WILLEMSTAD — PAR-leader and party-chairwoman of the yellow party in the States, Emily de Jongh-Elhage, queries the proposal from PS-leader Helmin Wiels to have the parliament visit the districts. Wiels’ proposal, which the States has adopted in the meantime, is to have the States hold public meetings in the districts and subsequently keep the people informed on the parliament’s progress.

De Jongh-Elhage commented on the proposal in a letter dated February 14^th. She remarked that the government is already working on a ‘Plan Nashonal di Bario’. Part of this plan is to chart the problems, which the inhabitants of a district are coping with. De Jongh-Elhage believes the States’ work will overlap a great deal. Talking to the local residents with the aim to chart the largest problems in a district for the government is not a solution for the local residents in question, said De Jongh-Elhage.

The PAR-leader also believes a clear and transparent budget is important before the States visit the districts. In this respect, De Jongh-Elhage thinks the budget should mention the costs involved with the advertisements for the meetings, the documentation, the food and the necessary sound equipment.

Politics

De Jongh-Elhage further emphasized the States should avoid political involvement during the meetings. For that reason it is important for the PAR that an independent moderator chairs the meetings. The PAR also finds it important that agreements are made on ‘respectful linguistic usage and polite behavior’ during the meetings. De Jongh-Elhage also has a problem with the intention to hold meetings in The Netherlands. According to the PAR-leader, the first priority lies with the visits to the districts on Curaçao.