ST. EUSTATIUS--A very large crowd witnessed the members of the new Executive and Island Councils taking the oath at the Government Guesthouse on Thursday afternoon.

 

The ceremony followed the Island Council election of last week Wednesday, and the agreement between Progressive Labour Party (PLP) and United People's Coalition (UPC) to form a new government.

 

The swearing in of the new members of the Executive Council and Island Council did not pass without a glitch, as there were many discussions about the proper procedures, which caused a delay in the swearing in of former Democratic Party (DP) and independent Island Council Member Reuben Merkman, who took a seat in the new Island Council on behalf of UPC. Adelka Spanner (DP) objected to the procedure, which allowed for UPC Commissioner Reginald Zaandam to briefly return to the Island Council benches to vote for the admittance of his party member.

 

PLP leader Clyde van Putten called upon the opposition to stop playing politics. After the credentials were reviewed, Merkman was voted into the Island Council by all five votes.

 

New PLP-Commissioner Astrid McKenzie-Tatem was elected into the Island Council by all five members. Commissioner Zaandam received three votes, Koos Sneek (DP) one vote and one blank vote was cast.

 

First, the members of the Island Council were sworn in, after which the two commissioners took their oaths. Sworn in as Island Council Members were Richeline Leerdam (PLP) and Van Putten, followed by Zaandam, Spanner and Sneek.

 

Merkman was elected as chairman of the Central Committee. Leerdam will be vice-chair of the Committee.

 

The meeting was adjourned twice to address misunderstandings concerning the proper procedures. After these were solved, all members were sworn in and Island Governor Gerald Berkel presented a toast.

Spanner congratulated all incoming members, especially her cousin McKenzie. She also reflected on the fact that DP had retained its two seats in the Island Council after it had lost its third seat to Merkman. She expressed her desire to work together with Sneek in being a powerful opposition to be reckoned with.

Sneek said the elections are over and it is of the utmost importance for government to start working. He added, however, that new Commissioner McKenzie would deserve a "break," as the first 100 days in office are usually the most difficult.

 

Speaking about the negotiations with NuStar on the new Harbour Ordinance, the audience became so loud that Governor Berkel had to use his gavel often to try to bring order into the meeting. Members of the public were openly telling Sneek they did not want to hear what he was saying as election time was over.

 

Van Putten said it would not be an easy task to get the island back on track, as it is in a financially deplorable situation. He said PLP would be working on 10 points: more autonomy for the island, a new medical complex, regulation of the legal and financial status of all government workers, economic development, improvement of infrastructure, sustainable agricultural development, construction of affordable low-income housing, privatisation and development of the sea port and airport, construction of a boardwalk and regional cooperation.

 

The youngest member in the Island Council, Richeline Leerdam, said she was first approached by Van Putten in 2006, when she was still attending college. Nine years later, she is ready to continue the "fight" of her grandfather, the late Duncan Leerdam, who was also known as the "Brave Little Tailor." His picture showing him mending fishing nets was found on the NAf. 100 bills. He ran in elections with the late Clifton Berkel.

She promised to be a voice in the Island Council and pledged "to work to restore Statia to its rightful place." She named some of the persons who stood beside her through the election campaign, and also reflected on George Lijfrock and Yuancito Hook, two persons who have passed on, but were instrumental in her joining the PLP.

 

The Daily Herald