PHILIPSBURG--No change has yet occurred concerning the Lt. Governor of any island. However, this could change, if any one of them finds a new job prior to October 10, when the Netherlands Antilles ceases to exist and the new countries St. Maarten and Curaçao, and the Dutch public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (the BES islands) emerge.

Prime Minister Emily de Jongh-Elhage said on Friday that the Lt. Governors of St. Maarten and Curaçao in particular would have to find new jobs, as their positions would become obsolete once the islands became countries. Lt. Governors are the Queen's representatives on the islands.

The new governing system for St. Maarten and Curaçao will mirror the present system of the Netherlands Antilles. Each island will have a Parliament, a Council of Ministers headed by a Prime Minister, and a Governor. Frits Goedgedrag is presently Governor of the Netherlands Antilles.

When asked specifically whether any change to any Lt. Governor's post was pending prior to 10-10-10, the Prime Minister said "no," but if "maybe a Lt. Governor gets a new job" before that date, someone else would have to be appointed.

There has been persistent speculation in St. Maarten that Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards would be leaving office early. However, after the Prime Minister's statements, it appears the island will see no change in its top post.

St. Maarten has applied for a Second Acting Lt. Governor to be appointed to assist Richards and Acting Lt. Governor Millicent de Weever. No word on this appointment is available as yet.