how great a man he was. I had plans to meet him when I came home this summer vacation. Despite missing the opportunity to sit and learn from one of our local giants, his passing further invigorated the drive I had to record and document the life, experiences and stories as told by the folks who shaped this island.
As a young man who is deeply interested in the history and politics of his nation, I think it is time we add a name to the new government administration building. It may not seem like an important or urgent matter, but as we ease into the rebuilding phase it comes with the significance of being symbolic.
If there is one thing I regret while I was younger, was the fact that I never thought to sit down and speak with the late Vance James, Jr. He was a common face at St. Maarten Academy and I can remember casually passing him by, due to the lack of knowledge of his contribution to our society. However, thanks to teachers like Kenneth Cook who made an effort to document and educate us about our local heroes, I found out about him, though a little too late. With that being said, it is fair that the building is named after him.
For one, Vance (as he was affectionately called) dedicated his life via politics, media, church, and business to the community. The administration building as we know, serves as the nervous system of the country where the executive branch deals with our day-to-day affairs. Vance had a deep passion for this island and wanted the best for his people. Though there are policies or ideas of his, one may not agree upon, all which he spoke of came from a sincere concern and appreciation for St. Maarten’s advancement.
In an era when few people were courageous enough or thought of standing up against the reigning Democratic Party, Vance James, along with Leo Friday Sr., Richard Gibson and Vincent Doncher, made it happen. During 2018 an old interview from Profiles of the Winward Island surfaced on social media with Vance eloquently conveying his message and mission for the elections that were taking place at the time. It was very refreshing to listen to, given that throughout the 2018 election a gross smear campaign was the order of the day across several parties.
Vance had a fire like no other and he served us honourably. He deserves to be commemorated as such for if he had not stood up, speak out and speak for those who were being vindicated or unrepresented, St. Maarten would have been very different today. By taking such a step of naming the building after him, my hope is that it leads to a wider search and movement to documenting our history and preserving our cultural heritage at all costs.
Let us consider a national museum and library to house our national treasures. Let us make use of the minds at our university for research and project management. There is a whole lot that can be done if we simply take the step. I hope my generation seeks to inspire lives across our island and leave a legacy for the future to follow as Vance did. I hope we gain the fortitude to do and say what is right despite opposition or criticism. Nonetheless, if we do not pay respect to those who came before us, we cannot expect the future to do the same for us.
PS: there are still many seniors who are among us today and deserve to be commemorated for their contribution to our island. Do not forget them; lest you forget yourself.
Ralph Cantave
