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Martijn Is New Ocan Director

New Ocan Director Lionel Martijn. (Nick van der Ven photo)

THE HAGUE--Lionel Martijn (62) has been appointed director of Foundation Ocan, the organisation for Dutch Caribbean persons in the Netherlands, per January 1, 2022.

  Martijns appointment was approved during a meeting of the Supervisory Board on December 19. Martijn, who originates from Curaao, will succeed Cynthia Ortega-Martijn, whose appointment in 2020 was of a temporary nature.

  Martijn brings a lot of experience, as he has worked in several advisory and directors functions at multiple organisations Read more

Wuite Gives Maiden Speech In Parliament

Jorien Wuite (far left) is congratulated by Member of the Second Chamber Sylvana Simons of the BIJ1 party on her maiden speech while other Members of Parliament await their turn. (Suzanne Koelega photo)

THE HAGUE--It was a very special moment for Read more

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Retreat Weekend For Dp Statia Members

DP faction leader Adelka Spanner explaining the workings of the Island Council during the weekend retreat.

ST. EUSTATIUS--A weekend retreat at Gwendoline van Putten School for leading members of the Democratic Party (DP) of St. Eustatius also provided an opportunity for the party to present the existing Code of Ethics for elected and appointed officials.

Statia Churches Unite For Hurricane Preparedness

Deputy Government Commissioner Alida Francis (centre), PLP Island Councilwoman Rechelline Leerdam, DP Island Councilwoman Adelka Spanner and Government Information Services Protocol Officer Mercedes Lopes-Spanner with some of the attendees at the meeting

ST. EUSTATIUS--Churches in St. Eustatius came together on the evening of Tuesday, June 1, for a special prayer service to as Read more

With Wuite We Have An Ally, Says Besaril

Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Jorien Wuite (left) with Arubas Minister Plenipotentiary Guillfred Besaril at the time that they were colleagues. (File photo courtesy of the Aruba House)

THE HAGUE--On Wednesday, Aruba Minister Plenipotentiary Guillfred Besaril congratulated and praised his former colleague, newly-elected Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament of St Read more

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Committee Wants Debates On Social Minimum, Statia Process

Member of the Second Chamber Jorien Wuite of the Democratic Party D66 during the digital procedural meeting of the Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations on Wednesday.

THE HAGUE--The Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament decided on Wednesday that it wants two separate debates about the social minimum in the Caribbean Netherlands, and the progress to terminate governmental intervention in St Read more

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Senator Dittrich: DonT Make St. Maarten People The Victim

Scene from the First Chamber debate on April 6.

THE HAGUE--Inhabitants of St. Maarten should not be victims of the stand-off between the St. Maarten Parliament and the Dutch government with regard to the petition that was submitted to the United Nations, said Democratic Party D66 Senator Boris Dittrich during a debate in the First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday.

New Caribbean Voice In Dutch Parliament Wuite Takes Oath

Jorien Wuite (D66) from St. Maarten takes the oath during the installation of the new Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Wednesday. (Second Chamber photo)

THE HAGUE--The Dutch Caribbean islands in general and St. Maarten in particular will have an ally in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament with Jorien Wuite of the Democratic Party D66 who took the oath on Wednesday.

  She is the first Member of the Second Chamber of St Read more

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Law Change Coming To Ease Offering Of Banking Services

Wopke Hoekstra

THE HAGUE--On Tuesday, Dutch Minister of Finance Wopke Hoekstra announced that he is preparing a law change to enable Dutch commercial banks to offer current accounts to residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba without an additional permit.

  Under the existing financial markets law, Dutch banks cannot offer euro current accounts in the Caribbean Netherlands without an additional permit. This hampers residents on the three islands, which are part of the Netherlands, from having a Dutch bank account.

  In response to written questions submitted by (then) Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Antje Diertens of Democratic Party D66, Minister Hoekstra explained that last year, he engaged in talks with the Dutch banking sector to remove obstacles that are now experienced in offering banking services in the Caribbean Netherlands.

  As a result of these talks, the minister is now preparing a legislation change so Dutch banks can offer current accounts in euros to residents of the islands Read more

Wuite Elected To Second Chamber

Jorien Wuite at the D66 debriefing session in the Second Chamber on Thursday.

