“I have taken a stance against, injustice, corrupt system and corrupt individuals”
PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United St. Maarten Peoples Party (USP) Frans Richardson and the board of the party introduced one more of their candidates that will be contesting the September 26th parliamentary elections on the slate of the USP.
The candidate is no stranger to the people of St. Maarten or the Parliament of St. Maarten, he is no other that former Member of Parliament Romaine Laville who ran for political office for the first time in 2010 on the UPP slate.
Laville left the party he was elected on when they could not see eye to eye, after his term ended in 2014 Laville did not run for office as he said back then he needed time out to think and reflect on his way forward.
Leader of the USP and MP Frans Richardson in his introduction said that he worked with Laville for four years and they created a bond back then which never broke even though Laville was not in the political arena for the last two years.
Laville in is opening statements said on Sunday that it was a good day for him not only because he was declaring his candidacy on the USP slate but also because it was his birthday. He told the gathering mostly members of the media, relatives and supporters that he made a huge sacrifice when he left his career, and family to run for office in 2010, he also made clear that during his tenure in Parliament he proposed several laws mostly to protect the social aspect for the people of St. Maarten, one being to ensure that every worker has a pension plan, and the another was to have a law in place that will protect workers in the event the developer decides to sell their business.
Laville said during his stint in office he did not use anything for political mileage, even though challenging and has his legal battles in court he is very satisfied with the work he did while in parliament. The breakfast program he managed to secure for public school students is another project he is extremely proud of.
Laville took a swipe at the media who wrote several articles about his legal rumble but according to him no media/reporters ever contacted him for a statement so he could have cleared the air.
His come-back into the political arena is motivated through the lack of leadership both in the legislative and executive jobs in government.
Laville spoke of the issues facing the middle class that are suffering immensely because of those people have to work at several jobs in order to make ends meet, while they neglect their children at home. Laville said St. Maarten needs leaderships in the homes on St. Maarten and in government in order for the country to move forward. He said he is one person that championed the social fabric in St. Maarten and not the economy since he believes that the economy will regulate itself.
Laville further stated that the country is at a crossroads, while the people are hurting, with a declining middle class. He said the youths of St. Maarten finds themselves entangled in the judicial system mainly because of the social epidemic that is hitting the country and its people, thus he felt that the only political party that can turn the situation around is the USP led by MP Frans Richardson. He called on the people of St. Maarten to stand with the USP since enough is enough and they are the ones that will continue to fight in the best interest of the people, especially for the middle class, unemployed and the elderly. “ I hope we can have a set of people who will say, I am tired of being tired, I frustrated of being frustrated, I am sick of being sick, this is the only momentum that will create a new birth for St. Maarten.”
He also made clear that his legal problems did not come about because he has issues with anyone but instead he took a stand against injustice, the corrupt system and corrupt individuals. “I also took a stand against the idea that and all have to serve while others have to accept the servitude of others, so my situation today is because I took a stand and whenever one takes a stand there will always be negativity and breakbacks but as a young man my shoulders are broad and I will continue to fight for the people of St. Maarten “come what may” and no matter cross is placed on my back.”
SMN News asked Laville to shed more light when he realized he was part of corrupt individuals and or people but Laville never expounded on the statements he made regarding corruption.
As for his legal issues he said on Sunday was the first time he was asked about and he was advised by his lawyers not to lose sleep on his case, he said he wished that the case was handled during the past four years but he is not the prosecutor’s or any part of the judicial system. He did say that his case was postponed several times which to him is a real coincidence.
