THE HAGUE — After fourteen hours of negotiations, the Political Steering Committee (PSG) consultation ended at three o’clock Tuesday night with the decision to hold an annual Kingdom-conference after October 10th.
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During that conference, one could speak about numerous subjects, amongst others the wish from the Curaçao delegation to terminate the consensus National Laws – if so desired unilaterally – and to include in the Charter the right to start the procedure for an independent status at any time.
Deputy Sheldry Osepa, leader of the Curaçao delegation, is pleased with the result. "Of course we also know there are no more substantive changes possible at the end of the ride. However, in any case we wanted to have agreements on the procedures to be followed for an amendment. We would not have signed the decision list otherwise. The decision list now includes exactly what we wanted. The council decision is even named explicitly in the decision to hold a Kingdom-consultation," Osepa said this morning.
According to some participants, the consultation took so long because the Antillean delegation was obstructive, in particular advisor Etienne Ys.
Osepa confirms that Ys had the largest objections. "That is unheard-of, because the Antilles only have a facilitating role – even the Netherlands agreed. It was eventually State-Secretary Ank Bijleveld-Schouten (Kingdom Relations, CDA) who had to go back and forth between the Antillean and the Curaçao delegation that evening to find a solution."
Bijleveld admitted she had to mediate, but according to her, the meeting mainly took that long because as chairperson she had to go the Lower Chamber twice – for the debate on the formation and the debate on the progress of the dismantlement. She is pleased with the result. "One can discuss just about everything during the Kingdom-consultation. There was no room for that now."
Obstinate with pride
States-chairman Pedro Atacho (PAR) is also pleased with the result, although he cannot agree with the criticism on his party. "If we are obstinate, then we are so with pride, because we carry out the choice of the population with the referendum. We respect the democracy." The demand to include the procedure for independence in the Charter is actually in defiance of the population’s wish, he says.
"Those articles were added for Aruba after a referendum in which Aruba had declared itself in favor of independence in a referendum. This is not the case on Curaçao."
States-chairman Pedro Atacho (PAR) is also pleased with the result, although he cannot agree with the criticism on his party. "If we are obstinate, then we are so with pride, because we carry out the choice of the population with the referendum. We respect the democracy." The demand to include the procedure for independence in the Charter is actually in defiance of the population’s wish, he says."Those articles were added for Aruba after a referendum in which Aruba had declared itself in favor of independence in a referendum. This is not the case on Curaçao."
Supervision
During the consultation of the Political Steering Committee, the plans of approach for the legal function and environmental planning on St. Maarten were discussed in detail as well. Bijleveld actually wanted supervision on such by means of an Order in National Council, including the authority from the National Council of Minister to intervene. However, the delegation from St. Maarten, under the direction of William Marlin, succeeded in convincing the State-Secretary that supervision was not necessary, because St. Maarten is already far advanced. St. Maarten will make use of the Dutch officials though, for example in the field of legislation, which is now also the case. With regard to environmental planning and management, one will present a progress report to a review committee on a regular basis. "Therefore, there is no question of supervision. I am pleased with the result," says Marlin.
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