Content area
Full text
DISSOLUTION OF NETH. ANTILLES? The Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles voted to amend the document that controls its relations with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, reports Global News (Aug. 26, 2010). This amendment, already approved by the Dutch Parliament, now makes the proposed dissolution of the Antilles possible. In 2005, the population of one of the Antillean islands, Curaçao, voted for independence. This led to the Dutch government and the Netherlands Antilles to discuss a new political structure for the five-island group situated off the northern coast of South America. The intention is that on Oct. 10, 2010, the Netherlands Antilles is to be dissolved as a single political entity. The islands of Curaçao and Sint Maarten will become independent countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The islands of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius will become "special councils" of the Netherlands.