WILLEMSTAD----- Minister for Constitutional Affairs Roland Duncan feels that much more could be done by the Island Government to inform the people of the new constitutional status. He said that he does not understand why the draft constitution could not be published in the daily newspapers by sections and have sessions done in the different districts.
The Minister stressed that the people have the right to participate in the constitution and contends that politicians including himself does not have the right decide for the people without first consulting with the people. He suggests that the District Councils should be called in and given the information so that it could be disseminated it among the people.
He also advises the draft be distributed in the schools so that they could give their input in the document. He indicated that even though the PCCA has had the document for some time does not mean that the people are aware of what is happening. He further spoke about the session with Judge Bob Wit who was here to discuss a part of the constitution and stressed that this is not enough for the people.
He stated that the document is held in "secret" since he does not understand why it is not shared with the partners. He said that what the representatives of the Dutch Second Chamber are saying now is what he has been saying for a long time now. "I am accused of beating up on St. Maarten," he said. "I am not beating up on St. Maarten I am being hard on myself because I am aware of the requirements." He called on the Executive Council to examine themselves with regard to the issues that are facing.
Speaking of the Dutch Second Chamber he said that they have the authority to demand that the Charter of the Kingdom remain as it is, since they could instruct the Dutch State Secretary Ank Bijleveld-Schouten and the Dutch Prime Minister Jan Pieter Balkanende not to sign the document. He said that he understands the concern the Dutch Government with regard to the new status and indicated that "there is a dark cloud hanging over St. Maarten."
He noted that the Dutch Government is taking special interest in the island and as far as he is concerned that re-appointment of the Commissioner of Public Health Maria Buncamper Molanus to the Executive Council has not help the situation. He also mentioned the arrest of the Commissioner of Labor Louis Laveist and said "that he hopes that he is innocent."
Duncan noted that since the people voted in the referendum to become a country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands the Dutch Government has a right to scrutinize what is happening in their Kingdom. He stated that there is a motion to place St. Maarten under Higher Supervision but believes that this will not pass.
Duncan mentioned that he is frustrated with the process since the Dutch Government has said that the Antillean Government has failed to ensure that St. Maarten is not practicing "good governance." He said that during the visit of the Dutch Prime Minister to St. Maarten he said that the island needs to set up their own justice system and even though justice is the responsibility of the Federal Government, nothing is being done by the Island Government. "All they are doing is blaming the Federal Government," said Duncan.
