A delegation of Dutch MPs visits the Antilles and Aruba on a regular basis to discuss political issues concerning the Netherlands and the islands, which used to be Dutch colonies and now have autonomous status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Controversy
But January's talks were overshadowed by political controversy. Antillean MPs walked out on the Dutch delegation when one of its members, Hero Brinkman of the right-wing Freedom Party, refused to apologise for calling the Antilles a "corrupt den of thieves". In an effort to avoid a repeat of the incident, Mr Atacho wants to establish rules of conduct for the forthcoming talks with the Dutch MPs.
However, in a new interview with Radio Netherlands, Mr Brinkman said that 90 % of Antillean politicians are corrupt and will have to go. He called them a bunch of whining children that the government should not give in to. Mr Brinkman added that he wants to make an effective anti-corruption policy a key element in the current constitutional reform process.
Problems
The reform process was originally intended to be completed this year, but Interior Minister Ank Bijleveld has announced that this will no longer be possible because of delays caused by problems concerning law and order and Dutch financial control on some of the islands.
In the new political structure, the islands of Curaçao and St Maarten will have autonomous status, like Aruba, while Bonaire, St Eustasius and Saba will become special municipalities of the Netherlands.
Antillean Prime Minister Emily Saïdy de Jongh-Elhage claims it will in fact be possible for some of the reform agreements to come into force on 15 December as planned.
Tags: Bonaire, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, political, reforms, Saba, St Eustace, St Maarten