New Executive Council pleased with results RTC

September 14, 2010 10:53 AM

Curaçao's MFK/PS/MAN Executive Council is pleased with the results achieved at the final Round Table Conference (RTC) in The Hague last week.

"In three-and-a-half days we achieved what the parties PAR, PNP and FOL could not achieve in three-and-a-half years," MFK leader Gerrit Schotte said during a press conference from the Netherlands.

According to the new coalition, the biggest success was that crucial parts of the incoming Island Council's resolution -for its delegation in the Netherlands to bring up several new points- were not only included in the decision list of the Political Steering Group (PSG), but also mentioned in the final declaration of the RTC.

According to Schotte, this means that during the first Kingdom Conference the Prime Minister of Curaçao could put a term of notice for the Kingdom consensus laws and the start-up of a procedure for independence of the island on the agenda.

For that matter, point 20 in the conclusions of the final RTC only states that "after the commencement of the new constitutional relations, a Kingdom Conference will be held at least once a year, as agreed in the Political Steering Group of September 7, 2010."

In articles 52 up to and including 54 of the decision list of that PSG it was included that the latter has taken note of the relevant Island Council decision of September 4 and "acknowledges the right of the countries to present agenda items in the Kingdom Conference."

During the Executive Council's press conference, all speakers indicated to view the aforementioned as a success, including pro-independence PS leader Helmin Wiels. "First it was not there, now it is; that's what I call a success.

"The door was kept closed systematically for four years and they never succeeded in getting the term of notice on the agenda. This item will be discussed during the first Kingdom Conference."

According to Schotte, the former Executive Council was never able to implement changes in the process due to the lack of political will. "We did not realise agreements only with the Netherlands, but with all Kingdom partners. We have started a process with a view towards the future. We reached an agreement on how we will discuss these subjects later on."

Constitutional Affairs Commissioner and delegation leader Sheldry Osepa (MFK) emphasised that the new government kept its promise that it would not let anything stand in the way of making the birth of the new countries in the Kingdom possible. He also criticised resistance to the pursuit of the Curaçao delegation to bring the items mentioned in the council decision up for discussion.

The Antillean PAR-led Government was of the opinion that the latter regarded a political decision and not a process supported by the people.

10 September, 2010