Kingdom charter amendment approved by Parliament

August 23, 2010 7:01 AM

The Antillean Parliament approved the amendment to the Kingdom Charter on Friday evening after much debate with a 17-4 vote margin. This formalises the emergence of new countries St. Maarten and Curaçao with the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles on October 10.

A two-thirds majority was needed for approval.

Reginald Zaandam of Central Government coalition partner DP-Statia, Democratic Party of Bonaire, and the two members of pro-independence Curaçao opposition party "Pueblo Soberano" (PS) voted against the charter change.

The change makes possible the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles for Curaçao and St. Maarten to become countries within the Dutch Kingdom, while the BES islands Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba will become Dutch public entities.

Zaandam said his island had voted to remain in the Antilles and he had big problems with the lack of equality between inhabitants of St. Eustatius and the rest of the Netherlands. In his view, all kinds of things are being dictated to the BES islands, yet their people do not have a right to same treatment they would receive in the Netherlands.

"Lista di Kambio" opposition faction member Eunice Eisden (MAN) said the Charter change would not give the people what they had voted for in the 2005 referendum. Nonetheless, she voted for it in the end.

PAR faction member Glen Sulvaran spoke of an historic occasion to take the next step to realise the constitutional wish of the people. "We have the key to give the population what it wants."

With Zaandam voting against, the Central Government coalition would have been left with only 13 seats in favour, two short of the 15 needed for a two-thirds majority in the 22-seat legislature. One parliamentarian was not present for the meeting.

21 August, 2010