Government Of Netherlands Antilles Falls

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

08 April 2004

The government of the Netherlands Antilles is facing the possibility of new elections following the withdrawal of support by its coalition partners for the Frente Obrero Party (FOL) on Monday.

According to regional news reports, the FOL has been the subject of controversy and scandal since its election as the ruling coalition party last year.

The latest row centres on the jurisdiction's Justice Minister, Ben Komproe, who is alleged to have protected FOL advisor Nelson Monte who was convicted of fraud, but hospitalised at the end of 2003.

Radio Netherlands revealed this week, however, that following his recovery, Mr Monte was permitted by the Justice Minister to stay in hospital rather than returning to jail. This, combined with the earlier conviction of party leader Anthony Godett on charges of fraud, money laundering, and accepting bribes, proved to be the final straw for the supporting parties in the coalition government.

Speaking to the Dutch radio station, Dr Rosemarijn Hoefte of Leiden's Institute of Caribbean Studies observed that:

"The way the FOL has handled the whole case, giving Mr Komproe time to think about his resignation, was simply too much for the coalition parties, who felt the FOL had humiliated them."

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