WILLEMSTAD--President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams says the Parliaments of St. Maarten, Aruba and Curaçao must strengthen their collective influence within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and ensure that decisions affecting their countries are not made without meaningful consultation.
Following Thursday's Tripartite Parliamentary Consultation in Curaçao, she reported progress on the long-delayed Kingdom dispute regulation while highlighting concerns over consensus Kingdom laws, the upcoming Kingdom summit, slavery reparations and extensions of the Country Packages.
Speaking toThe Peoples' Tribune, Wescot-Williams described the discussions as focused and productive, saying the delegations addressed more substantive matters than some previous, longer consultations.
She said the meeting reinforced the need for the Caribbean countries to coordinate their positions rather than approach shared Kingdom issues individually.
Progress on Kingdom Dispute Regulation
One of the principal developments concerned the proposed Kingdom dispute regulation, which remains unresolved despite years of discussions.
Wescot-Williams explained that Aruba previously submitted a draft on behalf of the three Caribbean countries through its Minister Plenipotentiary. Following observations from the Council of State, the countries reconsidered the proposal and obtained advice from their respective government legal affairs departments.
Differences over certain provisions had complicated efforts to reach a common position.
During Thursday's meeting, the delegations agreed on a way forward. The three Parliaments will seek to formally support the revised draft through supporting letters, allowing Aruba to present the proposal with the backing of all three countries.
A deadline was established for obtaining these documents.
Wescot-Williams explained that any remaining concerns can subsequently be addressed through the formal Kingdom legislative process, when the Parliaments will have another opportunity to provide their views.
She said the objective is to move the legislation forward without allowing unresolved differences to delay the entire process indefinitely.
Concerns Over Consensus Kingdom Laws
The delegations also discussed the absence of clearly established procedures for determining consensus on Kingdom legislation.
Wescot-Williams argued that consensus must be governed by recognizable guidelines rather than simply being assumed by the Kingdom government.
The concern extends to legislative initiatives originating in the Dutch Parliament without adequate consultation with the Caribbean countries affected.
She referenced a proposal originally introduced by former Dutch parliamentarian André Bosman to amend the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which has subsequently been taken over by other Dutch parliamentarians.
According to Wescot-Williams, the Caribbean countries were not properly consulted by those advancing the initiative.
She questioned the practice of Dutch parliamentarians pursuing legislation affecting Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten as though they also represent the legislatures of those countries.
The three Parliaments intend to issue a joint statement emphasizing that legislative initiatives affecting the Caribbean countries cannot proceed without meaningful consultation.
Country Package Extensions Raise Questions About Execution Capacity
Another shared concern involves the evaluation and proposed extension of the Country Packages, particularly whether the Caribbean countries possess sufficient execution capacity to implement the agreed reforms.
Wescot-Williams questioned the practicality of extending the arrangements without first determining whether the necessary personnel, expertise and administrative capacity are available.
Without that capacity, she asked, how will the countries be able to make effective use of the funds allocated for implementation?
She also questioned who is ultimately determining the priorities for execution, especially when resources and institutional capacity are limited.
The President of Parliament highlighted what she considers a contradiction: the Parliaments are being asked to approve extensions of the Country Packages while important questions concerning implementation, funding and the selection of priorities remain unanswered.
She pointed out that the Parliaments have not yet held the necessary debate on these matters.
The concerns underscore the need for greater parliamentary scrutiny of what the Country Packages have accomplished, what remains outstanding and whether extending the arrangements will address the obstacles affecting implementation.
For Wescot-Williams, the issue is not simply whether the agreements should continue, but whether the countries have the resources and authority necessary to execute their commitments effectively.
Caribbean Parliaments Concerned About November Kingdom Summit
The Tripartite also examined the Kingdom gathering scheduled for St. Maarten in November.
Wescot-Williams explained that Caribbean and Dutch parliamentarians had previously advocated a high-level Kingdom Conference to examine the future constitutional relationship between the countries.
