Resolve

February 04, 2010 5:33 AM

Today’s report that Curaçao hopes to have the first Central Government tasks transferred to the Island Territory in the next two weeks should not go unnoticed in Philipsburg. After all, the tasks being referred to are also of local importance.

The portfolio of Transport and Communication Minister Maurice Adriaens is the first one mentioned, perhaps because his FOL party did not win an Antillean Parliament seat in the recent election and will not return in the new Council of Ministers to take office on March 26. The tasks involved include the Directorates of Aviation and Maritime Affairs, the Meteorological Service and the Bureau Post and Telecommunication (BP&T).

One has to keep in mind that these are all entities on which St. Maarten also depends. The same thing goes to some extent for the other portfolio mentioned of Education, Public Health and Social Development Minister Omayra Leeflang, particularly when it comes to inspection.

Al this does not mean there is reason for panic or that there will be nobody left to deal with in Willemstad once these tasks are transferred. However, it should serve as a wake-up call that the constitutional train continues to move and that its final destination on 10-10-10 is fast approaching.

Monday’s meeting with local representatives of the judicial system and the special dismantling team for the Ministry of Justice was an encouraging sign that preparations are indeed taking place in earnest to take on country status, but a lot more will be needed in terms of the necessary financing, accommodations and manpower. A situation must be prevented whereby the Central Government is in practice simply replaced by Curaçao’s Executive Council and St. Maarten ends up having to deal with that island’s commissioners on the tasks already placed in their hands.

Of course, the National Alliance (NA) is represented in both the Central Government and Antillean Parliament to see to it that the entire process takes place in an orderly and responsible fashion locally, regardless of what Curaçao is doing. However, it would appear advisable to continue seeking clarity on exactly how and when the transfer of tasks to both future countries will be arranged, especially in terms of the funding, human resources and necessary tools, so that St. Maarten is in no way disadvantaged.

As already announced, that is exactly what the delegation heading to Willemstad for the Political Steering Group meeting next week intends to do, so today’s report coming out of Curaçao should merely strengthen their resolve.

(Source: The Daily Herald St. Maarten)

4 February 2010