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- New status for The Netherlands Antilles
Page contents: New status for The Netherlands Antilles
Introductie
Constitutional reform in the Kingdom of the Netherlands towards a new status for the Netherlands Antilles is currently in progress. An accord to finalize the new status was signed at the Round Table Conference in Willemstad on the 15th of December 2008. The islands of Curaçao and Sint Maarten will become autonomous territories, while Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius will become Dutch municipalities.
Besides constitutional reform, the focus is on public finances, the economy, law enforcement and good governance.
The four elements of the transition process:
- Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba are to become public authorities of the Netherlands (the Netherlands is responsible for this process);
- St Maarten and Curaçao are to attain country status (the governments of St Maarten and Curaçao are responsible for the political and administrative organisation of the island as a separate country);
- Consensus is to be reached on a Kingdom Law governing the new status of the islands (the Netherlands is taking the lead, but the preparations and details will be prepared jointly in two multilateral project groups);
- The Netherlands Antilles is to be dismantled (the Netherlands Antilles is responsible for this process).
- 10-10-10: A new start for the islands of the Netherlands Antilles
- October 10 2010
On Sunday 10 October, Curaçao and St Maarten became constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The islands of Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius are now special municipalities of the Netherlands. The Netherlands Antilles has ceased to exist as a country.
- For constitutional reform in the Kingdom, 2011 is the year of implementation
- September 21 2010
A great deal of work has been done in the past few years to create a new situation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2011, Curaçao and St Maarten will be separate countries within the Kingdom, and Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius will be special municipalities within the Netherlands. The whole year will be devoted to implementing the legislation that has been adopted and the agreements that have been made. Once the Netherlands Antilles is no longer a country within the Kingdom, there will be one layer of government fewer. This will facilitate more effective public service provision and enable the government to protect the interests of its people.
- Dutch Council of Ministers agree to transitional arrangement movement of persons BES Islands
- March 26 2010
The Dutch Council of Ministers has agreed to the proposal of Minister Hirsch Ballin of Justice and State Secretary Bijleveld of the Interior and Kingdom Relations for a transitional arrangement which regulates the access and admission of Dutch citizens to the BES Islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba). The transitional arrangement determines that until the introduction of a Movement of Persons Kingdom Act on the BES Islands, the existing regime for the access and admission of Dutch citizens will be maintained.
- Restoration Saba Communications Tower
- December 9 2009
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Minister Ter Horst and Lieutenant Governor Johnson of Saba climbed Mount Scenery - the highest point of the Kingdom – to sign an agreement for the restoration of the communications tower there for the joint control room of the emergency services.
- 10-10-10: End of the Netherlands Antilles
- October 1 2009
On the10th of October 2010 the Netherlands Antilles will cease to exist. Curaçao and Sint Maarten will, subject to conditions, become independent countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius will become ‘special municipalities’ of the Netherlands.
- Visit by State Secretaries Bijleveld and Albayrak to the Antilles and Aruba
- June 19 2009
State Secretaries Ank Bijleveld (Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations) and Nebahat Albayrak (Ministry of Justice) will be paying a working visit to the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The visit is taking place within the context of the political changes to the Kingdom and the six-month tripartite consultations between the Ministers.
- Minister Klink (VWS) will be visiting the Netherlands Antilles
- June 15 2009
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Dutch minister of Health, Welfare and Sports, mr. Ab Klink, will be visiting the Netherlands Antilles from june 12 through june 17. He will focus especially on the BES islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. Due to the changes in the political structure, the Minister will be responsible for a large number of tasks related to public health on these islands.
- Reorganisation for police and fire brigade on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
- June 12 2009
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Following a proposal from Minister Ter Horst, State Secretary Bijleveld and Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin, the cabinet has agreed to a bill for a reorganisation of the police and fire brigade on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. The legislative change is intended to take effect from the time that these islands become Dutch municipalities.
- The Netherlands starts debt rescheduling Netherlands Antilles
- February 9 2009
The Netherlands makes a start with the rescheduling of the debt of the Netherlands Antilles by paying the present amount of nearly 128 million Antillean guilders (appr. 55 million Euros) in repayments and 19 million Antillean guilders (appr. 10 millon Euros) in interest payments with respect to the period January – April 2009.
- The Netherlands deposits 464 million guilders for restructuring debts of Antilles, Curaçao and St. Maarten
- December 19 2008
On November 10, 2007 the Netherlands opened an account with the Bank of the Netherlands Antilles for the debt restructuring and elimination of arrears in payments of the Country of the Netherlands Antilles and the Island Territories of Curaçao and St. Maarten.
- Accord signed at Round Table Conference
- December 16 2008
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The Netherlands and The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba have reached agreement on the new status for the islands. At the Round Table Conference in Curaçao on the 15th of December Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, State secretary Bijleveld and Antillean Prime Minister De Jongh-Elhage signed an accord on the new status.
- Kingdom Council of Ministers agree to Kingdom Act on Public Prosecutors’ Offices
- December 5 2008
The Kingdom Council of Ministers has approved the Kingdom Bill to the effect of regulating the structure, the organization and the management of the public prosecutors’ offices when the new political relations within the Kingdom come into force.
- Kingdom Council of Ministers agree to Kingdom Act Common Court of Justice
- December 5 2008
The Kingdom Council of Ministers has approved a Kingdom Bill to the effect of regulating the organization of the administration of justice for Curaçao, Aruba, St. Maarten and for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, commencing at the time when political relationships within the Kingdom have been modified (Kingdom Act Common Court of Justice).
- Clear path to Round Table Conference
- November 26 2008
Now that agreement has been reached on legislation governing the police services and financial supervision in the new constitutional system of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, nothing more stands in the way of a successful Round Table Conference on 15 December 2008.
- Path to Round Table Conference now clear
- October 2 2008
Now that agreement has been reached concerning the police services, financial supervision and a new Council on Justice Administration in the new constitutional system of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, nothing more stands in the way of a successful Round Table Conference on 15 December 2008.
- Political changes in full swing
- September 18 2008
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The political reform of the Kingdom is in full swing. The central point in the process is the well-being of the population of the Netherlands Antilles. Curaçao and St. Maarten will become countries within the Kingdom. Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius will become ‘special municipalities’ of the Netherlands. With strengthening the administration, rescheduling of the debts of the islands and a broad package of measures in the social and economic fields, the islands will have a sound starting position. The aim is to reach agreement in December 2008 on legislation that will be the basis for the new relations in the Kingdom and thus to make a big step as part of the political changes. In 2009 parliamenary decision-making and implementation of such legislation can then be prepared.
- Signing the St. Maarten SEI and ISR
- July 31 2008
Commissioner Wescot-Williams and the Representative of the Netherlands in the Netherlands Antilles, Mr. Rob Vermaas, signed the Implementation Protocol of the Social and Economic Initiative (SEI) in St. Maarten on July 31st.
- Round Table Conference on 15 December 2008
- May 23 2008
The Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, Curacao and St Maarten have agreed that the target date of 15 December 2008 for introducing the new constitutional order is not attainable.
- Prime Minister Balkenende and State Secretary Bijleveld about to visit the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba
- February 8 2008
Prime Minister Balkenende and State Secretary Bijleveld (Kingdom Relations) will be in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba for a working visit from February 10 through February 15. The theme of this visit will be the revival of the relations within the Kingdom.
- Agreements reached during state secretary’s visit to Netherlands Antilles
- December 13 2007
The Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations, Ank Bijleveld-Schouten, concluded various agreements during her visit to the Netherlands Antilles. One of these, negotiated with representatives of the Netherlands Antilles, concerned the transition to the new constitutional order within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
