Dear Editor,

Please allow me a dig-in among the many political commentators of late, before 10-10-10 comes and I am branded a foreigner, or worse yet, persona non grata. Allow me, as yet Antillean, to base my first comments on St. Maarten's election on the page eight article in The Daily Herald of Wednesday, September 8.

Before I go there though, I must commend William Marlin and his team for their achievements in The Hague this time around and also in the past year.

Marlin seems to have much confidence of the Dutch and must be very convincing, considering all the negative talk persisting about St. Maarten in Holland's political circles.

Also, considering the mountain of tasks that still had/has to be finalised to come to country status, while still running the daily affairs of the island, I cannot help but say that he and his team have completed a Herculean task with much leadership and efficiency. I wish them God's speed and much more wisdom and strength in times to come. And believe me I am neutral in this campaign.

Now to the page eight article and straight to the point: Is the Democratic Party of St. Maarten losing it?

If the page eight article is representative of what voters hear from the DP podium nightly, then it is sad. This party seems to be full of fear, ready to run to the hills; too many candidates are off-message and too personal. "Demon?" "Corruption?" Are these the issues voters want to hear?

I say that because many voters, like me, are young enough to know the knife cuts both ways on many such issues through the Friendly Island, and the past two years alone have proven this.

I understand DP's role as opposition party, but thousands of questions burdening the already scarce resources of government to provide answers? Opposing for opposing sake?

If government is a continuity, as we are repeatedly told, then I suspect the actions of the current 15-month-old government are a continuation of policies established by the previous government. Therefore if the present government has not come to the floor of the Island Council with a plan to change the established policies, then DP is co-author of these policies and in some cases originator. Please remember I am neutral in this campaign.

It is not enough to just be the party of "no." Opposition must offer alternatives. What would you do differently? Give people a real choice. Questions and answers are a better profile than questions alone. Answers also educate.

DP must seek to reclaim the magic of its great leader Claude Wathey, the man who put St. Maarten on the map. Reclaim his vision for progress and development of his people. Point fingers at your own chest to demonstrate your conviction, the integrity that's inside. Claude would try to convince you and win you over. As such he always remained civil. Sarah, reclaim the magic. Believe me I am neutral in this campaign.

Glenn Schmidt

Statia