Oranjestad- The mediation team consisting of Suzanne (Suzy) Camelia- Römer, Maria Liberia-Peters and Alba Martijn, arrived on St. Eustatius on Sunday, March 6^th, 2022.

They mediators have been appointed recently to assist in a mediation attempt between the Island Council and the Government Commissioner Alida Francis and Deputy Government Commissioner Claudia Toet.

The mediation team was welcomed upon arrival at the F.D. Roosevelt Airport by Government Commissioner Alida Francis and Island Council member Rechelline Leerdam.

Suzanne (Suzy) Camelia- Römer, lawyer and former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles, is the appointed mediator of the Island Council. Maria Liberia-Peters, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles, is the appointed mediator for the Government Commissioners. Alba Martijn, a lawyer, and former Ombudsman on Curaçao, will support both mediators.  

Mediation

The request for mediation is the result of the Island Council adopting a motion in a meeting of the Island Council on December 23^rd, 2021. The mayority of Island Council members feel that too little progress is made with the restoration of Full Democracy on the island.

They also feel that the Commisioners, appointed by the Hague are not transparent, act single-handedly when it comes to establishin criteria and a timetable for the return to Democracy. While elections were held in October 2020, little or no progress has been made with the plan for the Island Council to establish the budget, or appoint commisioners, for that matter.