Sarah: ‘Country status
can’t be held hostage’
PHILIPSBURG--Placing conditions on St. Maarten obtaining country status is unacceptable, Constitutional Affairs Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams said on Wednesday.
She was reacting to statements made by State Secretary of Kingdom Relations Ank Bijleveld-Schouten in Tuesday’s meeting of the Permanent Committee of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruban Affairs of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Paliament.
While debating the WODC report on crime in St. Maarten, the State Secretary once again said the island territory could not attain country status if matters pertaining to upholding the law in St. Maarten were not brought up to par.
She alluded to the November 2, 2006, Final Statement and the February 12 transition accord to which St. Maarten is a signatory. Primarily in the final statement, specific steps to be taken concerning the judiciary were stated.
Wescot-Williams stressed that the final statement was an agreement between partners and each partner had responsibilities. “Each entity should be held accountable for its part of the agreement,” she told Wednesday’s Executive Council press briefing.
St. Maarten cannot be held responsible and country status for St. Maarten cannot be held hostage to matters that need to be regulated by others, the Commissioner said. “We agreed that the entire justice system will be improved. Whose responsibility is it to make sure that that happens?” she asked.
Wescot-Williams said St. Maarten again had addressed a letter to the State Secretary. “What about the responsibility of the Central Government when it comes to financing justice on the island?” she asked.
The Executive Council forwarded on Monday answers to a November 27 letter of Bijleveld-Schouten. The State Secretary’s letter was in light of her visit to St. Maarten in which the issue of the WODC report had been broached.
Wescot-Williams said the Executive Council had given in its letter an overview of what had been taking place for the improvement of integrity in government circles. The ongoing process of administrative organisation, the improvements to be made and the plans to be implemented also were stated in the letter.
Furthermore, St. Maarten gave its opinion and position on the Gaming Control Board for Casinos and other such entities. “This year again we repeated our request for the Minister of Justice to set up the board,” Wescot-Williams said.
A complete overview of the Census Office, especially regarding the granting of passports, also was given in the letter, Wescot-Williams stated.
“The letter concluded by recommending that the State Secretary and Second Chamber take more time when they come to St. Maarten so we can go in-depth into topics like this. We lamented the fact that the topic was not given sufficient time and deliberation during the State Secretary’s visit,” she said.
Wescot-Williams said she concluded from Tuesday’s meeting that members of the committee too would like to get more information, and suggested to the State Secretary that St. Maarten provide more information about the real situation on the island, what was being done, what was being addressed and how it was being addressed.
Listening to some of the remarks, Wescot-Williams said she had the impression that many of the members were not aware of the situation on the islands. “Even the division of authorities seems to be an unclear situation,” she said.
