Antilles dossier not on the "controversial" list

March 09, 2010 4:33 AM

THE HAGUE--The Antilles dossier and the constitutional reform process for now are not "controversial" subjects in the Dutch Parliament's Second Chamber. This means that the legislation proposals to realise new constitutional relations will be handled under the current caretaker government.

The Second Chamber has published a provisional list of legislation proposals and documents, mostly letters from Ministers, by subject, that a majority in Parliament wants to be declared "controversial." When a subject has been declared "controversial," it means that it will be deferred until a new cabinet has taken office.

Parliament will make a definite decision on the list this week. Until that time, parties still have the opportunity to make proposals to remove subjects from the list, or to add them. Some 325 legislation proposals and letters are on the list already.

Under the heading "Antillean and Aruban Affairs," the list stated: "no subjects." This means that the Permanent Committee for Antillean and Aruban Affairs NAAZ didn't indicate any subjects as "controversial" in its report to the Second Chamber.

The various Permanent Committees of Parliament held extra procedural meetings last week to determine the "controversial" subjects. The committees looked at which subjects were under consideration by Parliament, like legislation proposals and policy letters, and which general debates were planned with Government.

The NAAZ Committee met last Tuesday. In that meeting, Party for Freedom PVV and Socialist Party (SP) tried to get the Antilles dossier declared "controversial." However, they were overruled by the majority of the parties that wants the constitutional process to continue.

Today, Tuesday, the Second Chamber will vote on the first batch of laws for the BES islands Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. A majority is expected to vote in favour of the laws. Next week Thursday, members of the NAAZ Committee will deal with the second batch of BES laws.

9 March 2010