Dismantling meeting
set to continue today
PHILIPSBURG--Not much progress was recorded Wednesday when the Central Government and the Island Government of St. Maarten sat down to discuss the phased dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles.
“We did not get past the first page,” Constitutional and Home Affairs Minister Roland Duncan said at the end of yesterday’s session held in Dr. A.C. Wathey Legislative Hall against the backdrop of the current political turmoil in St. Maarten with the Democratic Party Government seemingly on the verge of collapsing.
The fact that parties will meet again today, Thursday at 9:00am, was reason for Prime Minister Emily de Jongh-Elhage to remain optimistic.
The Central Government met with the Executive Council of Curaçao last week Friday and, based on a difference of opinion on the transfer of personnel, the issue was sent back to the civil servants for further deliberations.
“We hope to receive an answer from Curaçao next week Tuesday pertaining to its position on the phased dismantling. I hope that by then St. Maarten will also have a final position,” said De Jongh-Elhage.
The ongoing discussions between the island territories and the Central Government are taking place in preparation for a meeting on dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles scheduled to be held in St. Maarten on November 24.
Duncan said the intention was to reach agreement in advance on all points on the proposed decision list, with the possible exception of some minor issues, so the meeting would not take too long.
