Oranjestad- Brighter Path Foundation (BPF) with support of Pro Statia has launched a petition for Statians and friends of St. Eustatius to demand Island Elections be held in March 2019, as scheduled instead of the indefinite postponement put in place by the Dutch Government.

The petition is available online via https://www.change.org/p/minister-of-interior-and-kingdom-relations-mrs-k-ollongren-petition-to-keep-island-council-elections-in-st-eustatius-in-march-2019 . Persons in Statia can sign the petition at Lyn’s Dream Bakery, Peso’s Supermarket and at the “All for 1” union office at Mazinga Mall.

The petition will be delivered to Dutch Minister of Interior and Kingdom Relations Mrs. Kajsa. Ollongren, State Secretary of State for Kingdom Relations Mr. Raymond. Knops, and the First and Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament in the coming weeks.

“The postponement of the Island Elections is a direct violation of the people’s right to freedom of opinion expressed under article 19 and the people’s right to political participation under article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”, according to BPF.

“By supporting this petition drive, the world will know that the citizens of Statia consider the right to directly elect their own representatives as a sacred right because the history books show that people fought and died for the right to vote”, said BPF in a press statement.

On February 7, the Executive Council and Island Council of St. Eustatius were dissolved by Royal Decree and replaced by a Government Commissioner accountable only to the Minister of Interior affairs.

Knops announced in a town hall meeting on February 7 that the scheduled March 2019 Island Elections is postponed ‘until further notice’.