ORANJESTAD, St. Eustatius – On Monday June 1st, the Public Entity of St. Eustatius held a kick of meeting with the project team responsible for organizing the Island Council elections scheduled for October of this year. The bill to restore democratic provisions on St. Eustatius, is on the agenda of the Second Chamber for June 3rd and is expected to be accepted by the First Chamber in The Hague, by mid-July. Holding local elections in October 2020 is part of that bill.
Although it was uncertain at times if the election would take place as scheduled, the Census Office (Elections Office) had already started preparations. The project team comprises colleagues of the Census Office, Internal Affairs and Government Information Service (GIS). With the gradual reopening of Statia on the way, the elections are scheduled to take place on October 21st, unless a new outbreak of COVID-19 disrupts proceedings.
The project team is tasked with the logistics of the election, informing the public and running an awareness and education program for political parties and interested persons. The Public Entity is working closely with the Dutch Association of Municipalities (VNG), the Ministry of Internal Affairs (BZK) and the Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland (RCN), in organizing the election.
After the bill is passed and published, the final date for political parties to register for these elections is July 27th. The elections bulletin for political parties is expected to be distributed next week. The last time local elections were held on Statia was in 2015. After the upcoming round of elections, Statia is scheduled to rejoin the normal 4-year cycle of elections, with the local elections to be held in the Caribbean Netherlands, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba in 2023.
