St. Eustatius is the second of three new overseas special public entities of the Netherlands to experience a political crisis, following Bonaire. In both cases it involved several one-seat parties.

It may not be the direct reason for either, but the introduction of the so-called "dualistic" system to provide separation of power between the legislative and executive branches since the change of status on 10-10-10 has not made governing the islands in question any easier.

In the former Island Territories of the dismantled Netherlands Antilles, half of the Commissioners in the Executive Council actually were required to also be in the Island Council, but now these roles have been separated. This has led to a new situation the political establishment was unfamiliar with and ill-prepared for, at least at the island level.

Especially with small Island Councils of five members such those of Statia and Saba, it can put in front of the party leader/top vote-getter a difficult choice whether to become commissioner and take responsibility to govern based on one's election platform, or occupy perhaps the only seat of the party so as not to be "left out in the cold" when it comes to support in the Island Council.

Moreover, politics in the entire Dutch Caribbean have always been a bit person- rather than ideology-oriented, so that historically party-discipline has not been exactly strong. In St. Eustatius and Bonaire there is the added circumstance that there are several relatively new parties, where long-term loyalty is to a certain extent always a question mark.

So, if the latest developments in Statia seem a bit confusing, remember that some of the manoeuvring may also have to do with the small-scale application of a rather grand concept as is the "Trias Politica."