THE HAGUE--Jorien Wuite, number twenty on the slate of the Read more

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Dutch Health Insurance For Islands Students Looked At

THE HAGUE--The Dutch government is looking at ways to make it possible for students from Aruba, Curaao and St. Maarten in the Netherlands to get Dutch health insurance and to make use of the health allowance.

  Dutch Minister of Education, Science and Culture Ingrid van Engelshoven stated this in response to written questions submitted by members of the second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Antje Diertens and Jan Paternotte, both of the Read more

D66 Candidate Wuite Aims High

D66 candidate Jorien Wuite.

~ Wants to become first Second Chamber member from St. Maarten ~

THE HAGUE--Her statement that having a Caribbean member in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament is not a luxury, but a pure necessity says a lot about the drive of Democratic Party D66 candidate Jorien Wuite to become the first Member of the Second Chamber of St Read more

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Petition To Have Statue For Curaao Ex-Prime Ministers

Juancho Evertsz and Maria Liberia-Peters

THE HAGUE--Candidate Jaap Jonkers for the Christian Democratic Party CDA in the upcoming Dutch parliamentary elections wants to have statues in honour of two former Curaao prime ministers, Maria Liberia-Peters and Juancho Evertsz, in the Netherlands.

PNP got the most votes.

KEM was second.

DP is back on the ballot.

WILLEMSTAD-Trabou pa Krsou (TPK), Un Kambio pa Krsou (UKP), Krsou un Munisipio Ulandes Nobo (KUMUN), Krsou esun Miho (KEM), Partido Nashonal di Pueblo (PNP), Movementu Kousa Prom (MKP), Partido Demokrat (DP) and Vishon will participate in Curaaos upcoming elections.

  Sixteen political parties without current representation in Parliament during last weekends pre-election had two days to get the support of 789 votes for the candidate lists.

  The eight qualifying parties mentioned all received more than the minimum number of votes Read more

Three Caribbean List Pushers On D66 Slate

Photo:

Jurenne Hooi

THE HAGUE--Three persons of Dutch Caribbean descent will be pushing the slate of the Democratic Party D66 in the upcoming Dutch parliamentary elections. One of them is a born St. Maartener with St. Eustatius roots: Thomas Hellebrand.

Cda Mps Enquire About Winair Loan

THE HAGUE--Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament of the Christian Democratic Party CDA Charis van Dam and Mustafa Amhaouch want clarity on the US $3-million mortgage loan to Windward Islands Airways International Winair.

Rozendal Joined Dp

Elsa Rozendal

WILLEMSTAD--Curaao politician Elsa Rozendal has switched to the Democratic Party (DP) formerly led by her late father Boy and uncle Frank Rozendal

   Last month, she broke with the MAN and resigned as its Member of Parliament (MP). Main reason for her switch is that she feels that the COVID-19 era requires a different policy than what her ex-party and c Read more

Dp Statia Party Leader Hopeful For New Year

Adelka Spanner

ST. EUSTATIUS--This is always a hopeful time of year, as we celebrate the end of one year, 2020, and the beginning of another. 2020 was a difficult year for all of us with the COVID-19 pandemic. This virus disrupted the lives of people worldwide and brought economic hardship and sorrow to so many people around the world, said Democratic Party (DP) of St. Eustatius par Read more

Prison Funding A Positive First Step, Says Van Dam

THE HAGUE--Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Chris van Dam of the Christian Democratic Party CDA is content with the allocation of thirty million euros by the Dutch government for the construction of a new prison and the improvement of detention facilities in St. Maarten.

Statia Government And Plp Refute Claims Of Support For SneekS Trip To Netherlands

From left: Island Councilmembers Koos Sneek (independent) and Adelka Spanner (Democratic Party), Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij, and Progressive Labour Party Councilmembers Rechelline Leerdam, Clyde van Putten and Reuben Merkman. (File photo)

Wuite Is Number 20 On Definitive D66 Slate

Jorien Wuite

THE HAGUE--Jorien Wuite from St. Maarten is number 20 on the definitive candidates list of the Dutch Read more

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List Sneek Presents Its Action Plan 2020-2023

Nicolaas Koos Sneek

ST. EUSTATIUS--The recently formed List Sneek presented its action plan 2020-2023 to Government Commissioner in St. Eustatius Marnix van Rij. The one-man faction was formed after Island Councilman Nicolaas Koos Sneek resigned from the Democratic Party (DP) almost immediately after the Island Council election of October 21.