President Mussington to focus on Education and the Youth | SOUALIGA NEWSDAY

SAINT-MARTIN (MARIGOT) – The new President of the Collectivity of Saint-Martin Louis Mussington on Sunday, April 3, 2022, delivered his inaugural speech pertaining to his Governments priorities for the governing period 2022-2027.

My dear fellow citizens,

I want to great everyone present here today on behalf of our political team Rassemblement Saint-Martinois – Alternative.

I sincerely thank each and everyone of you for attending this historic event today April 3rd, 2022.

I am declaring with great pride and much enthusiam that you are all standing on the right side of the history.

I must begin my address before you this day stating that I am a product of the St James community and on a larger scale of the St Martin community.

I came into this world on the 11 of November 1961, I grew up in my neighbourhood with many young boys and girls, some of whom are no longer with us today. We spent most of our childhood picking fruits on the Fleming’s Property in Bellevue, swimming and fishing in the pond.

I am the fourth son of Mr & Mrs James Mussington, two loving and dedicated parents. My father was a very hard working man who used to be often sick. But despite his illness, he never stopped working tirelessly for his family.

When our father was on his dying bed, he said to us, « I do not have anything to leave behind but I want you to live good with one another ».

I want to confess we had the greatest mother in the world, a kind and most caring lady who instilled in us great values and taught us how to pray and serve God the creator.

What was important to her was universal values such as : kindness, respect, honesty and solidarity.

I am happy to say that we try our best in our adult life to live by those guilines.

And if you permit me, I would like to encourage each family hearing the sound of my voice this day, to embrace those same guilines.

Our dedicated and devoted mother believed in education. With little means, she managed to send us to Guadeloupe in search of a higher education. She would often say to us « I don’t have much but I am making sure that my children go as far as they can in school ».

That statement highlighted the importance placed on academic success. At this critical hour, I wish to suggest that the young parents take time out to properly educate their children instead of allowing the television set to do it for them.

On this great occasion, I wish to acknowledge my dear wife Charlise, my three children and all my brothers and sisters, not to forget my cousins who all played a significant role in our political victory which we can now joyfully celebrate in unity.

At this point, I want to say with much gratitude « Thank you St Martin » for adhering to the fact that a fundamental change in the political landscape of our country was necessary.

Thank you St Martin for demonstrating that high level of political maturity. You are letting a reliable and capable team, composed of experienced and dedicated men and women, full of energy, strongly motivated by a burning desire to rebuild this country.

I put emphasis here in the interest of all its people, not in the interest of just a few. I am reassuring you that this will not happen under ou watch.

At this time, I wish to say thanks to a great team called the RSM-Alternative.

We embrace very early that the philosophy of a one-man show cannot work in this country. We must do our utmost to cherish and promote team spirit.

Together we are stronger. Our motto is STRONG MINDS SHARING ONE VISION.

It is an established fact that there are some difficult and challenging situations awaiting us. However I am strongly convinced that we will meet those challenges and act with a strong sense of purpose, simply because we trust in the great almighty, and secondly, because we believe in our ability to act intelligently and responsibly.

Thanks to the 4734 voters who firmly said that we are trusting this team RSM-Alternative to govern this country over the next 5 years.

In reference to our political team RSM A, we pledge to honor our political commitment to you, the people of saint-martin.

The reorganisation of the administrative services of the Collectivité stands out high on our agenda.

Also we remain steadfast to the view that our young professionnals must be given equal opportunity to excel in their area of expertise.

We are very much troubled by the level of poverty in our country. We are prepared, as a government, to take whatever measures that are needed, in partnership with the state government, to improve significantly the living condition of our people.

EDUCATION

The general public is fully aware of our strong commitment to the development of quality education in this country.

As a government, we will move rapidly to sign an agreement with the state of France, thus paving the way for a full bilingual program in the schools of Saint-Martin.

In addition to that, we will double the scholarship funds given to our students abroad. A nursing institution will be created on the island in order to increase the number of young professionnals in the medical field in St Martin.

The state of our road network is in a deplorable condition, we must act swiftly to improve the utility of our roads on St Martin. The construction of a new road will be given full priority.

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

Allow me at this stage to strongly commend the younger people of this country for their full participation in the electoral process. I felt your implication at the polls, my interpretation is that you have demonstrated a high level of political maturity.

You are saying loudly and clearly that you want to be counted.

In this regard, you have owned my respect and admiration.

My response to you young people, is to say with the same energy, WE HAVE HEARD YOUR CRY and that we are fully aware of your difficult situations.

The details of our plan of action to resolve the high unemployment and social crisis will be presented in the weeks to come.

In order to solve the social crisis and to reduce tension in our society, we must tackle the economic stagnation of the country and revitalise our city Marigot.

The port and airport infrastructures will strongly be supported by our government. Our vice-president Alain Richardson will soon present our economic platform to the general public.

In the mean time, we encourage you young people to continue to make yourself with ressourceful, to make full use of our different training programs prepared by the collectivité, in collaboration with the unemployment agency (Pole Emploi).

Please be reminded that reading, being creative, seeking to improve your communication and professionnal skills, developing your etrepreneurial skills are instrumental in seeking and accessing work opportunities.

Those of you who know me well enough will acknowledge the fact that I am deeply convinced that we need to strenghten our ties and preserve our uniqueness and oneness of our island, our sweet st-martin’s Land.

Needless to mention that we will work closely with our counterparts on the southern side and give true meaning to north/south cooperation.

Furthermore, let me lay emphasis on the urgent need to promote a joint cultural policy, highlighting our cultural identity as a people.

In closing, permit me to express my sincere gratitude, from the bottom of my heart to all those who placed their trust in us, all those who participated in this campaign victory, in this great victory for Saint Martin !

This date marks a new beginning for Saint Martin.

Long live the unity of our people !

Long live our sweet Saint Martin’s Land !