Dawn Beach: --- The Political Steering group meeting held on Wednesday at the Westin Dawn Beach ended at 02:35 am on Thursday morning when St. Maarten, Curacao and the Netherlands signed an agreement on some of the issues discussed. Disappointing for the delegation from the Netherlands is when St. Maarten held its grounds on certain points and no agreement could be reached. St. Maarten also insisted that the Netherlands sticks to the previous agreement where they agreed to assist St. Maarten financially so that it can set up the necessary infrastructures to begin taking over the necessary tasks from Curacao.
Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs William Marlin said that St. Maarten had to outline what assistance they need since that was not clear in the previous agreement, while the Netherlands has agreed to make sure the necessary assistance (funding) would be given to St. Maarten by February 2010.
Marlin said no agreement was reached on how St. Maarten and Curacao would be vetted after the two islands have taken up its country status. Marlin said while St. Maarten agreed that there would be vetting in the areas of finance, good governance, and justice no final decision were on agreed upon on the specific aspects of the vetting. Marlin said St. Maarten wants to make sure there is no opened agreement and this discussion would continue in February 2010.
Marlin said St. Maarten managed to secure its own attorney general that would be based on St. Maarten. He said agreements were reached on the matter of justice, the consensus Kingdom, and the organic laws.
Marlin said a progress report was presented on the joint central bank, he also assured that St. Maarten, and Curacao would meet the deadline on this issue.
Questioned on the transfer of tasks Marlin said the draft law would be ready by the end of December since it would be debated in parliament then. He said when that happen both Curacao and St. Maarten could begin asking for the transfer of these tasks. He said however that this is where St. Maarten is having a contention since if the funding for the tasks are transferred to St. Maarten it would not be enough for the building the necessary departments or Ministries for the tasks. He said the Dutch has agreed to make sure the additional funding for the preparation was again assured. Marlin said all the tasks can be transferred to the new countries but no definite decision have been taken on which of these tasks will be transferred and when would take place.