Dear Editor,
On February 7 of this year, the Government of the Netherlands decapitated the legitimately and democratically elected government of St. Eustatius by rushing a Dutch law which violates the UN Charter through both houses of Parliament. In doing so, it used a biased and bogus report with unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoings as a justification for its unlawful acts.
Furthermore, these unlawful acts were supported by the highest advisory body within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Council of State, with Vice-President and former Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Piet Hein Donner at the helm.
The Government of the Netherlands committed these unlawful acts despite the fact that the Government of St. Eustatius had repeatedly warned them against violating the UN Charter in a number of letters and Island Council motions, and had also proposed a process of dialogue to prevent the Kingdom of the Netherlands and all its citizens from being shamed internationally by the unlawful acts of the Government of the Netherlands.
Unfortunately, the Government of the Netherlands arrogantly dismissed or simply ignored the communications and reasoning of the Government of St. Eustatius and its legal representatives.
It is therefore very surprising, to say the least, that now that the legitimate Government of St. Eustatius has initiated legal action against the Government of the Netherlands for committing said unlawful acts, and have issued them an ultimatum to undo at least a number of said acts by October 29, 2018, they have requested additional time to respond and study the matter at hand.
Both requests for additional time are clear indications that the Government of the Netherlands either did not think through their actions, despite all the time and efforts they put into prepare the execution thereof, or did not expect the unlawfulness of their actions to be challenged and exposed.
Either way, it again demonstrates the consistent bad faith and untrustworthiness of the Government of The Netherlands which I have been pointing out for the past few years.
Despite the speed, aggression, and relentlessness with which the Government of the
Netherlands trampled on the democratic principles by decapitating the Government of St. Eustatius, they now have four extra weeks to prepare the defense of their actions during the main court proceedings.
As coalition, and at the request of their legal representative, Mr. C.R. Rutte of HBN Law, we also granted the Government of the Netherlands an extra week to prevent summary proceedings from being initiated, under the condition that the three main civil servants who were installed to run the affairs of St. Eustatius without a proper legal basis are removed by October 29, 2018.
It is unacceptable that the Government of the Netherlands acts as an international rogue State by using Dutch law to trample on democracy and circumvent and violate international treaties and laws that itself has pledged to uphold.
Clyde I. van Putten
Leader, Progressive Labour Party, St. Eustatius
