Dear Editor,
I have to get this one out now! Comrades, I have been perusing my archives recently, and I have come across some interesting newspaper clippings.
Let me share some of them with you. “Leopold; no nation-building without St. Maartener defined; Open letter to William Marlin; St. Maarten people have become insignificant; James slams Sarah on defining St. Maarteners - says ‘illegals’ are rewarded; A clear and present danger.”
Comrades, quite a lot of letters have been printed in our defence. During the 2014 elections, the UP party hit the ground running. It was the first political party to hold public meetings. One evening when the leader took the stage in the throes of campaign fever, he said, “I am from here … I am not going anywhere.” I know him, I did not think that he meant to offend those who were not natives.
But the following day after the public meeting a lady (non-native) told me, “With all the different nationalities here, how could he say, ‘I am from here.’ In my bold opinion, the UP leader reserves the right to declare his St. Maarten identity anytime, anywhere.
I am a St. Maartener. And I am not ashamed or afraid to shout it from Pic Paradis. “Friends, Romans, and countrymen and women, I born here.” Today when I walk around Great Bay I see few local people that I know. But I see other nationals wearing T-shirts with their national flags emblazoned on them. They gloat over their identities in my town. And everybody is cool with that.
But if a St. Maartener declares, “I from here,” he mashes every different nationality’s corn. The St. Maartener (like the Unity- Flag that we advertise) must be defined before home rule.
For starters, Daniella Jeffy’s definition has resonated with most native St. Maarteners. That should be our foundation.
It is high time that we stop formulating all kinds of hyphenated St. Maarteners to please everybody.
Julien F. Petty
