Dear Source:
The third political party of the U.S. Virgin Islands is The Independent Citizens Movement Party of the V.I. Notwithstanding the successful efforts in the past of The Democratic Party of the V.I. to keep down the ICM Party hoping it would disappear. It took Senator Ussie Richards as a freshman ICM senator to upgrade the status of the party. Thanks to Senator Ussie Richards the ICM Party is now in the same category as the other two parties, after all these years of being required to attain a certain percentage of the votes to remain legally a party. It is noteworthy that the party has had continuous representation in the legislature. Once it had up to six senators; today it has three. How many do the other traditional parties have, proportionately?
The ICM Party now has a very good opportunity to organize itself and fulfill its mission as a viable political party. If only the politicians would exercise their leadership and build their own parties providing the electorate with defined political choices. To be a successful leader in a party or any organization it takes self-discipline, which is very scarce among our politicians. Other scarce qualities of our politicians are integrity and courage. It takes those qualities to inspire confidence and trust in a person in any position. If only the political parties would develop credible leaders that would inspire loyal followers, we would have a healthier political culture and our democratic form of government would be protected. Each party should articulate a political philosophy that their followers can assimilate and express to others. When the question is asked: What does your party believe in or stand for? A member of any of the parties should be able to articulate what his party is all about.
At this juncture, I believe most people who have been following our political culture would be able to distinguish what The ICM Party stands for, what are its core political values. We believe in freedom, justice and progress. We believe and practice inclusiveness of all groups and levels in our society. We believe the government should develop the proper environment for all residents to develop to their maximum potential. We believe the government should promote a fertile environment for the development of industry and commerce within the territory. We believe the government should provide assistance to the most vulnerable in our community, such as the young, the old, the poor and the disabled. We believe it is the responsibility of each resident to be responsive citizens contributing positively to our community. We believe law and order should prevail in our community to ensure a civilized coexistence of all our people. We believe our government should ensure justice for all that we can attain a peaceful, harmonious and prosperous community. What is your status? Are you a part of the problem or a part of the solutions? Let us join forces to build a society of which we all can be proud.
The ICM Party is open to all people of goodwill who want to exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens by joining with others who share the same or similar political beliefs. The Independent Citizens Movement Party of the V.I. can be found at Yahoo Group on the Internet where there is a chat room. The ICM Party or any party is only as strong and effective as the commitment of its members. If you are interested in becoming active in community affairs, in working with others to improve the quality of live of our community, join the party of your choice and get involved, and stay involve and prepare the way for the next generation. Let us leave a worthwhile legacy so that our children and grandchildren can be proud of our contributions. The U.S.A. was built and is being sustained by volunteers and volunteer organizations. Getting paid as a public servant and volunteering to serve your community are two different types of service. You decide which is more noble and meaningful to you. Some people do both. We have a position on status, on a constitution, political reform, the GERS, personnel system reform, etc. We are looking for persons who are willing to participate in the operations of the party. We are looking for persons who qualify to be credible candidates for public office. Are you eligible?
J. J. Estemac
St. Thomas, V.I.
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