PHILIPSBURG – The Dutch delegation who participated this week in the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation on Sint Maarten has reacted a bit irritated to critical remarks from MPs of the Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten delegations about the attitude of their Dutch colleagues.

Several Caribbean representatives have expressed dissatisfaction with the media about the contribution of the Chamber delegation to the discussions on the issues in Curaçao and Aruba with Venezuelan migrants and the draft Kingdom Act on Kingdom Disputes.

Caribbean MPs accuse their Dutch colleagues that, like the Rutte Cabinet, they run away from their responsibility by refusing to declare the reception of refugees a Kingdom affair. As far as the dispute arrangement is concerned, they are disappointed that the Dutch delegation did not want to take a position on the fact that the bill does not meet what was previously agreed in the IpKo.

Delegation leader Jan Paternotte reached to the Caribbean delegations at the start of the third day of the meeting. "In the past, we have always spoken honestly, openly and with respect. But that has not been the case in recent days. Certain statements in the media make collaboration more difficult than necessary. The Dutch delegation is here with the intention to work together. "

Paternotte's statement was heard with frowning eyebrows: the criticism on the part of the Caribbean is that some MPs have expressed little respect and that the delegation has avoided an open (substantive) debate about the dispute arrangement.

In the past, it happened regularly that the semi-annual parliamentary meetings were in a stark mood. The last years there was a constructive atmosphere, but at this IpKo edition the knives were out since the first day.

Photo: Jan Paternotte (credit: Rene Zwart)