MP Silveria Jacobs (standing) addressing Parliament on Wednesday.
PHILIPSBURG–“A disgrace” was one of the terms used by National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament (MP) Silveria Jacobs to describe the draft 2019 budget.
“This budget, two years post-hurricane devastation, is a disgrace. No new policies for better living for the people, no affordable or starter homes for the people, no living wages, no rent control, no Immigration control, no improved schools, no improved education system, a disgruntled and disheartened police force and Immigration team, teachers, nurses – need I go on?” Jacobs said during her budget presentation and questioning.
“Yet, we see heavy-handedness [by the Dutch – Ed.], ‘cut these areas in your budget or else … .’
“Where is ‘the will to stand by each other’ in this Kingdom as described in our … Charter? Instead of jumping on our bellies as we struggle to survive, where’s the assistance being offered with a smile, instead of a two-edged knife which cuts deep whichever way you grab hold of it?” she asked.
“Unfortunately, with this government and the budget presented, I see no vision for St. Maarten. I see no hope; I see no positive outlook for our future. I see a future riddled with debt to our Kingdom partner who utilised this moment of disaster to take advantage of St. Maarten and her people, not with the aim to help, not with the aim to help her grow in independence, but to gain a foothold, execute its own agenda and the people of St. Maarten be damned.”
Jacobs posed a number of questions during her presentation. Among them was asking why University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) has not been paid, resulting in the institution not releasing the degrees of students who completed the programme being done by St. Maarten students with UVI. Jacobs expressed concern over this matter.
“UVI not been paid, so they are not releasing their degrees. What is being done to resolve this?” she asked. She said the students had had no choice and were changed over to UVI at USM for the Bachelor’s degree in Education programme. “What provisions are to be made for the students to be able to graduate and move up as teachers receiving the responsibility and remuneration commensurate with their qualifications?”
During her closing remarks Jacobs, a former Education Minister, said she had and still has a vision for education that was inclusive, multilingual, and with a strong emphasis on social emotional, sport and arts development in the curriculum and in afterschool programmes, thereby affording the most vulnerable youth every opportunity for personal development above their current circumstances.
Her vision would have gone hand-in-hand with promotion of entrepreneurship and small to medium enterprises (SME) development for the St. Maarten people displaced in the workforce after the devastation of hurricanes.
“It would include facilities updated to accommodate a full day programme, and with personnel to do so it encompassed more parental involvement, more community awareness and willingness to contribute to education, sport and culture in an effort to put our youth first.
“It encompassed ensuring dividends from our port, utility and communications companies go directly to executing bodies assisting youth. … It is a vision based on ‘family first’, a vision based on an established a living wage to eradicate poverty, a vision honouring our elderly and offering them options for a sustainable life and living.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/88677-jacobs-calls-draft-budget-a-disgrace
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