Dear Editor,
The United People’s Coalition (UPC) with much amazement read the Press Release with the caption “Statia to Present Autonomy White Paper in The Hague” in The Daily Herald of March 29, 2017, and that this concept document called the WP is already dispersed as an attachment in a letter to Minister Plasterk.
Taking the request of the Constitutional Committee of nearly 2 weeks ago into consideration to comment on the concept WP, we, the UPC applauded this manner of inclusion and took up the challenge to do so.
Although, there was no time frame given, our thoughts were at that time that the procedural trajectory would have been, after this round of consultation, that the then revised document would first be presented to the public e.g. in a Town Hall meeting before the Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs presented the final draft of this important document for deliberation to the Island Council. People’s inclusion again and again, after all it is their destiny.
Contrary to normal accepted procedural rules of which inclusion and transparency are part thereof, the document is already presented to The Hague. The UPC had hoped that after our comments in our article titled DéjàVu that at least this current PLP-ruling coalition would have understood that Statia is not their banana republic and that they would have followed normal acceptable procedures.
Furthermore, it is incomprehensible that a document of this magnitude is rushed without proper consultation with the people, and hurriedly submitted to The Hague. We are just wondering what is so blinding to this government to have the ignorance and believe that they have the just formula for the constitutional future of Statia.
What one cannot comprehend is their failure to understand that what is submitted will be the point of departure when constitutional talks commence and changes prior to the upcoming constitutional meeting will not be accepted by the The Hague.
The audacity to pretend to know it all and hold fast to the perception that they can make this cardinal and life-altering decision on behalf of the people without consulting the people, is ludicrous and borderline lunacy. This constitutional matter is not the decision of the few folks, believing that they have the right to decide unilaterally on the destiny of this nation.
In closing the UPC informs the public that in no way or form, the UPC is in support of this document as presented to The Hague and therefore, is distancing itself from this dictatorial behaviour, for the simple fact that we will not allow these rocking horses to shove through anything down our throat for acceptance and approval without the full involvement of Statia’s people.
Reginald C. Zaandam
Leader of United People’s Coalition
