Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
THE HAGUE--For the fourth time, St. Maarteners, joined by friends from Aruba, Curaçao, St. Eustatius, Saba, the Netherlands and France, celebrated St. Martin/St. Maarten Day in Wassenaar, close to The Hague on Friday evening.
The event, held at the Van der Valk Hotel, had a low political profile: there were no members of the Second and First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament or of the Dutch Caribbean governments, except for the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the three islands.
Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk didn't attend either despite his promise made earlier that week during a debate in the Second Chamber about financial supervision in the Dutch Caribbean and the financial situation in Aruba.
The Minister had other commitments as he was the guest on the popular TV talk show Pauw that same night. This didn't create a good impression, stated the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant on Sunday. "Plasterk preferred Pauw to St. Maarten Day celebration," read the headline in the newspaper.
"I always try to be present. That doesn't always work out. Indeed I had to go to Pauw this time," the minister stated in a reaction to de Volkskrant. He pointed out that Director of Kingdom Relations of his ministry, Erwin Arkenbout, attended the St. Martin/St. Maarten Day event on his behalf.
The absence of the Dutch politicians didn't seem to bother the more than 100 invited guests. They were happy to see each other and attentively listened to the speeches by Ministers Plenipotentiary Marvelyne Wiels of Curaçao, Alfonso Boekhoudt of Aruba and Mathias Voges of St. Maarten, and French ambassador Laurent Pic.
Wiels, Boekhoudt and Pic spoke of the warm relations between their country and St. Maarten. Wiels said Curaçao spoke of good relations of more than five centuries and expressed the wish to further increase these relations.
Boekhoudt, who grew up in San Nicolas among people from St. Maarten who came to Aruba to work for the refinery, mentioned the humility and respect that the St. Maarten people always displayed. He spoke of the joint and intertwined history that Aruba and St. Maarten shared, and the pleasant cooperation between the two countries in different areas.
Welcoming everyone, caretaker Minister Plenipotentiary Voges brought well wishes from the St. Maarten government and the people. He explained that it was decided to hold the event on the Friday preceding St. Martin/St. Maarten Day so the St. Maarten students could come, making use of their free public transportation card.
Voges looked back in time and the islands' physical transformation in the last fifty years, and the pioneer work to develop the modern hotels, a top of the line airport and harbour and the new causeway. "For that we have to thank our St. Maarten pioneers. Pioneers with a vision," he said.
"These pioneers wrote the opening chapters of the St. Maarten story and the heart of this story is a common belief in St. Maarten. Belief that we can turn vulnerability and despair into confidence and hope. Belief that out of any trauma we are sometimes in, we could build a modern country and a beautiful home. Belief that whatever the challenges of this uncertain world, we can thrive and prosper as one united people," stated Voges.
Master of ceremonies St. Maarten's caretaker Acting Minister Plenipotentiary Josianne Artsen-Fleming did a wonderful job of entertaining the crowd and announcing the performers of the evening: vocalists Aldiner Laurent, Angèle Stello-Olivacce, Lisette Schotborg, Ivan Richardson, Keoni York, Raynaldo Drenthe and Govinka Wespel.
Musicians Pierre Larmonie on the guitar, percussionist Ernesto Arrendell and Anastacia Larmonie on the keyboard, and the Duke Richardson Quartet livened up the evening, together with dancers Shaneequa Thomas and Ayaovi Kokousse, and narrators/storytellers Edwina Hodge and Edna Illidge.
Traditional songs and poetry of St. Maarten reflecting the island's culture and history, arranged by Anastacia Larmonie, played a key role in the entertainment programme that was obviously enjoyed by everyone present.
A number of guests took to the dance floor which gave the event a festive, happy character. Young and old enjoyed the social aspect of the evening, of being able to catch up with each other. The traditional Caribbean snacks and the large cake complemented a very successful evening.
