ORANJESTAD – The Island Council of St. Eustatius on Thursday afternoon voted in favor of a motion, tabled by Councilman Clyde van Putten, to dismiss the current members of the Gwendoline van Putten School Board effective September 15, 2025.
The motion also called for the appointment of an Interim Board to assume the responsibilities of the outgoing board. A key mandate for the Interim Board will be the restoration of trust in the school’s management.
Following extensive debate—marked in particular by the often impassioned contributions of Councilman Van Putten—the Council adopted the motion with three votes in favor and one against. Voting in support were PLP Council members Clyde van Putten, Glenville Schmidt, and Derrick Simmons. The sole vote against came from Raquel Spanner-Carty of the Democratic Party. With this, the motion was carried.
What will happen between now and September 15 remains unclear. Several Council members suggested the current Board should “keep the honor to themselves” by stepping down voluntarily, though whether this will happen remains uncertain.
Union response
In a statement, the All for 1 Union welcomed the decision, praising the Council for its decisive action to address the ongoing situation at the GvP School. Union president Charles Woodley noted, however, that this marks “not the end of the struggle.”
“Certain interests remain invested in preserving the status quo, and challenges will persist. However, justice and truth cannot remain hidden. The Union remains committed to working with all parties in pursuit of transparency, fairness, and respect within the education sector,” said Woodley.
