Philipsburg:---In the midst of having to deal with the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles which includes division of assets and liabilities, currency issues, the central Bank, consensus Kingdom Laws, Committee for Financial Supervision our Justice system the Police Force, in short putting our infrastructure in place to take over the tasks now provided for by the Central Government we as citizens of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have to fight for our rights, equal rights within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. At a time when we need the most cooperation from all partners especially big sister, we are told no voting rights by almost all the members of the First and Second Chamber. But we are told about equality in the Kingdom and that we have to accept gay marriages, euthanasia and who knows what else. We were told to get our immigration problem under control so we instituted the "Brook Towers Accord" and big sister (the Netherlands) said that non nationals will have easy access to the Netherlands and also the Dutch nationality. Then we have the law that is still being proposed to send Netherlands Antilles problem youths back to the Netherlands Antilles while at the same time giving more rights to European Dutch to reside in the Dutch Caribbean islands. And today as far as I know without any discussions with the representatives of the Netherlands Antilles the vast majority in the Second Chamber approved the legislation proposal to amend the Kingdom Law Dutch Nationality. How much effect can a few English speaking persons from the Netherlands Antilles have on a population of 16 million? I mention English because that was the previous requirement for the islands of St. Maarten St. Eustatius and Saba while on Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire it was Papiamentu. While I have continued to insist that remaining within the Kingdom of the Netherlands brings with it the need to be able to speak, write and understand the Dutch language why weren't we given an opportunity to at least take part in those discussions. But of course it is a Kingdom Law approved by the First and Second Chambers which are the highest legislative bodies in the Kingdom. The Democratic Deficit continues. Now I am reading where members of the Second Chamber are complaining about the decision of the Executive Council of Bonaire to exclude a group of European Dutch nationals from voting in the March 26, 2010 referendum. I believe the efforts of those two bodies should be on assisting St. Maarten in ensuring that all finance generated on the island, to remain here. These finances are needed to set up our dependencies and have a strong starting position (November 2, 2006 Final Agreement). I have always said that big sister (the Netherlands) has the financial and human resources with which to assist St. Maarten. It is time to put these to work in the interest of the people of St. Maarten. Then I would not have to ask the question, "What rights do we have?"
Philipsburg:---In the midst of having to deal with the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles which includes division of assets and liabilities, currency issues, the central Bank, consensus Kingdom Laws, Committee for Financial Supervision our Justice system the Police Force, in short putting our infrastructure in place to take over the tasks now provided for by the Central Government we as citizens of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have to fight for our rights, equal rights within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. At a time when we need the most cooperation from all partners especially big sister, we are told no voting rights by almost all the members of the First and Second Chamber. But we are told about equality in the Kingdom and that we have to accept gay marriages, euthanasia and who knows what else. We were told to get our immigration problem under control so we instituted the "Brook Towers Accord" and big sister (the Netherlands) said that non nationals will have easy access to the Netherlands and also the Dutch nationality. Then we have the law that is still being proposed to send Netherlands Antilles problem youths back to the Netherlands Antilles while at the same time giving more rights to European Dutch to reside in the Dutch Caribbean islands. And today as far as I know without any discussions with the representatives of the Netherlands Antilles the vast majority in the Second Chamber approved the legislation proposal to amend the Kingdom Law Dutch Nationality. How much effect can a few English speaking persons from the Netherlands Antilles have on a population of 16 million? I mention English because that was the previous requirement for the islands of St. Maarten St. Eustatius and Saba while on Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire it was Papiamentu. While I have continued to insist that remaining within the Kingdom of the Netherlands brings with it the need to be able to speak, write and understand the Dutch language why weren't we given an opportunity to at least take part in those discussions. But of course it is a Kingdom Law approved by the First and Second Chambers which are the highest legislative bodies in the Kingdom. The Democratic Deficit continues. Now I am reading where members of the Second Chamber are complaining about the decision of the Executive Council of Bonaire to exclude a group of European Dutch nationals from voting in the March 26, 2010 referendum. I believe the efforts of those two bodies should be on assisting St. Maarten in ensuring that all finance generated on the island, to remain here. These finances are needed to set up our dependencies and have a strong starting position (November 2, 2006 Final Agreement). I have always said that big sister (the Netherlands) has the financial and human resources with which to assist St. Maarten. It is time to put these to work in the interest of the people of St. Maarten. Then I would not have to ask the question, "What rights do we have?"
