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Ys Cabinet barely hangs on, Errol Cova refuses to resign
by The Daily Herald
Posted: May 19, 2005 20:44 UTC
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PHILIPSBURG - The Central Government remained on the verge of collapsing last night with relations between Prime Minister Etienne Ys and his deputy Errol Cova in tatters.
Reports that were circulated Wednesday afternoon that Ys and other ministers of his cabinet had tendered their resignations to Governor of the Netherlands Antilles Frits Goedgedrag proved to be incorrect.
From all indications, the prime minister’s plans to tender the resignation of his government Wednesday went belly-up as a result of some procedural hiccups stemming from the refusal of PLKP Minister Errol Cova and State Secretary Wini Poulo to resign.
However, reports reaching The Daily Herald late last night stated that the problematic situation confronting the government would most likely be brought to a head today when a motion of no confidence against Cova and Poulo is tabled in Parliament.
The current sitting of Parliament was adjourned Wednesday afternoon until nine o’clock this morning, Thursday, with the handling of the budget on the agenda.
Meanwhile, Cova, who is also the Vice-Prime Minister, and Poulo called on the Governor Wednesday afternoon to tell their (PLKP’s) side of the story.
After leaving the Governor’s palace Cova said he was in disagreement with the decision of the majority of members of the Council of Ministers early Wednesday afternoon that they would resign.
Cova placed the responsibility for the current problems squarely in Ys’ lap, contending that it was “irresponsible” to “throw down” the government. He said the PAR leader (Ys) had to live up to what he had said in the past to govern the country.
Ys had already gone to the Governor earlier in the afternoon, after which another meeting of the Council of Ministers was convened to discuss the situation.
Wescott-Williams
St. Maarten Democratic Party and other parties signed a declaration Tuesday night, around 11:00pm, indicating their willingness to continue to be part of the present federal coalition, “even if it meant” supporting a coalition based on 13 seats, stated Commissioner Sarah Wescott-Williams on Wednesday morning.
According to Wescott-Williams “approximately all coalition parties” signed the declaration. She said it was “evident” that partners were “taking into account the possibility” that PLKP would “no longer be part.”
“If the result is that on Wednesday only 13 remain, we are prepared to continue to work together,” she told Wednesday’s live Executive Council press briefing.
The Commissioner said “a lot had transpired” on Tuesday after the morning coalition meeting, referring to the meeting in Parliament afterwards during which the motion of no confidence against Minister of Transport and Communication Omayra Leeflang was presented. PLKP co-signed that motion.
Asked about the effect PLKP leaving the coalition would have on the level of the Curaçao Island Government, which would lose its majority as a result, Wescott-Williams said: “I am sure that political parties are carefully looking at it. Of course, the one will affect the other.”
But, added the Commissioner, “Basically that is not my problem. I have declared that we would like this government or a government to be there to do things.” She said that the process of constitutional reform “can’t be delayed,” that the islands “can’t afford it” and that her party wouldn’t be “allowing delay.”
Hassell
Ray Hassell of WIPM-Saba said he was “in complete support” of PLKP leaving the coalition. “They have taken away our confidence in them by their action. They can’t be trusted anymore,” he said.
Hassell was referring to PLKP’s move to co-sign a motion of no confidence against Leeflang Tuesday. Not only did they co-sign the motion, he added, PLKP helped to draft it. “Leeflang admitted she had made a mistake, she asked for pardon and then you still back a motion,” he said, also mentioning the agreement in the coalition that partners would discuss motions before they were voted on in Parliament.
Hassell said that although the crisis came at an “inopportune moment for the people,” considering the constitutional developments, keeping PLKP in the cabinet was no longer tenable.
“We couldn’t continue with business as usual with all these accusations flying back and forth. A real effort was made to solve the problem in the past three days, but the political will on the side of PLKP was simply not there,” he said.
Marlin
Member of Parliament William Marlin of National Alliance said it was “unfortunate” that because of the bickering between political parties Parliament had been unable to function. The meeting on the draft 2005 budget has been postponed several times.
“Curaçao parties are trying to gain the best political mileage out of this. Meanwhile, the country is suffering. We don’t need a crisis at this time,” he said, referring to the importance of dealing with constitutional reform now that four islands have decided they want to get out of the Antillean Constellation.
According to Marlin, the Central Government should be “working on breaking up the Antilles, realising new relations in the Kingdom, instead of fighting what’s left.” He said the crisis meant a delay in the constitutional process and he hoped that “very soon” parties would “get out of the impasse with a government that can govern properly.”
The crisis in government will have an effect on the Island Government of Curaçao. The coalition on that level is currently formed by PAR (5 seats), PNP (2), MAN (2) and PLKP (3). PAR has approached independent member Rignald Lak and the one-member LPNA faction of Nelson Pierre. Both have the proposal under consideration. PLKP, FOL and MAN already had talks over the weekend.
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