While today's Round Table Conference (RTC) is still to put the icing on the cake, the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles per 10-10-10 and with it country status for St. Maarten have become almost certain following approval in the Dutch Parliament of the decree to put into effect the amended Kingdom Charter. Undoubtedly there is much work yet to be done on the islands in very little time, but the notion that the constitutional train no longer seems in danger of being derailed should serve as a boost to those involved in the process of change over the years that all their efforts will not prove in vain.
It took the adoption of a motion calling for an admittance and expulsion regulation for people from the islands in the Netherlands to get the support also of VVD as the largest Second Chamber faction, but the so-called Kingdom Law on Movement of Persons in any case will be left to the next Dutch Cabinet. Not only that, but the Antillean organisations in the Netherlands plan to fight any such restrictions tooth and nail up to the European Court and even the United Nations if necessary, while the PvdA and Groen Links factions will ask caretaker Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin by Friday to declare the motion unconstitutional.
Fear that new points brought up by Curaçao's incoming MFK/PS/MAN coalition could throw a monkey wrench into the proceedings at this late date turned out to be unfounded as well. While the controversial Island Council decision in question was acknowledged in the Political Steering Group (PSG) meeting, dealing with the wishes expressed in it will have to wait until the first annual Kingdom Conference after the new relations take effect.
St. Maarten also was able to address concerns about the ROB and Legal Affairs Departments (see Wednesday paper) without having to accept added supervision in the form of more plans of approach, while earlier questions and insinuations in The Hague about the decision to amend the casino policy for the benefit of Caravanserai Resort did not appear to have any impact on the final outcome.
The same can be said about the controversial retroactive pension scheme approved for Curaçao's Island Council members, although State Secretary Ank Bijleveld-Schouten will review it against the Financial Supervision Decree and is waiting to see if the island's Lt. Governor and the Antillean Governor might still stop it. In the end, it appears that – despite some strong criticism – most Dutch politicians have finally recognised that the point of no return has indeed been reached when it comes to the Antillean constellation and have acted accordingly.
