SXMElections.com

THE HAGUE--If the public entity St. Eustatius is given an instruction as the result of the island's precarious financial situation and alleged improper governance, then the Island Governor, the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT and the National Government Representative should be given one too, as these three entities failed their task to safeguard financial stability and good governance.

Statia Commissioner Reginald Zaandam of the UPC party stated this on Thursday in a reaction to the instruction the St. Eustatius Government received from Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk on Wednesday. Also, supervision was placed on the local government.

Zaandam acknowledged that St. Eustatius was in a precarious financial situation. But, he added, "That has nothing to do with financial mismanagement and out-of-control expenditures as Minister Plasterk is stating."

According to Zaandam, the anticipated $900,000 budget deficit for this year and the estimated $1 million of 2014 were the culmination of a structural deficit with which every Executive Council has struggled since the island became a public entity on October 10, 2010.

"Simply said, the income/revenues are less than the expenditures. As a result of that, there is always a financial shortage in providing service to the Statia people. The Hague has acknowledged that too. The situation is confirmed in the reports of IdeeVersa," Zaandam told The Daily Herald.

"Yes, drastic measures will have to be taken to remedy the situation. But the perception that The Hague is creating, as if Statia's governments failed time after time to meet the standard of a financial proper household and the expected level of good governance, is a bit overbearing."

Zaandam said The Hague should acknowledge that it had failed the islands in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.

"St. Eustatius never had a chance to develop as a result of the huge deprivation and high level of poverty. The economy missed every prerequisite that is needed to grow in order to make prosperity possible," he said. "Sometimes I wonder if the intention of The Hague is really to help St. Eustatius to stand on its own feet. Just look at the taxes that are crippling the small businesses that actually are the flywheel of our economic growth."

Addressing Plasterk's June 10 letter in which he stated that the Executive Council had appointed personnel without having the necessary finances in place, Zaandam explained that the local government did not have the authority to appoint personnel, as that was in the hands of National Government Representative Gilbert Isabella. Zaandam referred to this allegation as "utter nonsense."

Zaandam said Island Governor Gerald Berkel and the National Government Representative were also at fault. By sending a dossier to the National Government Representative, the Island Governor indirectly acknowledges that everything is in order.

It is the task of the National Government Representative to check whether a request for appointment is necessary and whether it is in accordance with the WolBES law, the FinBES law and the rules of good governance. He also has to double-check with the CFT whether the needed finances are in order, Zaandam explained.

"When the National Government Representative gives the green light to appoint, it is expected that everything is in order. So he too failed when he gave the approval to appoint," Zaandam said.

According to Zaandam, the few appointments under the previous coalition were only possible after a budget amendment which was approved by the CFT. "Therefore the responsibility of failure is on the CFT as well," he said, noting that the CFT had been actively involved in the process.

Zaandam further wondered whether The Hague had the authority to force the commissioners to be part of a steering committee chaired by the National Government Representative, leaving them in the middle whether it is in St. Eustatius' interest or not.

"So far I acknowledge the supervising role of the National Government Representative, but I doubt whether this committee could serve as the body upon which the responsibility of the day-to-day running of St. Eustatius could be bestowed," Zaandam said. He said the WolBES did not state that the commissioners are compelled to be part of a steering committee that superseded the Executive Council.

He said that especially as a people's representative he did not like adversity. "No one likes adversity. For me, adversity on the other hand has its opportunity. Although others might be rejoicing reading about the instruction, I see this as a possibility to present The Hague with the real figures," he said.

"I know that we are under enormous pressure now to deliver and as representatives of our people we will not be deterred to do what is right. The reform that is initiated with this instruction and the pending austerity that will be introduced to put us back in the right direction will be tough, but together we will see this through," he stated.

Unlike Statia Commissioner Astrid McKenzie-Tatem, Zaandam will remain in the Netherlands. Asked why he had not travelled back to St. Eustatius after being informed of the instruction on Tuesday, he said that although he was disappointed there were still important matters to follow up before returning home.

"The instruction does not stop our responsibility. To the contrary, it put us to the test to stand up, brush off our pants and continue with the people's work. We understand that The Hague will try everything to break us down, especially of the constitutional position this coalition believes in, but rest assured that we are a resilient people. It is the nail that sticks out that gets hammered," he said.