Half of Dutch willing to break ties with Antilles 07/01/2008 00:00

Half of the Dutch support a call from the PVV to break political ties with the Antilles.

7 January 2008

AMSTERDAM – The appeal from the Freedom Party PVV that the Netherlands break all political ties with the Netherlands Antilles has the support of 49 percent of the Dutch. This emerged from an opinion poll by Maurice de Hond on Monday among 1,500 people, commissioned by free daily paper DAG.

The islands that want to stay with the Netherlands should be under direct Dutch government, says 60 percent of respondents. A minority of 37 percent wants to keep the Antilles in the Kingdom of the Netherlands no matter what. The majority of Rita Verdonk, Geert Wilders and VVD-supporters are in favour of a ‘divorce,' according to the survey. One in three CDA and PvdA voters are also of this opinion.

The Parliamentary Consultation on Kingdom relations (POK) is on the agenda on the Antilles on Monday, during which Dutch MPs and their Antillean counterparts will discuss future political relations.

It is unclear however whether the meeting will take place. Antillean politicians have been threatening over the past few days to boycott the talks. They are demanding an apology from PVV MP Hero Brinkman, who described the government on the island recently as "largely a corrupt gang of thieves."

According to the timetable, the relations within the kingdom are set to change come the end of 2008. It has been agreed that Curaçao and Sint Maarten will then be granted autonomous status, like Aruba. Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba will become special municipalities of the Netherlands. The Dutch government is taking over part of the debt, but wants in exchange more influence in financial and judicial matters.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2008]

Subject: Dutch news