WILLEMSTAD - Parliament passed a motion to sell the US consulate site. The consulate has had the site on long lease for 180 years, but now the land can be sold. There is only one bidder, the United States itself. That's in the motion.
The motion 'Land ordinance approval for private sale of domanial lands J.B. Gorsiraweg' was adopted on Tuesday. The motion was filed to put the US consulate land up for sale.
The Advisory Council (RvA) gave a positive advice, but warned of obstacles. It is not clear what obstacles these are. Minister of Traffic, Transport and Spatial Planning (VVRP) Charles Cooper said during the meeting that it is up to parliament to decide, but that if the law is not passed, the country will suffer losses. “Not just financially, but also in a relationship with the U.S.,” said Cooper.
The motion was passed with fourteen votes in favor and two against. Opposition party MAN voted against, KEM abstained and “The money will end up in the ordinary service and not in the capital service which is intended for investments. In addition, there is a distressing social problem for which 850,000 guilders can be put to good use,” says Giselle Mc William of the opposition party MAN.
The proceeds of the sold land will be used for the renovation of Landhuis Sorsaka, the home of the former Lieutenant Governor. This place will be renovated to accommodate official government meetings. According to McWilliam, this amount would not be enough for the restoration of the mansion. “In 2011, the Schotte cabinet invested two million guilders to refurbish the mansion, which was enough at the time. As it stands and with the current inflation, more than 850,000 guilders is needed.”