WILLEMSTAD — With the new AVP-government, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba are on the same wavelength with regard to the realization of equal citizenship for everyone in the Kingdom.
NEWS ARTICLE TAKEN FROM WWW.AMIGOE.COM
Premier Emily de Jongh-Elhage stated that she had discussed this at length with the future Minister-President of Aruba Mike Eman during the past weekend. "I have also discussed this with the Dutch Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin (CDA)", said De Jongh-Elhage.
Hirsch Ballin was passing through on his way from Trinidad to Aruba and stopped off on Curaçao yesterday. He met with De Jongh-Elhage yesterday afternoon to discuss amongst others, the proposal for a Statute Law Passenger Traffic. According to a collective press report of the Netherlands Representative and the central government, Hirsch Ballin explained this proposal on the statute law during his conversation with De Jongh-Elhage.
"He wants to eliminate existing obstructions for the Dutch citizens of European-Dutch, Antillean and Aruban origin so that they may travel freely within the Kingdom" according to the report.
Premier De Jongh-Elhage had explained her objections with regard to the proposal including the prohibition of entry in view of the serious affects on the public order. In a reaction before the Amigoe, the Premier further stated that is was the central government who had first reacted to the enactment and had indicated that the intentions for the undesired declaration, was unacceptable.
"Former Minister of Justice David Dick had forwarded a letter to Hirsch Ballin at the time. Afterwards, I had spoken with Premier Jan Peter Balkenende and State Secretary Ank Bijleveld-Schouten about the enactment. Therefore, the Netherlands were certainly aware of our opinion on this matter."
It was agreed upon that, Hirsch Ballin would consult with representatives of the involved governments (the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten) within short, and that improvements of the proposed statute law would be reviewed on those points. De Jongh-Elhage said that during this consultation the Antillean entities would point out the expansion problems, which the Antilles would encounter. De Jongh-Elhage: "The Netherlands has 17 million inhabitants, and it would create an impossible situation if they decided to take up residence here".
Jacoba
Furthermore, Minister Hirsch Ballin met the new Minister of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles, Magali Jacoba. Both ministers agreed to work on a personal oriented approach with the combating of criminality. Special attention will be given to youth criminality. The progress of the support in the Bon Futuro-prison was discussed as well.
NEWS ARTICLE TAKEN FROM WWW.AMIGOE.COM