PLP (Statia) installs ‘Shadow Commissioners’
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Oranjestad, St. Eustatius- The Progressive Labor Party (PLP) will be naming two so-called ‘Shadow Commissioners’ to follow everything the current Government Commissioners do.
The two designated Shadow Commissioners are Charles Woodley and Glenn Schmidt, both of whom have already held office as Commissioner in the past. They also appeared on the PLP’s list for the October 21, 2020 elections as the respectively number 2 and number 3 candidate on the list.
According to Clyde van Putten, although Shadow Commissioners are not very common on our islands, in many English speaking territories they are.
“The idea is that you follow everything as closely as possible, to the respective portfolios the current Commissioners hold. In this way it can be assured that the party aspiring to form Government, is well informed, on top of things and can -at due time- quickly assume responsibility as the ‘real’ Commissioners.
According to Van Putten, the Shadow Commissioners will also become the spokesperson for the PLP Party, on everything that has to do with their specific portfolio.
Governing
Van Putten says the PLP is fully aware of the fact that the Island Council under temporary laws imposed by The Netherlands cannot name it’s own Executive Council as of yet. “Yet we also have to look at the will of the people who gave a majority to the PLP. That means the people want us to return to Government, and we as a Party should be ready for that”.
While the persons to function as Shadow Commissioners are known, the exact division in portfolios has not been made yet. According to Van Putten, this will happen within short. “We have already discussed internally at a party level, and an announcement on this matter will be shortly made’, said Van Putten.
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