Signatures for referendum on Statia handed

The Daily Herald writes that Brighter Path Foundation and others handed in more than 800 signatures for a referendum on the constitutional status of St. Eustatius to Commissioner for Constitutional Affairs Reginald Zaandam on Monday morning. The signatures were handed to Commissioner Zaandam by Jack Anson, Lynnette Anson-Leerdam, Jacintha Brice, Koert Kerkhoff, Derrick Simmons, Lucia Spanner and Charles Woodley. The commissioner said the Executive Council is supporting a referendum and mentioned that he had sent a budget proposal to the Finance Department for the organisation of a referendum in 2014. “Before a referendum takes place the people should be well-informed about the options and their likely consequences. Government is committed to make sure this happens and is going to work with all stakeholders to effectively inform all Statians,” Commissioner Zaandam said. An information campaign is to be carried out by a referendum organising committee to be formed in the next weeks by the reorganised Constitutional Committee.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen what the impact of a referendum would be. Minister of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk previously said that he envisions the evaluation of the constitutional status of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba to focus on details. In presenting the half-year report of Committee For Financial Supervision CFT to the Dutch Parliament’s Second Chamber, Plasterk said Monday that the First and Second Chamber would be informed about the “planning and substantive scope” of the evaluation of the constitutional position of Bonaire, Statia and Saba within the Dutch constitution before the end of this year.