"The public entities are capable of preparing the forthcoming elections in an orderly manner. Considering that the activities for the elections for the Dutch Parliament (Tweede Kamer) are almost identical to the island council elections in the public entities, I see no reason to assume that the preparations and implementation of the parliamentary elections will encounter any problems."
This is the answer of minister Spies on questions of the member of the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) Ortega-Martijn (CU) on the forthcoming elections for the House of Representatives on public entities Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. The officials responsible to carry out the work regarding the elections will receive additionally a process description which includes all their tasks regarding the elections for the Tweede Kamer. In addition, just as is the case with contact persons in the municipalities in the Netherlands, they will be kept informed of developments relevant to them via newsletters issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations will launch a separate information campaign focused at the elections for the House of Representatives in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. The minister disclosed further that here there will be explicit attention for the tasks of the House of Representatives. In this information campaign, which will be conducted by the Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland (RCN) and which is commissioned by the Ministry of the Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations, attention will also be given to the right to vote and stand for election and in addition political parties (also new parties) will be informed on their possibility to participate at the elections. Besides, on the website of the RCN the necessary information will be made available.
The three islands fall under the constituency 20 (Dutch Caribbean). The candidates list for this constituency may be submitted both at the central polling station of Bonaire as well as at the island governor of Sint Eustatius and Saba. Voters can make support statements in any public entity. But potential new political parties will have to approach the central polling station in the Netherlands to register their participation in the elections for the House of Representatives. This must be done no later than June 18, 2012. However it is not necessary to come forward in person.
Based on the Elections Law, the primary responsibility for preparing and conducting the elections in the public entities lies with the island governor and respectively the executive councils, just as is the case in the municipalities in the European part of the Netherlands. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations and the Electoral Council will support the islands herewith, in principle from distance, but if necessary directly.