The ACP-SXM banner leads the march to NV GEBE. (Robert Luckock photo)
PHILIPSBURG--The well-publicised protest march organised by Association for Consumer Protection St. Maarten (ACP-SXM) on Monday to deliver a petition to NV GEBE to demand accountability and transparency over its practices, passed off successfully.
The W. A. Nisbeth Road was closed for the march from the roundabout up to the GEBE corporate offices. Police and the Red Cross were present to ensure the march passed off safely and peacefully. Marchers gathered at the Government building car park from 1:00pm, many wearing white T-shirts.
ACP President Peggy-Ann Richardson made it clear that politicians could join the march but would not be able to use the event as a political platform. No elected officials were seen, as it turned out.
The majority of marchers were local GEBE consumers. It was not clear if businesses closed on Front Street to join the march as requested by ACP. Drummers from Generation New Status STM Band kept marchers entertained before Richardson signalled the start of the march, to the Calypso song “Advantage” by Mighty Dow. Several marchers carried handwritten placards of their complaints against GEBE.
Aside from one or two persons spontaneously taking the microphone to comment on the GEBE situation, there were no major speeches before the march started, with Richardson doing most of the speaking. During the march she spoke from a car with a loudspeaker.
“We will be heard, we will be heard,” a defiant Richardson said. “Today it is GEBE, tomorrow it could be TelEm and SZV because we are coming for all of those who want to abuse consumer rights in this country. Everybody will come to a reckoning. Everybody will be held accountable. Today we are against Goliath NV GEBE. What GEBE is doing to the people is going to stop, one way or another.”
The march ended at 3:00pm at the GEBE offices where the petition was received by GEBE Temporary Manager Iris Arrindell.
