Airport: --- Dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles will begin next year and a definite date for the island to obtain its country status would have to be established said constitutional affairs commissioner Sarah Wescot Williams at a press conference yesterday shortly after arriving on the island. While it is expected that the island will receive it much wanted status by 2010 that still has to be finalized.
Wescot Williams said parties have agreed to stick to the accords that was signed on November 26 2005 after the first RTC held in The Hague. It was agreed during that meeting that there would have been a development phase and an implementation phase which had a target date of July 1, 2007. She said at that time they had agreed that St. Maarten will become country within the Dutch Kingdom. The island leader said that during that period of time it was anticipated that the implementation phase would have been in 2006 which was to last one year while the island would have taken its country status the year thereafter. Wescot Williams said at Monday's RTC they again ratified those agreements to which they would stick so that they can achieve country status. This officially closes off the development phase which began in 2005, one of the most significant achievements that could be had at this last RTC.
Wescot Williams said they have agreed back then to develop the constitutions, the necessary legislations and the government structure for the new entities which would have been vetted or reviewed by an advisory committee.
At the RTC on December 15 2008 St. Maarten has gotten a nod of approval and they officially entered into the implementation phase of attaining country status within the Kingdom.
Wescot Williams said that the recommendations by the commissions and the island' reaction to those recommendation has been reviewed and sanctioned by the "Constitutional Review." However, discussions still has to continue with the review especially article 116.
She said with the constitutional review government would be seeking to have the courts examine certain legislations prepared by Parliament of country St. Maarten and make a decision on whether the legislations is in keeping or conflict with the constitution.
"This constitution is very important for St. Maarten since it gives an additional guarantee to the people that their local representatives in parliament will not take the constitution for country St. Maarten lightly.' While the courts would have the power to sanction these legislations they cannot change or make their own legislations.
The commissioner said it was decided in May of 2008, at a political steering group meeting, that the council of advice would be asked for counsel pertaining to the acceleration of the preparatory process to meet the proposed date of January 2010.
Taking this request into consideration, the council of advice has decided and indicated that 2010 is feasible for the new status.
With the advice from the council of state they have reacted to the advice and are pleased with the overall reaction of the council of state.
The commissioner said she believes everything would be ready and the next RTC should be held by the first quarter of 2009.
