Frits Goedgedrag News

The Central Government has shown disrespect and disregard for the decision of Statia's Island Council on proposed candidates for the Lt.

Comprehensive Business Association has launched a petition against the current labour policy, introduced after some sweeping changes were endorsed by Governor of the Netherlands Antilles Frits Goedgedrag.

The sweeping changes proposed to the January 12 employment permit policy as laid down in the island resolution regulating the hiring of foreigners has been endorsed by Governor General of the Netherlands Antilles Frits Goedgedrag, and has gone into effect this week, Labour Affairs Commissioner Hyacinth Richardson told reporters on Wednesday.

The removal of the 'acculturation exam,' the housing requirement, three professions from the moratorium list, and the lowering of the adjusted employment permit fees for domestic workers and gardeners are some of the sweeping changes proposed for the controversial January 12 employment permit policy.

Dutch State Secretaries Ank Bijleveld-Schouten of Kingdom Relations and Nebahat Albayrak of Justice are both on a working trip to Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles this week.

The Netherlands Antilles' constitutional amendment relating to the independence of Parliament from government was published officially in the Government Gazette of the Kingdom on June 4. 'This will be an historical moment for our Parliamentary democracy,' said President of Parliament Pedro Atacho.

Courts in the Netherlands dealt the Michael Jason Registe extradition case a near-fatal blow on Tuesday.

The focus these days tends very much to be on the issue of good governance - understandably so, especially given the many glaring examples of bad governance one continues to encounter.

'More than ever, it is now time for good citizenship,' was Governor Frits Goedgedrag's message during his Queen's Day reception.