The Bureau for Constitutional Affairs (BCA) is headed by Interim-Head Dennis Pantophlet, a former Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs. It has a small staff which supports the constitutional process of St. Maarten becoming an autonomous country within the Dutch Kingdom.

The staff coordinates and organizes public information sessions; file documents and papers that can be used later for research by individuals or groups; coordinates and executes public relations programs regarding St. Maarten's quest; organizes events related to the process that would create awareness and understanding; and provides information to the general public.

Two major events stand out in the process of constitutional changes within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, viz. the departure of Suriname in 1975 and the secession by Aruba from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986.

The right to self-determination of each island has been acknowledged and accepted by all Kingdom partners and reaffirmed by the Netherlands in 1983.

Attempts at decentralization and restructuring within the Netherlands Antilles during the past decades were unsuccessful.

This frustration, as manifested especially in the eighties, was cause for the call by the late Dr. Albert C. Wathey in 1988 for an independent St. Martin.

However, calls for more autonomy, less domination, complete secession by St. Martin can be traced back over more than 100 years.

In the eyes of St. Martin, a break-through was reached when in 1993 far reaching consensus was arrived at between the Netherlands and from St. Martin on a new constitutional position for St. Martin within the Kingdom.

The referenda on all Antillean islands in 1993 and 1994 served as an impetus for renewed attempts to restructure the Netherlands Antilles. With a feeling of disillusionment, it was generally concluded that the attempts to "Make it Work" could not work.

This conclusion and the deterioration of the political relationship between the islands, compounded by the economic crisis of the country the Netherlands Antilles, were reasons enough for St. Martin to again turn to the population for consultation on the future constitutional direction for St. Martin.

This consultation took place by means of a constitutional referendum on June 23rd, 2000, supervised by a representative of the United Nations.

On June 23, 2000, the people of St. Martin voted with an overwhelming 69.9% for option 3 on the referendum ballot: St. Martin becoming a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.


Persons attending an information session in the Claude Wathey Legislative Hall at the Government Administration Building.
GIS File Photo