WILLEMSTAD--Formateur Pedro Atacho will meet next week with the candidates put forward for minister and state secretary posts by the six parties that will form the new Central Government coalition, to vet their suitability for the jobs and their willingness to give up any position that may conflict with their new posts.

Atacho will meet candidates put forward by the three Windward Islands parties in the coalition in Curaçao on Monday and Tuesday.

UPB Bonaire candidates will be vetted by Atacho Wednesday. The meeting with those of Curaçao parties PAR and PNP is set in Curaçao for Thursday and Friday.

Atacho told The Daily Herald the meetings were important to establish each candidate's commitment to the cabinet post and to review the candidates' suitability, such as knowledge of the government system and experience in the fields covered by their respective portfolios.

Each candidate also has to sign a declaration stating willingness to set aside any activity that conflicts with the post of minister or state secretary.

In addition to the check by Atacho, the candidates have to be reviewed by the Justice system.

Atacho did not disclose the names he had received from the parties, as he prefers to wait until he presents the new cabinet to Governor of the Netherlands Antilles Frits Goedgedrag on Tuesday, March 16.

St. Maarten's National Alliance (NA) has submitted its two candidates for ministers, who are said to be incumbent Constitutional Affairs Minister Roland Duncan and current State Secretary for Public Health Patrick Illidge. NA has been allotted two ministers because, with three seats, it will be the second largest coalition partner in the new government.

Saba's Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM) and Democratic Party (DP) St. Eustatius each have a state secretary in the new cabinet, which will take office together with the new Parliament on March 26.

The Saba and St. Eustatius parties have already stated publicly that their incumbent state secretaries will continue in their posts in the new cabinet. State Secretary Ernie Simmons represents St. Eustatius while State Secretary Shamara Nicholson-Linzey represents Saba.

PAR of Curaçao, the largest coalition partner with six seats, will have four of the seven minister posts in the new cabinet. Three ministerial candidates have been submitted to Atacho by PAR. The party will submit its candidate for Finance Minister next week.

PAR's three ministers in the current cabinet are Prime Minister Emily de Jongh-Elhage, Minister of Public Health Omayra Leeflang and Justice Minister Magali Jacoba. Party president Glenn Sulvaran is tipped to take up the post of Finance Minister.

UBP Bonaire and PNP will submit their candidates today, Friday. UBP will appoint one minister and a state secretary. PNP has a state secretary as well.

Curricula vitae for all candidates of the six parties will also be submitted today, Friday, together with questionnaires completed by the candidates on the other activities in which they are involved.