|
|
|
 |
|
|
Unity March organisers say action needed ‘now’
by The Daily Herald
Posted: Nov 24, 2005 15:02 UTC
|
MARIGOT - Spokespersons for the organising committee of the Unity March in Marigot set for Saturday, December 3, laid out in broad perspective the reasons behind holding the protest, at a press conference yesterday.
The demonstration is being organised to draw Government’s (the State’s) attention to the current social and economic ills of the French side, a situation the committee describes as urgent and “very critical.” The committee warned that without change, the possibility of social unrest developing, as it did in France recently, became more likely.
“As long as it’s quiet here Government does not make St. Martin a priority,” stressed Alain Richardson, “and that’s the way our files are being handled at national level. But Government takes notice of pressure coming from the street. Our aim is to spike the consciousness of the people, that we must no longer remain silent and sit on the sidelines. Our voices will be heard in France.”
Richardson dismissed the suggestion of a protest march now being premature given the fact the wheels of St. Martin’s change of status are turning in Paris, France.
“It’s been two years since we voted, and the delays we are experiencing now are the cause of many of our problems,” he argued. “We want speedy dealing with the new status issue, making sure that it contains the provisions to tackle the issues we have.”
He added he was sceptical the new Collectivité would actually take effect on January 1, 2007.
“No one can say with certainty when it will happen. The schedules have never been respected. Government’s final proposal has not been made public and the French parliament is extremely busy right now with other matters. The time is now to send the wake-up call to Government, because in 2007 France will be in the throes of parliamentary and presidential elections.”
Social worker Tulah Richardson likened the Treaty of Concordia to an “umbilical cord” for the people that could not be discarded, and expressed his concern for youth issues and unemployment.
“Elsewhere the world is uniting, but what I see here is a border developing and we have to stop that,” he said.
Richardson admitted the NAGICO Insurance affair had been one of the “triggers” that led to organising the march.
Steve Tackling of Tackling Assurances said that in his view the insurance issue was more of a political problem than an administrative one, and believed the march would have an even greater impact on the issue.
The committee is calling on the entire population to join in the march, which starts from the Agrèment roundabout at 9:00am. At the end of the march, a signed petition will be handed to the Sous-Préfet for forwarding to France.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Content © The Daily Herald 2005 - All Rights Reserved.
You may bookmark this web page, print it or e-mail it to
a friend in accordance with the fair-use provisions of
copyright laws. The material is intended solely for the use
of the individual user.
Archiving, redistribution, or republication of this
material
on other terms, in any medium, requires the express
written permission of the author or publication and the
notification of the editors of Caribseek News. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
