Knops: COHO has been subject to limited legal testing
THE HAGUE - When drafting a proposal for a COHO Kingdom Act, a prior legal review took place in the Netherlands, but due to the high time pressure, there was less time than usual for it. Therefore, there was only limited legal testing.
Knops answers questions from D66 Member of Parliament Diertens and PvdA Member of Parliament Kuiken. The parties had asked questions in response to a report that according to the Council of State the Caribbean Body for Reform and Development (Coho) would be in conflict with the Statute.
According to Knops, the bill has been on the table at various ministries. The proposal has been prepared in a legal working group of lawyers from the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Finance, Economic Affairs and Climate and General Affairs. The Ministry of Justice and Security has also carried out a quality test. However, there was considerable time pressure, so the legal review was less extensive than usual.
‘Born again IMF’ers’
Kashaka a bòltu! (the tables have turned, in Papiamento). The same political party that used to be fiercely opposed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) now wants to put aside the Caribbean Body for Reform and Development (Coho), and has firmly embraced the IMF along with its larger coalition partner.
This is the same IMF that was the protagonist in the failed 2000-2001 reform program. At the time, this party was of the opinion that it would be better for the Netherlands Antilles to enter into a direct relationship with the Netherlands instead of the neoliberal club of the IMF, which is known for privatization, less government and more private sector.