From left: Island Council Members: Reuben Merkman (PLP), Koos Sneek (independent), Rechelline Leerdam (PLP) and Clyde van Putten (PLP).
ST. EUSTATIUS--Members of the St. Eustatius Island Council, who travelled to St. Maarten for the Inter Parliamentary Kingdom Consultations IPKO, reflected on their visit during an interview with The Daily Herald.
“We mainly explained the situation we are in with the intervention and the lengthy time it takes to return to normal democracy, which in my view is unacceptable. I also believe that after next year’s elections a new Island Council should have all authority back and not be handicapped as we are now,” said Independent Island Councilman Koos Sneek.
Sneek also touched on the challenges the island has with Winair, notary services and banking. Sneek and Progressive Labour Party (PLP) representative Rechelline Leerdamm gave presentations and answered many questions from parliamentarians from Curacao, Aruba and St. Maarten.
Leerdam said that the four Island Council Members had requested a meeting in December. The Island Council Members attended IPKO and the Tripartite meeting which precedes the IPKO.
Leerdam said the restoration of democracy is what the council had been working towards. They wanted to see this become a reality since the installation of Island Council in October 2020. Both Leerdamn and Sneek brought different perspectives of where the process is today.
“We explained the importance of having elections and after elections that we have at least a fully normal functioning democratic government where there’s no limited phasing in for democracy”
The Statia Island Council Members had requested that this matter be placed on the IPKO agenda for discussions as Statia is also a member within the Dutch Kingdom and these types of issues should be addressed.
Leerdam and Sneek also fielded questions from IPKO attendees on the issues of healthcare and the restoration of democracy.
“The member states were trying to draw analogies to see if there were any similarities or basically in some instances they were saying from certain countries, they don’t understand what assistance they can provide. It was clear from our end, that both Sneek and myself basically stated to them that, at the end of the day, unity is strength,” said Leerdam.
The Island Council Members were asked for the mediation report between Government Commissioner Alida Francis. Also attending the meeting were Reuben Merkman (PLP) and Clyde van Putten (PLP).
