Evaluation task force continued discussion for evaluation instruction

The second meeting of the Dutch Caribbean Evaluation task force, chaired by Commissioner Edsel Winklaar of Bonaire, was held on Bonaire on Tuesday, writes The Daily Herald. The task force has continued the discussion on the terms of reference of the constitutional evaluation instruction with reference to the information of the Council of State.

The Council of State recommends that three basic principles are to be evaluated, namely legislation, administrative organization and the consequences of the transition for the population. The task force has agreed that for the benefit of the evaluation assignment, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba should each draft an overview of specific subjects as point of departure.

In addition to a general assessment, an analysis will have to be made on which laws or legislation should be studied more extensively, especially on implementation. The general assessment will consist of an analysis of current legislation, where the existing legislation and regulations as per 10/10/10 will be looked at; the development in legislation up till now; application of legislative restraint; the resources needed for the implementation of legislation, the consultation process and the application of the differentiation provision in Section1.2 of the Kingdom Statute, the task force concluded.

Furthermore, the task force discussed possible topics to which attention should be paid, particularly in the evaluation of the administrative organization, the indicators for good governance and sound interadministrative and interisland cooperation. The task force deemed the recommendations made by the Van Gastel/Thunnissen/ Johnson Committee for the evaluation useful.

The required general assessment of the economic developments that will serve as the basis for the evaluation of the consequences of the transition for the population was also discussed. The task force believes that during that analysis possible opportunities and threats to future economic developments should also be looked at. The task force is to pay special attention to the socio-economic development, especially in the priority areas of education, (social) security and health care.

According to the task force, the question of arrears should also be included in the evaluation. In addition, the task force discussed the advice on the evaluation of the Council for the Protection of Human Rights. Its recommendations are consistent with the information of the Council of State and the decision of the task force in February to also give attention to human rights in general.

The task force has decided to request the evaluation project team to formulate a draft-evaluation instruction in close collaboration with the island secretaries, based on the Council of State information, the available documents and the discussions held in the task force.

The draft-instruction is to be discussed during the next task force meeting in Statia at the end of May.