One expected the last days of the run-up to the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles to be exciting, but not half as nerve-wracking as they are turning out to be.

With just over a month to go to the much-vaunted 10-10-10, many loose ends remain to be tied together. Also, everything now seems to be taking place at the same time and happening at breakneck speed even as Mother Nature spawns a cluster of storms to add to the challenges of the day.

Of immediate concern is that with less than a week to go before the convening of what is being referred to as the final Round Table Conference (RTC) to be held in The Hague on September 9 to vet the readiness of Curaçao and St. Maarten for country status, crucial decisions remain to be made. Here in Philipsburg the Island Council will meet today to debate and hopefully approve the last of more than 24 "organic laws." In Willemstad the constitution for country Curaçao is yet to be approved, and in Oranjestad the members of the Aruba Parliament are yet to approve the changes to the Kingdom Charter.

In the midst of all this, the latest political developments in Curaçao in the aftermath of last week's early elections are causing some anxious moments within the Kingdom. There, it seems the PAR's dreams of leading the first government of Country Curaçao as the island's biggest political party have been shattered and the relatively "new kid on the block" MFK headed by Gerrit Schotte is the new kingmaker whose dreams have come true – an interesting turn of events to say the least.

While all indications point to Curaçao's new constitution being approved in time for next week's final RTC in The Hague, the jury is still out and one must anxiously await the outcome of the actual voting in the Island Council this weekend.

Indeed, the latest developments in Curaçao help to make for a very interesting RTC, especially in view of grumblings in The Hague where the political leaders are experiencing their own excruciating difficulties with their Government formation process, and where there are calls for the RTC to be called off and be replaced by a conference about the "crisis in the kingdom."

Then, assuming that all goes and ends well at the September 9 RTC in Holland, St. Maarten still will have to grapple with a number of crucial issues before 10-10-10, not the least being the holding of the early Island Council elections on September 17, which must be followed promptly by the formation of the new government that will be charged with taking St. Maarten into its new status.

Indeed, as the tape at the finish line becomes tantalising visible, it is imperative that all concerned hold their nerve and keep their eyes on the grand prize.

To all the stakeholders we say: Stay focussed and keep on doing what you have to do. The island territories and the Kingdom have progressed too far along the way to the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles to either reverse or stall the process at this, the ninth hour, without dire consequences.