It’s amazing how some Dutch Members of Parliament (MP) keep busy these days. Some can be found promoting cartoons that insult the Prophet Muhammad. Others dream up proposals for the introduction of two types of passports and two different categories of Dutch citizens.
So, I guess it should be no surprise that an MP recently submitted a proposition making it possible for Curaçao to become independent without holding a referendum or a 2/3 majority in Parliament for that matter. This may get the juices flowing among the nationalists in The Netherlands but changing our constitutional status will only be decided in Willemstad by the people of this island, thank you. I won’t waste time discussing this meritless proposal.
Let’s realize that while it’s correct to demand a referendum before any status change, Curaçao currently doesn’t have a legally defined referendum process. One that’s transparent and able to withstand political manipulation and bullying. We need to change that.
First, constitutional status change is not limited to independence as some want us to believe. It equally applies to becoming part of The Netherlands territory (province model) or an EU ultra-peripheral territory regions (UPG) or merging with another state such as Venezuela.
In my opinion, our constitution should be amended and state that any change of constitutional status must be decided by referendum. We need to determine how a referendum may be initiated.
Options are: (1) the legislative referendum whereby Parliament refers a measure to the voters for their approval; (2) the popular referendum, a measure that appears on the ballot as a result of a voter petition (conditioned upon a minimum of valid signatures), or (3) both the legislative and the popular referendum.
We need to define the types of referendums. 1. the mandatory referendum i.e. if a proposal passes, the Government or appropriate authority is compelled to implement it: 2. the optional referendum whereby the consequences of the vote may or may not be legally binding or 3. both the mandatory and optional referendum. It’s very important that the referendum process be in the hands of an independent electorate authority.
The future referendum ordinance should also specify per type of referendum: (1) when a referendum is valid, i.e. establish the minimum number of valid votes; (2) what margins should be upheld for a proposal to pass (simple majority, 2/3 or 3/4 of the votes) and (3) who can cast his/her ballot.
This is by no means a complete blueprint. It’s the beginning of a meaningful conversation. I’ve proposed both a referendum ordinance and an independent electorate authority back in 2012. Let’s hope politicians will pick this up. It’s correct to say that a referendum is needed to change our constitutional status.
We must be aware however that we need a clear referendum process anchored in our constitution. One that’s transparent, not open to multiple interpretations and certainly not prone to manipulation by politicians and other groups. If that’s not the case, what’s the value of having a referendum?
By Alex Rosaria
Alex David Rosaria (50) is from Curaçao and has an MBA from the University of Iowa. He is a former Member of Parliament, Minister of Economic Affairs, State Secretary of Finance and UN Implementation Officer in Africa and Central America.
Dear Sirs,
A few months ago I wrote a letter to this newspaper about the horrific state of the streetlights in Beacon Hill!
This is a residential area visited by hundreds of tourists during the year and after 6:30pm it's pitch dark and unsafe to walk on the streets!
Please again give us an update why after a year we’re still in the dark in Beacon Hill!
Looking forward to streetlights for Christmas this year!
Flashlight walker
Dear Editor,
We herewith would like to bring attention to an urgent emerging undemocratic development in the Southern Caribbean. On November 20, 2018, the illegally deposed government of Sint Eustatius will be in the Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten against the Dutch government to plead and fight for their fundamental democratic and inalienable right to a full measure of self-government according to the Charter of the United Nations.
Earlier this year, in February, the Dutch government, headed by the new Dutch State Secretary of Kingdom Relations, Mr. Knops, an experienced ex-military lieutenant colonel who was active in the Iraq war, through an undemocratic decision and action by the Dutch parliament landed with 40 policemen and a navy vessel in the harbour of Sint Eustatius. Abusing their power, they overthrew the local legitimate democratic elected government and appointed a non-democratic ruler and governor to govern the island of Sint Eustatius.
Further on last week the Dutch government under threat and intimidation, if not they will take further actions, within a 24-hour notice deadline forced the local government of Bonaire to surrender their limited local powers back to the Dutch government and are now the same as Sint Eustatius, completely back under Dutch rule. A not-elected administrator or liaison is appointed over the democratically elected local government to govern the island of Bonaire. This colonial ruler, same as in Sint Eustatius, is only accountable and reporting to the Dutch government in the Hague.
Hence the locally-elected government on Bonaire has been degraded to a passive spectator on its own island. The democratic power of the local population has been neutralized by an open immigration policy, increase as high as 400% in immigration of non-Bonerians, mostly European Dutch with the power to vote in 3 months in our local elections. At this rate at the moment, the Bonerians have become a minority on their own island, representing about one-third of the population and are on the sure path of a systematic extermination process. A humble, friendly nation will be extinct within one or two decades if we do not get intervention or help from the international community and/or from our Caribbean brothers and sisters.
These actions, a clear re-enacting of an aggressive colonial agenda of the Dutch to the Caribbean has been systematically kept out of the attention of the international community and the international and regional press.
This letter serves as a serious warning to all Caribbean nations that colonialism has returned to the Caribbean in a modernized institutionalized form. Our sister islands of Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten are on the same path to be recolonized administratively by the Hague. On these islands the Hague took control over their internal matters by appointing a non-democratic supervisory financial board deciding over the islands’ budget, parliaments and governments. Same is the case with the judiciary system which is under control of the Hague deciding who will be politically targeted and prosecuted if not collaborating with the Dutch agenda.
This letter serves as a serious warning to all Caribbean nations and organizations that are working towards a Caribbean unity and integration, that colonialism has returned to the Caribbean in a more aggressive form. Our indigenous local Caribbean peoples are the target of an ethnic-cleansing process. Our land and natural resources have been repossessed by the colonizing administrative power.
Our hope is that all Caribbean nations and leadership will stand together as one voice, showing solidarity towards us, rejecting the recolonization of your fellow Caribbean peoples and
especially supporting the courageous democratically-elected government and peoples of Sint Eustatius that will be in court against continuation of Dutch colonialism.
Faithfully yours,
James Finies, president Foundation We Want Bonaire Back
Dear Editor,
I would like to express my frustration about the road entrance situation in Beacon Hill!
For many years this paved road has been plagued by constant flooding from the rain and forming small lakes where it has now created a big crater where cars are on a constant road torture! Damaging tires and complete front bumpers!
This road is used on a daily basis by cars, trucks and big tour buses that bring cruise ship tourists during the day to Maho Beach.
Please do something about this s**thole!
A fed-up Beacon Hill resident
Dear Editor,
People like to look at water. They like to sit near water, wander near water, talk to their lovers near water and take pictures of each other near water. The most attractive destinations have Malecons or walks along rivers, canals or lakes. Smart public authorities have optimized their waterside areas and have seen benefits in both domestic and foreign tourist traffic and clear results of such planning have been seen in Paris and London as well as many other territories have enhanced their attractiveness to domestic and international tourism .
One of the great advances of Sint Maarten is the building of the boardwalk, even though it went together with much controversy and preservation rhetoric. But in retrospect we can all agree that the boardwalk is now one of the positives of an otherwise diminished Phillipsburg.
Ironically by the time the boardwalk was built the momentum of growth had swung to Simpson Bay where the “strip” was booming. Clearly one of the reasons for its boom was the easy access to the Simpson Bay beach and the Simpson Bay lagoon. And whilst the Simpson Bay strip is still active, public access to the water is reducing. All the waterside real estate is blocking the public view of the water and eventually it will not be obvious to the visitor on the road that he or she is in fact close to the water.
It would be in the general interest if planning authorities were to make efforts to create more public access to water in the Simpson Bay area. It will benefit all parties.
Robbie Ferron
