THE HAGUE - Member of Parliament for the Dutch party VVD clarifies his position about a bill proposal he has submitted for a debate in the Dutch parliament. The MP did this considering a recent article that appeared in Curaçao Chronicle written by Rene Zwart.

Bosman says that the article is full of incorrect information. According to Zwart, this bill will make it “easier for the Netherlands to end the kingdom relation...”. Bosman emphatically states that this is not true. “By making the decision a government decree and not a Kingdom Charter decision, the Netherlands has absolutely no say in the whole process. Therefore it will be truly a decision by the people of the countries. The Netherlands will have less say in this.”

“Also stated was that that I took out the referendum. If people read the law carefully, they will understand that The Netherlands does not impose the way of decision making upon the islands. How they want to organize the way of a possible ending of the relationship is totally up to the countries. Each country could and maybe should have a different way of ending the relationship with the Kingdom, therefore there should be no dictated way in the Kingdom Charter,” says Bosman in his reaction.

Mr. Zwart also stated that there have been mainly negative reactions from the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. “During the recent Interparliamentary Consultation Conference (IPKO), I was available for consultation during a special event, but no Member of Parliament of the other countries showed up. In my talks during the IPKO people had no comments about my law.”

“And finally, I do not know if in Belgium people are discussing my law, but in The Netherlands, people are just waiting for my proposal to be presented.” 

Bosman ends his reaction by stating that to be against his proposal would be strange. “For the Caribbean countries because they have asked for this amendment themselves. And for the Netherlands, it would almost be colonial to deny more freedom of choice for the Caribbean countries.”