Islands to adapt their draft constitutions

May 24, 2010 6:19 AM

THE HAGUE--The draft constitutions of Curaçao and St. Maarten need to be adapted on the advice of the Kingdom Council of Ministers.

That was decided during a meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers Friday. The goal of the meeting was to get a "feeling" of the draft constitutions for the future countries Curaçao and St. Maarten. The council's views have already been communicated to the respective Executive Councils.

"It is up to the Executive Councils to adapt the constitutions on several points in the coming week. The new drafts will be discussed in an extra Kingdom Council of Ministers meeting," said Minister Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands Antilles Marcel van der Plank, who attended Friday's meeting.

Van der Plank didn't want to elaborate on the question of the changes as advised by the Council for the suggested changes were drastic and as such might to be politically sensitive on the islands. "But I expect it to be a hammer piece in next week's meeting," he said.

The formal decision on the draft constitutions will not be taken next Friday. That formal decision will only come after the draft constitutions have been approved by the respective Island Councils.

This procedure is intended to prevent major hiccups in the final meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers. "The main points are clear now. What can happen of course is that the Island Councils want essential changes, but that is not the expectation," said Van der Plank.

21 May 2010