Curacao’s new constitutional status under threat

Three opposition parties in Curacao which object to the country's new constitutional status with Holland, have agreed to form the next coalition government.

This means that the island's upcoming status, as an autonomous State within the Dutch kingdom is under threat, even before it begins.

The Netherlands Antilles will be disbanded on 10 October this year, with each of the five islands having direct links with the Netherlands.

But the Curacao parties which formed the last coalition government that negotiated the new status, lost in the elections last weekend.

Now three opposition parties have on Wednesday agreed to form the next coalition government due to take office this Saturday.

They say while they will continue to the new country status in October, right after that date they will start fresh negotiations with Holland to press for full independence.

[Story courtesy the BBC Caribbean Service]