POK delegation concerned about financial supervision

November 13, 2008 12:18 PM

From a meeting held yesterday, in which the Dutch participants in the Parliamentary Deliberation Kingdom-relations (POK), scheduled for January of next year, have listed their wishes for the agenda, it appears that they are concerned about the financial supervision.

Delegation-leader Willibrord van Beek (VVD) says that it is unbelievable that the Antilles and Aruba have not brought a candidate forward for the committee that must study the democratic deficit.

Former-mayor Bram Peper is nominated for this committee in the Netherlands, but the Antilles and Aruba have decided in June that this subject will be studied further. The subject was brought up during several meetings of the POK and was considered an important issue last October. During the next POK, the Dutch delegation wants to talk mainly about the financial supervision, the political process and the support for this by the people of the islands and the level of provision on the BES-islands.

Marijke Linthorst (PvdA, chair of the Upper House-committee for Neth.Antillean and Aruban Affairs says being concerned about the financial supervision and that this subject is not on the proposed agenda. Ineke van Gent (GroenLinks) agrees with that and says that she doesn’t want a nice presentation on the financial supervision during the POK, but wants to receive the information beforehand. Van Beek has promised to invite Cft-chair, Hans Weitenberg for the POK.

About the people’s support for the political process, Van Gent brought forward that she wants more information on that. Frank van Kappen (VVD) agrees with her and said in addition that the support concerns the basis and receiving the information on how the people on the islands think about this, beforehand is very logical. Upon request of Johan Remkes (VVD), the level of provisions on the BES-islands is also proposed to be put on the agenda.

Bas Jan van Bochhove (CDA) is of the opinion that also Aruba plays a part in the political process and too little attention has been paid to this until now.
Several members have indicated that they want to visit the Isla-refinery and the Bon Futuro-prison during the POK. Van Gent has also proposed to talk about the sport-fund, tourism, economy, and employment. John Leerdam (PvdA) wants to put the compulsory socio-cultural training on the agenda.

Remkes mentioned that a few of these proposals are no Kingdom-related matters, but internal business of the islands. Van Beek, who leads the POK-delegation, has promised to discuss these proposals with the Antillean and Aruban delegations. Van Beek reminded the committee-members further that they are the islands’ guests and must also consider the wishes of the Antilles and Aruba.

(Source: National newspaper Amigoe)

12 November, 2008