Will Johnson addresses
regional trade union reps
PHILIPSBURG--Former Commissioner and Acting Lt. Governor of Saba Will Johnson rewound the clock to share the history of the Netherlands Antilles with delegates attending the three-day Caribbean Integration and Globalisation conference, which wraps up at the WIFOL Building today, Wednesday.
The conference, which began Monday, was organised by the Caribbean Workers Council (CWC) in collaboration with Windward Islands Federation of Labour (WIFOL) and Caribbean and Latin American Workers (CLAT).
Conference participants were drawn from Saba, Statia, Curaçao, Suriname, Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, Canada and Windward Islands Civil Servants Union (WICSU) and WIFOL of St. Maarten.
Johnson, who is also former Island Council Member of the Windward Islands, former Member of Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles, a writer and historian, spoke of several important issues in the history of the Netherlands Antilles including the referendums held on the islands. He touched on some of the steps that were taken by Aruba to change their constitutional status and some of the teething problems they had encountered initially.
He also spoke at length about the three smaller islands (Saba, Statia and Bonaire) and the difficulties they had faced over the years. He especially elaborated on Saba’s strides.
Speaking about the current constitutional changes being pursued by the smaller islands, Johnson said he was saddened that these islands were going into a “renewed colonial situation” with the Netherlands but said with the size and population of in particular Saba, they had no other choice.
He felt strongly that St. Maarten should have lobbied for independence instead of a Country within the Kingdom. “St. Maarten could be an independent nation because the Federal Government is pulling 200,000 guilders out of St. Maarten and spending only 50,000 guilders back on the island. If St. Maarten has to take over the police force and other Federal Government entities, the 150,000 guilders can cover the federal government services that they take over,” he said. “If I was St. Maarten I would have gone directly for independence.”
He also said that St. Maarten had an excellent name as a tourist destination in certain parts of the Unites States. The island’s vulnerability in being part of the hurricane belt shouldn’t deter it from seeking independence.
He also said that the December 15, 2008 deadline for Separate Status for St. Maarten could be met but he doubted whether Parliamentarians would cooperate with the process. “The problem is that Parliamentarians are getting huge salaries and benefits and they don’t want to give it up,” he said. “St. Maarten’s status change can happen tomorrow if Parliamentarians cooperate but I don’t see them cooperating, giving up the high salaries they’re getting.”
University of the District of Columbia International Affairs Department Director Paul Nehru Tennassee also made a presentation about labour in globalisation and in pursuit of happiness in globalisation on Tuesday.
The conference wraps up today with a speech by Constitutional Affairs Minister Roland Duncan.
