Willemstad/Philipsburg: --- St. Maarten Island Council should take a decision now to leave the Netherlands Antilles just as Aruba did years ago say Minister of Constitutional Affairs Roland Duncan. Duncan reacted to the announcement made by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles Emily de Jongh-Elhage that the parliamentary elections for the Netherland Antilles would have to take place in January despite the constitutional process.
He said it is his personal belief that the Prime Minister is acting emotional because the council of ministers did not take a decision on this matter, furthermore, the Prime Minister he said has not consulted with any of the islands. Duncan said should this happen, it would slow down the constitutional process. He said Curacao wants to maintain control of the Netherlands Antilles and the only and best thing to do right now is to leave and deal directly with Holland on separate status.
The Minister who is presently in Curacao and is scheduled to return to St. Maarten on Friday to attend the National Alliance retreat said he intends to advise his party not to participate in the upcoming elections instead they need to take a decision to leave the Netherlands Antilles. Duncan said the people of St. Maarten voted for separate status some nine years ago and it is high time their wishes are respected.
In the meantime, leader of government William Marlin at a press conference on Wednesday shared the same sentiments. Marlin said his party would be discussing this matter on Saturday and only after then he would be able to say exactly what position his coalition government would be taking. The leader of government said he is already hearing that the PAR in Curacao has said they would be participating in the upcoming elections.
Already the advisory council has given their advice, which is against postponing the elections. Marlin said should this happen it would put the two islands in a very awkward situation since they are busy with the dismantling process. “We are busy building countries Curacao and St. Maarten and at the same time we are dismantling the Netherlands Antilles.” By January 2010, the responsibilities of the central government will be transferred to country St. Maarten and future country Curacao, so having an election in January is for a countries that are being dismantled. Marlin said rather than focusing on the ‘new house” Country St. Maarten they are still going to have an election which would only be for legal and democratic purposes. Should a new election be held Marlin said the parliament would only sit in March 26. The island leader said that the following month they would also have to begin postulation for the election for country St. Maarten that is supposedly be going into effect by October 2010.
