The Constitution and its resolves should be memorized
And what it can do for the citizens of St. Maarten.
The preamble, or the opening of the Constitution of St. Maarten could help to maintain the awareness of its guiding principles in the minds of “we the people” and enforced by every citizen in light of the performance of its elected representatives in government and especially when they pledge allegiance to uphold same in their oath taken before the Governor to officially be in office.
WE THE PEOPLE OF SINT MAARTEN
Affirm that we acknowledge the guiding principles of Almighty God as the core of our values; INSPIRED by the exercise of our universal right to self-determination, as expressed in the referendum of June 23 2000, with which we freely chose for the status of Country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; RESOLVED to work together, with our partners in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with our neighbors in French Saint Martin and with all peoples of the world on the basis of freedom, equality, peaceful co-existence and international solidarity; DECLARE that we are a people that believe in the principle of democracy, the rule of law, the principle of the segregation of powers, the dignity and value of the individual, the entitlement of all persons to the fundamental rights and freedoms; RESOLVED to provide for the continuing preservation of nature and the environment; DECLARE that we wish to establish a constitutional order based on an open and accessible government; AND THEREFORE, in order to record these goals and convictions, the following provisions have the force of law as the Constitution of Sint Maarten.
This preamble should be printed in its shortest form on one page and be in the hands of every citizen as a reminder that this Island and its autonomy is established on these principles. It should be rehearsed, memorized, and recited as often as possible, so as to be engraved in the minds of every citizen, if the importance is to take root as the rule of law, and the entitlement of all persons to the fundamental rights and freedoms.
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