Executive Councils to meet Dutch parliament

The Daily Herald writes that the Executive Councils of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will be meeting with the Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on June 17. The representatives of the islands will be in the Netherlands that week for the so-called Caribbean Netherlands Week which takes place twice per year in The Hague. The Kingdom Relations Committee has positively responded to a request to meet with the Executive Councils.

The agenda points for this meeting have not been released as yet, but Member of the Second Chamber Roelof van Laar of the Labour Party PvdA said on Wednesday that he would like to specifically discuss the issue of human trafficking with the islands’ representatives. Van Laar said that the Second Chamber had a role to play even though the main talks during the Caribbean Netherlands Week would be held with the ministries in The Hague to discuss the cooperation and relations with the islands.

Member of the Second Chamber André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party said it was “common courtesy” to speak with the representatives of the islands. Besides, he added, “It is good to have feedback.”

The meeting, for which an hour has been reserved, will take place behind closed doors. The Kingdom Relations Committee will also meet with a delegation of Statia’s Island Council. That meeting has been scheduled for June 19. The Island Council will meet with the Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations of the First Chamber, the Senate, on June 17. The meetings will take place on the request of the Statia representatives.