Representative of the Dutch Central Government, Wilbert Stolte, has today approved the appointment of Mr. Willem Cecilia as registrar of Bonaire. This was requested by the Island Council. The Representative of the Dutch Central Government has given an explanation of his approval in a letter to the Island Council. The reason for this letter is the lack of an appointment procedure and letters from the former Island Governor and two members of the trust committee.
The former Island Governor has explained in a two letters to the Council why the appointment of another candidate would be supported. Two members of the trust committee have requested the Representative of the Dutch Central Government not to approve the appointment of the island registrar because this was realized in conflict with the law or the general interest.
The Representative of the Dutch Central Government determined that beforehand there were not sufficient written procedures established. In his letter the Representative of the Dutch Central Government indicates that, as far as there is question of beforehand established agreements, these were followed in consensus by all members of the trust committee. The former Island Governor, as chairman of the Island Council and of the trust committee, had to supervise a good development and organization of the procedure.
Three candidates, among which the now appointed registrar, have with the approval of the trust committee, passed through the entire application procedure. With this the whole commission of confidence has declared that these three candidates fulfill the stated requirements of the recruitment advertisement. If the members of the trust committee did not agree with the further development they could have then halted the procedure or they could have stepped out of the committee. "To now allege there is conflict with the law or general interest is avoiding their responsibility by these members of the trust committee", states the Representative of the Dutch Central Government in his letter.
The Representative of the Dutch Central Government has also established that two members of the trust committee have presented the personal information, among others assessment reports of the three candidates, with third parties. This gross violation of the privacy of the candidates is greatly disapproved by him.
In his letter the Representative of the Dutch Central Government is calling on the Island Council to carry out an investigation into the state of affairs surrounding the appointment of the registrar. The lack of beforehand established procedures, several letters that were written and the violation of the privacy of candidates, should be the reason for this.
The Representative of the Dutch Central Government has approved the appointment of Mr. Willem Cecilia as island registrar because the island decree submitted to him contained all the necessary documents. It was not evident to him that there was conflict with the law or the general interest, the two grounds on which the approval can be stopped. This is separate from the applied procedure, which does not form any basis to stop the approval of the appointment. The approval resolution is brought to the knowledge of the Island Council. They will subsequently decide as of which date Mr. Cecilia can hold office as island registrar.