THE HAGUE--Members of the Second Chamber are happy to hear that a date has been set for the referendum in Bonaire. They are hoping that the question that will be posed to the people on March 26 will be an objective one.
“About time,” said Member of Parliament (MP) Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP). “Very good,” said MP Bas Jan van Bochove of the governing Christian Democratic Party CDA. MP John Leerdam said he was happy that finally a date was set. “I respect the referendum,” he said. MP Johan Remkes of the liberal democratic VVD party didn’t have an explicit opinion about the referendum. “It is an autonomous authority to call a referendum,” he said.
The MP’s did have some concerns about the organisation, more specifically about the question that would be posed to the people during the referendum. “I am very curious to know what the question will be because it has to be an objective one,” said Van Bochove. “I want to know which question will be posed because that will make or break the referendum,” said Van Raak.
According to Van Raak, the question should not be politically loaded. “The question should be about the execution of the October 2006 accord with the Netherlands. The people should be asked whether they agree with the execution of that accord or not,” he said.
Leerdam said he wanted to know the character of the referendum. “Is it an advising or decisive? How should we interpret the results?” The referendum in any case is a waste of money, said Leerdam. “Can’t we use the money for other social purposes, like youngsters? Parliament elections, Island Council elections, referendum, it all costs loads. I am watching this with hawk eyes,” he said.
The MPs agreed that the outcome of the referendum can’t be a reason to reopen the negotiations with the Netherlands. “We have made agreements with Bonaire’s previous Executive Council and we are not going to create room because of a referendum. The State Secretary has already made it clear: either the agreements are carried out or we start the road to independence,” said Van Bochove.
“We will not accept renegotiations. Bonaire’s government was closely involved in the trajectory and has given its consent to the accord signed at the mini-conference,” said Leerdam. “Re-negotiating is not an issue. The only alternative is independence,” said Remkes.
Referendum or not, the legislation process should continue so Saba and St. Eustatius can become part of the Netherlands as ‘public entities.’ “Saba and St. Eustatius should not suffer because of these jokes,” said Remkes, obviously referring to the Bonaire referendum.
Van Raak suggested holding a simple referendum in Saba and St. Eustatius to make sure that the citizens of the two smallest Antillean islands support the continuation of this process.
