Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG--The new board of the Windward Islands Civil Servants' Union/Private Sector Union (WICSU/PSU) was installed during a well-attended ceremony at the union's office Friday evening.
In keeping with the theme of the event, which was "light," board members were given lit candles while the song "Carry your candle" was sung.
The executive board members are President Henrietta Doran-York; Secretary General Riegnald Arrindell; Treasurer Francisco Mariana and Vice President Julia Solognier.
Other members of the board who were installed were Winair pilot Dino Arrundell; Dr. Daphne Illis from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs; Paul Jarvis of the Coast Guard; Signara Hooi of the Miss Lalie Center youth detention facility; Tjamarlie Daal of the St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS); Glen Macnack of the Fire Department; Norwin Reenis of the Pointe Blanche Prison; Claudius Rogers of St. Maarten Police Force and board member representing St. Eustatius Eardley Woodley.
In remarks at the ceremony Mariana said he decided to join the union after witnessing mistreatment and violation of workers' rights. He said there was one occasion where he had been forced to defend his rights as a worker. "It was at that time, Mr. [William – Ed.] Reed saw my potential and invited me to become a member of the WICSU/PSU," he said.
Mariana plans to manage the union's finances according to the highest possible standards. He said the union "is here to fight and struggle for the workers as long as they are within their rights. Needless to say, if a worker is wrong the union's hands are tied and will be unable to fight their cause. As a social partner, the union can and will continue to do what is in the best interest of its members and to make sure to come to favourable decisions."
Arrindell said he is very excited for the opportunity to use his acquired skills, energy and expertise in WICSU/PSU. "As a second generation union member I consider the labour union to be a very powerful force to build meaningful solidarity, create a balanced economy and bring about positive social change on St. Maarten."
"It stands to reason that many of the benefits and job security workers enjoy today did not arise naturally or by providence, but through the inexhaustible efforts of the labour union," he said. "In an age of globalisation where powerful corporate interests eat away at job security and outcomes particularly of working families, the work of unionism especially on small island-developing states has never been more urgent than it is today."
"It goes without saying that our determined efforts will be for naught unless we have the continued support of our members... To remain passive, reactive or separate, self-interested individual persons, stifles and undermines our ability to achieve the collective goals of the working class on St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius," he continued.
He said it is only through the active participation of every member on every level that everyone will be able to move forward without further delay. "There should be no compromise where our collective interests are concerned."
Doran-York said it was her intention to continue to take the union forward. "You can look forward during my term for a full agenda with ordinary and extra ordinary events."
She said being president of the union is a very essential role, but noted that giving representation is not new to her as she had been representing persons since becoming a civil servant some 32 years ago. "Some of our main goals... are to provide the optimal service to our members, [ensure – Ed.] that the conditions under which our members work are legally correct and also to confront the challenges that our workers face and to always work in the best interest of our members."
WICSU-PSU has been led by "some very strong and courageous leaders," in the past and Doran-York intends to continue on this path. "I will lead, but with an innovative twist meaning that you are to look out for many changes in this organisation."
She said the union has been faced with many challenges over the past years and it will be faced with many more, but noted that the board won't leave any stone unturned to tackle the challenges that arise.
She told members that "it is only together that we will conquer. You stand with us and we will stand for you. Together we stand or divided we will fall. There is much work to be done because union work is never finished. This union continues to move forward because of you the members. We all know that there can be no forward movement without you the members."
Dignitaries attending the ceremony included Members of Parliament (MP) George Pantophlet and Silveria Jacobs from the National Alliance and Independent MP Cornelius de Weever.