However, the upcoming gathering is now being described as a summit primarily involving the Prime Ministers.
She said this differs from the broader conference parliamentarians had envisioned and questioned why the role of the Parliaments remains unclear.
According to Wescot-Williams, the other Caribbean delegations shared her concerns.
She noted that discussions about the Kingdom's future should not be limited to executive governments, particularly when the issues involved affect constitutional arrangements and parliamentary responsibilities.
With indications that a more comprehensive Kingdom Conference may take place in 2027, she also questioned the purpose and expected outcomes of the November summit.
The delegations intend to communicate their concerns to the governments and ask that the issues discussed during the Tripartite be considered at the St. Maarten gathering.
Slavery Reparations Must Remain on the Agenda
The Kingdom's slavery past and reparatory justice were also prominent discussion points.
Wescot-Williams confirmed that the three Parliaments have agreed to maintain the slavery past as a standing item on their agenda.
The delegations discussed recent statements concerning the Netherlands' position on financial reparations, particularly the suggestion that such reparations would not be considered.
Wescot-Williams questioned how such a position could be taken without a common Kingdom discussion involving the Caribbean countries.
She warned against accepting limited financial contributions or individual initiatives as substitutes for a meaningful discussion about reparatory justice.
The President of Parliament cautioned that the Caribbean countries must not become comfortable with what she described as "crumbs."
She argued that funding for initiatives such as curriculum development cannot replace a broader conversation about the historical consequences of slavery and the responsibilities arising from that history.
The delegations also discussed the need to seek clarification when Dutch government representatives make significant statements on Kingdom matters, rather than allowing those statements to go unchallenged and later being told that decisions had already been communicated.
Joint Reminder on United Nations Resolution
The Parliaments additionally agreed to send a joint reminder to the Kingdom government concerning a United Nations resolution on which the Caribbean countries had previously raised concerns about inadequate consultation.
Wescot-Williams said the delegations have not received a satisfactory explanation of how similar situations will be prevented.
She emphasized that simply acknowledging the Caribbean countries were not involved is insufficient. Procedures must also be established to ensure their participation in future decisions affecting the Kingdom.
The specific United Nations resolution was not identified during her remarks.
More Frequent Tripartite Meetings and Faster Publication of Agreements
Wescot-Williams said the Caribbean Parliaments also recognized the need to improve coordination ahead of the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO).
She explained that holding Tripartite meetings only shortly before IPKO sessions provides insufficient time to develop common positions.
Consequently, the delegations have agreed to meet more frequently, rather than limiting their consultations to the periods immediately preceding the two annual IPKO meetings.
The President of Parliament also criticized delays in finalizing and publishing agreements reached during previous Tripartite consultations.
She disclosed that some agreements were still being signed during Thursday's meeting, despite having been discussed months earlier.
According to Wescot-Williams, formalizing the documents can sometimes take six or seven months, undermining the ability of the Parliaments to act promptly on their decisions.
The delegations agreed that this process must improve.
They intend to finalize the conclusions of the Curaçao meeting quickly enough to share them with their respective governments before the November Kingdom summit in St. Maarten.
Stronger Collective Representation
Wescot-Williams said the discussions demonstrated that Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten face many of the same challenges regarding constitutional relations, Kingdom legislation and the extent of their involvement in decisions affecting their countries.
She acknowledged that the Caribbean Parliaments themselves recognize the need to make better use of their collective political influence.
The immediate priorities emerging from the meeting include securing parliamentary support for the revised dispute regulation, advancing common positions on consensus Kingdom laws, seeking clarity on the Country Package extensions, addressing concerns about reparations and ensuring that the parliamentary conclusions reach the governments before the November summit.
For Wescot-Williams, the central objective is to move beyond consultations that produce agreements on paper and establish a more coordinated parliamentary approach capable of influencing decisions within the Kingdom.
