WILLEMSTAD--PAR Minister Omayra Leeflang (Public Health, Education and Social Development) does not have one good word to say about the fact that the new MFK/PS/MAN Curaçao coalition is starting up the process to realise full independence for the island, without having consulted the people.

In the end, the decision list of Tuesday's Political Steering Group (PSG) meeting to prepare the Round Table Conference (RTC) in The Hague on the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles did mention the Island Council decision involved, but only in the sense of recognising the right of each country to bring in points for the so-called Kingdom Conferences to be held on an annual basis after the new constitutional relations within the Dutch Kingdom take effect on 10-10-10. Curaçao can put the points mentioned in the council decision on the agenda for the first such meeting.

The Island Council decision in question was adopted by a minimal 11-10 majority last weekend and specifically stated that a procedure must be included in the Kingdom Charter "for the realisation of the independence of Curaçao."

It is exactly this passage that the Antillean minister criticised. During the council meeting various opposition members had also pointed out that the incoming Executive Council could not discuss independence with the Netherlands, because the Curaçao people had not given their opinion on this yet.

Leeflang claimed the proposal to include this matter in the council decision occurred under pressure from PS leader Helmin Wiels, who is an ardent proponent of political independence for Curaçao. The decision was subsequently adopted with eleven votes from the coalition in favour and ten votes against from the opposition.

"This is an alarming development. It feels like a dictatorship to push the people towards independence without consulting them on this matter," said Leeflang.

The argument from the coalition parties was that such a possibility was also applied for Aruba in the charter. However, according to Leeflang, this comparison doesn't hold.

"The Aruba people chose for independence in the seventies. However, in 1993 they decided they no longer wanted this.

"During the referendum in 2005, the people of Curaçao did not choose for independence. A massive majority chose for the status of an autonomous Curaçao within the Dutch Kingdom," argued the minister.

According to Leeflang, a government cannot decide on its own initiative to brush aside the people's wish and continue one's own way.

The council decision that was adopted with eleven votes and ten opposing votes, states the following:

"Considering that the outcome of the elections held on August 27, 2010 has marked a new phase in the pursuit of further emancipation of the people of Curaçao; that in connection with the autonomy of Curaçao one should be able to terminate consensus Kingdom Laws as previously indicated by the Advisory Council of the Netherlands Antilles; that within the framework of the autonomy each nation can determine its own future including the possibility to opt for independence; that after the commencement of the articles I and II of the Kingdom Law to amend the charter in connection with the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles Curaçao will start the procedure to change its Constitution; that referring to article 73 of the United Nation's charter regarding the development of self-government one has to thoroughly take into account the political aspirations of the peoples and help them with the progressive development of their free political institutions in accordance with the exceptional circumstances of every territory and its population, and their various stages of development;

Decides to:

I Participate in the final Round Table Conference (RTC) of September 9, 2010 in The Hague;

II Instruct the Curaçao delegation to make procedural agreements with the partners in the Kingdom after the commencement of the articles I and II of the Kingdom Law amendment Charter in connection with the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles;

a) To include a definite termination regulation in the consensus Kingdom Laws

b) To confirm by possibly adding in the Kingdom Charter a procedure corresponding with the articles 58 up to and including 60 of the charter for the realisation of independence of Curaçao;

III Start the procedure of changing the Constitution of Curaçao with consultation of the people after the commencement of the articles I and II of the Kingdom Law amendment Charter in connection with the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles.

The Dutch delegation at the PSG was not willing to accommodate the wish to give Curaçao the right to terminate the Kingdom consensus laws at this time.