~ Governor announces new cabinet ~
WILLEMSTAD--Patrick Illidge of the National Alliance (NA) will be the new Minister of Traffic and Communication.
Illidge, who serves as a state secretary for public health, was tipped for NA's second ministerial post in the Emily de Jongh-Elhage II Cabinet, but this was never confirmed by party leader Commissioner William Marlin.
Illidge was among the new cabinet members whose names were announced by Governor of the Netherlands Antilles Fritz Goedgedrag Tuesday afternoon after Formateur Pedro Atacho submitted his report on the new government (see related story.)
The new cabinet will be sworn in by Goedgedrag on Friday, March 26, at 11:15am, the same day the new Parliament takes office.
Constitutional and Home Affairs Minister Roland Duncan (NA) continues in his post for a second term. He will also serve as First Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet.
NA is the second-largest coalition partner with three seats in Parliament. Current parliamentarians Rodolphe Samuel and George Pantophlet are to retain their seats. Long time NA member and parliamentary advisor Henrietta Doran-York is to take up St. Maarten's third seat.
PAR of Curaçao, the prime minister's party, is the largest coalition member with six seats in Parliament. Its ministers, aside from De Jongh-Elhage, are (incumbent) Justice Minister Magali Jacoba and (incumbent) Education, Culture and Health Minister Omayra Leeflang.
PAR was allotted a fourth minister and opted to keep incumbent Finance Minister Ersilia de Lannooy in her post. De Lannooy's party, PNP of Curaçao, only has one seat in the new parliament.
PNP received a state secretary's post in the new cabinet during the government formation negotiations that led to the signing of the Philipsburg Accord on February 19. The party is still to name a candidate for this post.
PAR decided to keep on De Lannooy after considering the short period the Central Government had left – about seven months – before the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles and the emergence of Country St. Maarten, Country Curaçao and Dutch public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.
Elvis Tjin Asjoe (UPB Bonaire) is the new Minister of Economic Affairs and Labour and Second Deputy Prime Minister. Felix "Papito" Thomas, also of UBP, joins Tjin Asjoe as State Secretary of Home Affairs.
Ernie Simmons of St. Eustatius is State Secretary of Justice responsible for Police Affairs and Prison in the Windward Islands.
Shamara Nicholson-Linzey of Saba is State Secretary of Constitutional Affairs.
Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague is Marcel van der Plank (PAR), with deputy Mavis Brooks-Salomon (NA).
All ministers and state secretaries have been screened by the Netherlands Antilles Security Service. Nothing to impede their appointments was found.
