A stroll in Statia’s futurePLP delivered!

A bright and sunny day on Statia the year is 2019!

Today is a lovely day in March. It’s not too hot and I think I will take a stroll through town to see how things are going. Elections are in the air but no one seems impressed. We have struck gold and no one wants to change what is good. Four years ago as elections were hot one could see flags, banners and posters all over Statia. Emotions were high as hopes were low. Still many put their trust in the PLP party and gave them a landslide victory!

Victory!

Let me tell you what happened after that as we walk.

The PLP government was sworn in and they took off like wildfire!

They got of group of visionaries from various cultures together movers and shakers, and they started to execute the party plan immediately.

Their intellectual negotiators that were verse in Dutch and the Dutch culture and law were flown to Holland to negotiate there. The United Nations were invited to the talks, as the core group stayed at home and started working on the local projects.

 PLP already had economist lined up to advise them on how to best boost the economy following successful models.

I am now at the Sandy road ball park officially named after a son of the soil politician and sports fanatic Earl Merkman.

Sporting resort

Sport resort a huge success!There are now beautifully newly built dorms, lovely gardens and a small restaurant near the pool area. Sport fanatics from all over the globe can now enjoy our facilities and their stay is so comfortable that the many defeats they suffer from the Statia teams are accepted with smiles and hugs. The grounds are beautifully manicured and all the rooms furnished with basic yet strong furnishings all made on Statia!

We now have monthly sporting events for all the sports you can imagine.

This once simple sport facility is now a sporting event resort, that is active and sustainable. The PLP did not turn to any outside force to finance this facility.

There was an investor interested in setting up a Pre-fab building factory on our island. PLP made a deal that if they would donate the building parts, they could function tax-free for 5 years on Statia.

After the parts were built we held an old fashioned jollification where all able in the community came out,

and together we put the buildings up and did the landscaping.

Sport resort a huge success! - Continued

 

Yes, this took (after all preparation were complete) one single day! The pay-off for the helpers: a huge Bar-B-Q jollification with our local drinks, a local band for entertainment and fun. There is also a warm up gym, a running field, and even a spa for all, and the poolside doubles as a recreational space, the earnings from the restaurant and spa cater to the upkeep of the facility..

Oh what pride we felt as a community when we were finally done.

Community projectsI am now walking into town folks, all the Coralita is gone!

 PLP came up with a brilliant plan to get rid of the Coralita and Cosha.

 This plan worked like a charm not only meeting the goal but putting money into people’s pockets and now where Coralita once spread, are now potatoes, peas, and veggie gardens laced with beautiful flowers and plants. PLP’s “No more unused lots” policy was first met by many protest and challenges, but now the plan is welcomed, fruitful, and profitable.

 There is a watering line from the various underground reservoirs built under the roads and each lot has its own pipes with irrigation. The lots have been adopted by schools, churches, private individuals here and abroad and even by businesses.

The lots yielding the best products are rewarded with yearly a prize.

PLP has marketed this initiative as “Organic Statia” and this inspirational concept has taken off. Folks from around the globe are interested in purchasing our products knowing they are free of chemicals. And our main challenge is to keep up with the demand. The schools have all adopted a curriculum to train the youngsters in making farming a business and the once  unmotivated students run to school as they now understand that math, language, and science are all important to sell their products to the world. They love to be outside and the competition and money keep them motivated and happy. Who would have imagined that a simple concept as this would change so many lives in such a short time?

St. Eustatius Medical Complex

Government transformed into a profitable entity instead of a waste entity. PLP made a deal once again with Winair to take our sick off island which in turn gave them the incentive to drop their prices.

They also opened a community funding foundation where monies from Statians worldwide can donate to our island and this money was used to purchase shares in a comfortable ferry, which took us out of our isolation.

Because the island was finally making profit through industry, the island government could now afford to subsidize the tickets for those choosing to travel by plane.

Each district had a district leader and yearly competitions were held to see which district was most beautiful and productive. The district leaders met weekly with finance and discussed their financial needs, these were communicated to the commissioner and once approved, the moneys were granted.

Small industry and artCharlies’s place is now a cultural center where there is dance, singing, visual art, a permanent art gallery, a movie hall with and a little café serving local teas and coffee with a small menu to test local foods for our visitors. People kicked up a storm when Government decided to take back to old buildings but now that the families are receiving a small rent monthly and their building are back to their old glory, everyone is glad. Government made a deal with the local banks (which is by the way no longer the only bank on Statia) and opened bank accounts as an incentive to quiet the anxious owners. They got a hotel investor to agree to turn most of the old buildings into little welcoming inn’s and the active matriarchs of Statia after following a simple course in international hospitality are now managing these little hotels.

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St. Eustatius Medical Complex - Continued

Healthcare is high on PLP’s list budgeted not only for a new hospital but a prevention center. Goal: to make all islanders as healthy, happy and aware as possible.

They organized a good healthcare package that would not waste money. Those needing intensive health care and those hardly ever needing to see the doctor would balance the cost. The insurance company they found was reasonable and Care starting from home to St. Kitts to Columbia was covered depending on the need. A committee was burdened with the task to research from the people which care was best where, and clients were referred accordingly.

Our prevention center is a gold mine. People hearing about Statia as the healing island are pouring in for the peace and quiet, organic meals, rain water and kind service. The sport facility now caters to all clients needing to lose weight, by eating healthy and exercising and the hospital monitors the client’s health. Health reform has become Statia’s motto and people are pouring in for healing and rest, and paying into government coffers!

LeadershipI too was in doubt about whom to vote for, but the PLP caught my attention with its diverse professional team, its revolutionary and innovative ideas. I had never heard of a political party believing in its people and involving us all to build our country like PLP. They promised that in 4 years we would not have to worry about money from anywhere we would be financially self-sufficient  proving to all but especially ourselves that we are not only ready for autonomy but we would prove this fact.

They delivered!

I completed my walk with a smile. I am now back in Golden Rock. All roads now have sidewalks as Flamboyant trees arch our roads on both sides with a burst of Orange as if to thank the Orange team for their existence.. No one is worried about other parties this election we will continue to support PLP as they support us.

They not only gave us our island back, we all now have saving accounts for our little travels, we have a feeling a community pride, our civil servants go to work with a spring in their steps, we are exited to face a new day. Together we have created OUR Utopia, but most importantly we once again believe in ourselves.

I am glad I voted PLP!!!                      

 

The winning team