ST. EUSTATIUS–A meeting of the Central Committee of the Island Council of St. Eustatius is scheduled to take place at V.A. Lopes Legislative Hall at 2:00pm today, Thursday, September 9.
Ratification of the decision list of June 24 and incoming documents will be discussed during the meeting.
Other topics on the agenda are the Rent Commission, the rent regulation and rental subsidy regulation, the Land Policy Statia 2021, and announcements by the Executive Council and the government commissioners.
Everyone can inspect the documents pertaining to the meeting at the office of the Island Registry at the Government Guesthouse or at website
The Central Committee meeting will be transmitted live on radio station Statia 92.3FM.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/central-committee-meets-this-afternoon
The trick of parliamentary democracy is that the status quo defending government plays the game, not parliament. The trick consists of letting the civil servants make as much documents for parliament as possible. And the trick is also that human beings always will try to get to know them all, to read them and to comment them. But the sheer numbers are so high, it is impossible to read them all. Large fractions therefore have specialists. But, as in the Second Chamber the number of documents exceeds the 30,000 per year, one page letters to hundreds of pages documents, it is impossible to get a grip on it. And the result is that all these members of parliament only re-act to government policies. Never there is time for own policies or opinions. And those who voted say: elections fraud!
And now back to Statia. In fact the same game is played with the Island Council. It you look at the documents that are discussed, the Island Council members are ALL, just followers, just re-actionary puppets of the government. And thus giving this colonial puppet government the image of legitimatization. Whether PLP or DP or independent, makes no difference. All follow the footsteps of the government. None have their own policy.
And also, what is remarkable, when you know that although the people of the island like to speak English, the official language of the colonial regime is still dutch, and some members of the island council cannot read this. What is she doing there? Never heard of language courses? If you want to play the game of the oppressor, it is necessary to speak and read that language as well.
But, what is the effect of all that blabla of the iislandcouncil? Absolutely nothing!
Without no own policy, without any decision making power, the best thing is stopping this circus!
In the Netherlands a school parliament of pupils has more power.
The only purpose Knops has for this no-decision, no-use-for institution is that it binds the hands of opposition members. With gifts, intentions, promises, fancy trips they get involved in the power-game without the power to make decisions. It is the old trick with the carrot on a stick.
Thus they have put themselves the muzzles on their faces. And as donkeys, they walk obedient behind the government commissioners.
They have compromised themselves severely, so people will notice that nothing comes out of their hands.
The discussion about the extra payments for the commissioners is a good example. The island council may think and speak, but cannot do any thing against it, can’t even decide about it.
And quit clear is that when hot political or emotional items are in the news and in the minds of the people, they keep their mouth shut. Not to annoy their masters.
What is the difference with 158 years ago?