Antilles rejects Dutch proposal
to send back Antillean youths
WILLEMSTAD--Justice Minister David Dick should make it clear to his Dutch colleague Ernst Hirsch Ballin in no uncertain terms that the Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles objects to any measure to send back Antilleans to the Netherlands Antilles, as expressed in a recent letter sent to the Dutch First and Second Chambers.
The Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles discussed on Thursday the intention of the Dutch Government to introduce such a measure and unanimously accepted a motion instructing Dick that he should inform Hirsch Ballin about Parliament’s position on the matter.
This proposal was made in a recent letter sent to members of the First and Second Chambers.
The Dutch Ministers of Integration, Justice, and Internal Affairs stated in the letter that they wanted to establish a measure to send back problematic Antilleans.
The intention of the Dutch Ministers is to draft a Kingdom law to regulate the movement of persons. Problematic Antilleans who come into contact with the justice system will be declared “undesirable” and, based on the new law, will be sent back to the Netherlands Antilles.
In the motion, Parliament also instructed Dick to make it clear to Hirsch Ballin that a measure to send back Antillean youth is not compatible with the ongoing constitutional change process.
Furthermore, it should be made clear to the Dutch Minister that constitutional rights may not be trampled on. Finally, Dick has to keep Parliament informed about any developments regarding the intentions of the Dutch to introduce such a measure.
