PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Jimmy Challenger ran on a platform of Political Stability, establishing a multiannual plan to achieve Financial Independence, allowing us to comfortably pay for the Social Wellbeing of the people – his concerns for the country continue to grow day by day – and foresees that St. Maarten will face one of two things within the next governing period: An instruction from the Netherlands to take over the Country’s (Political) Management or another Snap Parliamentary Election.
Challenger who has a background in International Business – a former graduate of the Hanze University of Groningen in the Netherlands – and who continues to work in the Financial Sector, mainly in Banking and Insurance, believes that the political representation in Philipsburg has to change quickly or the island will derail – bringing many into a Forced Unwanted Change that would forever alter the way of life as we know it on St. Maarten, including reduced local and international investors. One key factor that venture capitalists consider prior to making any investments in an economy, is political stability – St. Maarten has had political instability for the past eight years, further reducing the investor confidence levels with each government that falls prematurely.
The country experienced “IRMA” – the strongest hurricane in recorded history – which crippled the country’s one pillar tourism economy. Major hotels were destroyed and forced to close for reconstruction and repairs, the International Airport – Princess Juliana – is still not operational at its full capacity due to major damage to its terminal building and further to this, many retail stores, restaurants, bus and taxi operators are feeling the pinch of the loss of revenue. Mass unemployment, coupled with reduced profit and income tax has crippled the spending power of the government – as they await financial support from the Netherlands.
Challenger wants to bring new and amended legislation to support the business community, including establishing much needed educational tools and resources to ensure a more robust (small) business development, Challenger stated: “Our educational system must support financial planning at every level, it must support political awareness based on our political system, it must also recognize that achieving these goals must begin from early childhood stimulation and development. Properly financing these institutions – is the key to bringing about positive change at an early start in life.”
Challenger continued: “People are on survival mode, coping with their personal struggles the best way they can. The New Politics in Philipsburg will materialize through education of our people, who would then have a bigger appreciation for sound financial management and accountability by those in elected office who manage our resources. Through Divine alignment – when the people realize and move away from the short term gains offered by politicians who lack true will power to improve our lives but rather continue to fail us with old political tactics of self-gain, when we stop electing people to office that only provide temporary fixes, true leaders will rise. Continued placement of the wrong people into office will result in total derailment of our way of life and rights to self-determination as a people – true and meaningful representation must come, it is long overdue.”
