Statia stops working with Governor Berkel
POSTED: 10/15/15 4:18 PMORANJESTAD – The two commissioners of Statia’s Executive Council will terminate their working relationship with Governor Gerard Berkel per November 2, Island Council member Clyde van Putten stated in a press release. The decision follows “the democratically taken decision by the island council to issue a vote of no confidence against the governor.”
The island council has asked Minister Ronald Plasterk (Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations) to terminate Berkel’s appointment.
Van Putten wrote that the commissioners have chosen November 2 as the date to stop working with the governor “to allow urgent pending matters related to the annual account 2014, budget amendment 2015 and the draft budget 2016 to be handled in an expeditious manner.”
On behalf of the PLP/UPC coalition, Van Putten urged governor Berkel “to do the honorable thing in the interest of the island of his birth and resign.” He also asked the governor “to implore the Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations to have Governor Berkel replaced as soon as possible in the interest of democracy and good governance.”
