~ UPC starts talks with DP ~
ST. EUSTATIUS--The "Coalition of Hope" consisting of Progressive Labour Party (PLP), United People's Coalition (UPC) and St. Eustatius Empowerment Party (STEP) has run into problems again after Laurens Duiveman, executive assistant to Commissioner Clyde van Putten (PLP), tendered his resignation on Wednesday.
Although no official comments have been provided until this moment, it has been confirmed that representatives of the UPC and the opposition Democratic Party (DP) met on Sunday, presumably to discuss the possible formation of a new Island Government.
The meeting between UPC leader Reginald Zaandam and number two on the UPC slate during the 2011 Island Council election Elvin Henriques with DP representatives Reuben Merkman, Koos Sneek, and Ernie Simmons was held at Flamboyant Boutique on L.E. Saddlerweg.
The meeting lasted for several hours and ended at 4:00pm. Zaandam said after the meeting that he would not make any statements. "When everything has been finalised, I will speak to the media," he said.
The DP delegation also declined to make any comments, stating that both parties had agreed not to provide any statement at this time.
It is expected that the formation of a new Island Government will be put on the agenda of an extraordinary meeting of the Island Council, possibly to be held Thursday.
This is not the first time the "Coalition of Hope" has run into trouble. On December 5, STEP commissioner Glennville Schmidt was dismissed with immediate effect after the Dutch government put St. Eustatius under preliminary financial supervision and after the Island Council voted in favour of a motion tabled by STEP leader Franklin Brown. Schmidt was replaced by Koert Kerkhoff, the party's number three during the Island Council election.
UPC leader Zaandam said in December that the problems concerning Schmidt did not affect the relations within the coalition, stating it was an internal matter of the STEP. It is not yet known what made the UPC engage in talks with the DP at this moment.
The DP holds two seats in the Island Council, with UPC, PLP and STEP holding one seat each.
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