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In the CN week of October 2013, it was decided to set up a joint working group for the drafting of the political evaluation mission of the Caribbean Netherlands. On February 28th the first working group has taken place on Saba, led by Commissioner Chris Johnson of Saba. During the meeting of the working group the provision of information of to the Council of State on the design and process of evaluating was discussed.
The working group is of the opinion that the information is a good basis for the formulation of the evaluation assignment. In addition, topics of interest to the evaluation, were discussed, that in particular are important to the population.
(Photo RCN)
The Working Group considers it important to make the following additions on the provision of information to the Council of State:
- Understand the differences between the Islands; this is under exposed in the information;
- Democratic deficit will be included in the evaluation;
- More emphasis will be placed on the economic development of the Islands;
- Article 1.2 of the Statute of the Kingdom will be part of the evaluation
- The evaluation will include the human rights in the broad sense of the word in all its activities;
- The Working Group recognizes the right of self-determination of the Islands;
- All delegations of the working group are equal partners.
These are the preliminary findings of the working group, at a later moment further findings can be added.
It is the opinion of the working group that for a joint evaluation, it is necessary that the results will be recognized, respected and followed by all parties involved. Therefore the working group discussed the first thoughts and will continue those discussions in its next meetings, in order to make appointments in formulating the evaluation mandate at the latest.
The working group decided on Terms of Reference for its mission and approach.
Finally, a first exchange of opinions took place on the commission proposed by the Council of State, that will conduct the evaluation. In the working groups to come, this will be further implemented.
The working group will act as supervisory commission for the evaluation commission. The evaluation committee will periodically report to the working group.
The evaluation mandate will be established during the administrative consultation (“Bestuurlijk Overleg”) during the CN week end of June, in The Hague.
Press release RCN February 28, 2014