Sint Maarten first country within Kingdom to have regulations in place for historic event
After the swift handling in Parliament in a special plenary session on March 12th of the draft national ordinance, which included changes in nine other national ordinances, anticipating the coronation on April 30th Government ratified this national ordinance on March 14th . This ordinance was promulgated on the eighteenth of March. With this publication Government assures that the national ordinance can enter into force on April 30th , the day on which Queen Beatrix abdicates the throne and Crown-Prince Willem-Alexander becomes King of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Sint Maarten is the first country within the Kingdom to have its regulations in place for this historic event.
As stated by the Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams during the deliberations in Parliament "Government also drafted a national decree, containing general measures, as well as a ministerial regulation for this matter. These regulations were also ratified on March 14th , and will enter into force on the day of the coronation."
The Prime Minister expressed her gratitude to all the actors in the legislative process for their assistance: "Without the help of the Council of Advice, the Parliament and the Governor’s office, it would not have been possible to draft and finish these regulations within the six-and-a-half weeks which it took to actually do so".
The regulations are currently under review by the Ombudsman, who has been allotted a six-week term in order to conduct due diligence by our Constitution.