WILLEMSTAD--Antillean Prime Minister Emily de Jongh-Elhage has sent a letter to Chairman Willibrord van Beek of the Antillean Affairs Committee in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament, urging that the pending legislation to make possible the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles and new constitutional relations in the Kingdom be handled, despite the fall of the Balkenende Cabinet.

The prime minister understands that, with the now-caretaker Dutch Government, some important decisions cannot be taken at this time. However, she believes a delay in the legislation trajectory to new constitutional relations could have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences, and that the process can and should be completed as planned.

She points out that the process of constitutional reform within the Dutch Kingdom is at an advanced stage and that irreversible steps have been taken, expectations created among the population, and commitments made by politicians. The final goal is in sight, the transfer of Central Government tasks to the Island Territories has started, and the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles was listed as a priority in the "Philipsburg Accord" for a new Antillean Cabinet to take office on March 26.

"This dismantling, and at the same time the build-up of the new constitutional entities, will suffer great damage if the legislation trajectory comes to a standstill. After all, all the necessary legislation is ready, with the handling of the laws for the so-called BES Islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba-Ed.) scheduled for early March, while the vital Kingdom Consensus Laws would be dealt with early April," writes De Jongh-Elhage.

She points out that if the intended planning cannot be followed, this will have huge, unforeseeable consequences for the future of the islands. "It will undermine the necessary stability and public confidence in good and proper governance in a serious way."

"For the people of the islands, and personnel in the service of government in particular, there will be extraordinarily difficult times of uncertainty, and the consequences for the economies of the islands will be disastrous: investors will take a wait-and-see attitude or pull back.

"Therefore, the Government of the Netherlands Antilles believes it is in the best interest of the people of the islands to consider the legislation trajectory as 'matters in process,' and finalise this trajectory according to the agreements made," the letter concludes.