Oranjestad, St. Eustatius- According to the new Progressive Labor Party (PLP) leader Rechilline Leerdam, leadership is a collective effort that involves many.

Leerdam expressed her thoughts about leadership and the way forward for the PLP in a release that was sent out to the press on Monday.

“I see leadership as a collective team effort. The future of Statia should be determined by the People of Statia and therefore various groups will be established such as Youth wings, Women’s Wing, Men’s Wing and community leaders who will all represent the various sectors of Statia”, according to Leerdam.

According to Leerdam, the PLP has always been an innovator, a voice, and a visionary for the progress of Statia and its people. “Leadership is not a one size fit all and will not be the same from generation to generation. My leadership will be tailored positively to the tasks ahead of us with new ways of communication, cooperation and innovative ideas that will bring relief in the areas necessary, support where it is obviously needed and progress for Statia and all of its people no matter the political color, race or religious belief.

Points of attention

Leerdam said that the PLP from 2015 had already embarked on a journey of change. “We will continue the work we began in 2015 and reach out to the Federal Government in unity and for equality despite the unfortunate, untruthful, and undemocratic acts displayed in February of 2018”. According to Leerdam, despite the Dutch intervention, the PLP’s determination for the betterment of Statia and its people was not fractured, broken, or forgotten.

Leerdam also said that the party would continue to strive for what it had already started to work on back in 2015, such as:

• The deficiencies of Healthcare
• Creating jobs in the Maritime industry
• Revive Statia’s agriculture and animal husbandry
• Train and upgrade personnel in the various government departments
• Introduce new ideas to boost the local economy
• Continue seeking alternatives to the medical school which had such a positive impact on residents and the economy of Statia
• Developing unity in the community

Leerdam promised that the Party would soon elaborate on other points of attention. The new PLP party leader closed with a quote by Mother Theresa “You can do what I Can’t do, I can do what you cannot do, together we can do great things”.