SXM News - January 2023 Edition

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January Edition 2023

• January 2023 Edition of St.Maartennews.com

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Eva Lista-De Weever’s CPS

named Organization

of the Year

PHILIPSBURG -- If there is one organization that deserves the spotlight for its performance in 2022 it is Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Services and Labor. StMaartenNews.com names CPS as its organization of the year.

At the head of CPS is epidemiologist Eva Lista-De Weever. She was appointed department head on February 4, 2020, after the position had been vacant for three years.

Lista-De Weever comes across as the ideal candidate for the position. She studied at three different universities, starting at George Mason University (from 2001 to 2006), followed by the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George

Washington University (from August 2007 until May 2009) and now the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (from August 2022 until May 2025). She studied public health microbiology and emerging infectious diseases, clinical laboratory science and medical technology and she is set to obtain her doctorate in public health at Chapel Hill.

All that seemed reason enough to name Eva ListaDe Weever as our Woman of the Year, but she has always shied away from publicity. She led CPS through the turbulent COVID-19 pandemic and this must obviously be considered as a team effort; hence our choice for CPS as the organization of the year. But Lista-De Weever’s training and experience played a

crucial role in these events.

She started her public health career as an epidemiologist in California and St. Maarten before moving to Toronto in Canada in 2013. She worked for the Ontario Ministry of Health and long-term care for five years in public health/infectious disease policy and for the region of Peel Public Health in infection prevention and control. In 2020, Lista-De Weever continued her career as epidemiologist and department head of Collective Preventive Services.

ity of life of the population of St. Maarten.”

On the government website, the mission of CPS is defined as “to register, prevent, eliminate and early follow up of diseases and respective disorders.” Maybe its vision statement will speak the strongest to citizens: “To enhance the qual-

The CPS Facebook-page reports 1,900 followers and its pages are filled with what the organization stands for. Its ‘twelve days to Christmas’-campaign offers recommendations for personal and food hygiene.

And while many may think

that the COVID-pandemic is now a thing of the past, CPS recommends that people continue to take preventive measures. Among those recommendations are hand washing for two minutes or using hand sanitizer than contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

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Execution country packages encounters ups and downs

PHILIPSBURG -St Maarten has achieved ‘beautiful results” Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs wrote in a reaction to the fourth progress report from the Temporary Work Organization (TWO) about the implementation of measures outlined in the

country packages. But there are also setbacks: “Capacity issues will remain a returning issue in progress reports,” Jacobs noted.

The report acknowledges that insufficient progress cannot always be attributed to the country. To bring

short-term measures that serve long-term objectives into focus, the TWO introduced St. Maarten to the Theory of Change.

The late Carol Weiss, an American sociologist who died in 2013 at the age of 86, is credited with coining the term Theory of Change. In 1995 she published a book entitled New Approaches to Evaluating Comprehensive Community Initiatives. She was a member of the Aspen Institute’s Roundtable steering committee on evaluation.

The key to the Theory of Change-concept is that assumptions that inspire complex programs (such as the implementation of St. Maarten’s country package)

are difficult to evaluate because they are so poorly articulated.

The Theory of Change-sessions that were held during two weeks in St. Maarten aimed to put a dot on the horizon and to define a clear roadmap and associated actions. The report states that the Theory of Change-roadmap for financial management has already been established.

In the field of fiscal reform there is an agreement about editorial adjustments and corrections to existing fiscal ordinances.

The first measures to combat illegal employment have been implemented and there is now concept legislation for

games of chance.

The TWO-report notes that there is “good progress with many measures” and that the cooperation with St. Maarten is “constructive.”

However, the report also asks attention for what it calls capacity-challenges.

The limited capacity at the Department for Fiscal Affairs (Afdeling Fiscale Zaken or AFZ), which is involved in the reform of the country’s fiscal system, is causing problems. “The reform-project threatens to get stuck because there is insufficient capacity available for the valuable and necessary review of AFZ-concepts.”

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PM Jacobs: No decision yet about early elections

PHILIPSBURG -- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs has labeled reports that the government plans to move the parliamentary elections from January 2024 to November 23, 2023, as “incorrect.” Jacobs said that discussions about the election-date are ongoing within the Council of Ministers. “Until there is a decision, the scheduled date for the elections remains January 2024,” she stated in a press release.

The report about an early election did not escape the attention of parliamentarian Sarah Wescot-Williams (United Democrats). “Constitutionally, the parliament sits for four years,” she stated in a press release.

Indeed, article 46 of St. Maarten’s constitution states: “The term of office for the parliament is four years.”

Article 55 adds that further rules related to suffrage and elections are regulated in a national ordinance.

Those rules are established in the electoral law. Article 40 of this ordinance states: “The days of the voting for the elections of members of parliament will be determined by national decree at the nomination by the Minister of General Affairs, in such a way that there are 48 days between the day of the

nomination (of candidates) and that of the voting.”

This seems to suggest that Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs Silveria Jacobs has the authority to set the date for an election, though it remains ambiguous whether she is bound by the article in the constitution stating that the term of office for the parliament is four years.

MP Wescot-Williams demands at least clarity in her press statement: “At the very least, the government should inform parliament of its intentions to dissolve the legislative body of St. Maarten.”

Wescot-Williams offers her opinion about the infamous article 59 of the constitution that regulates the dissolution of parliament. “Sometimes this article is explained by pundits as one of ‘you hit and I hit back,’ suggesting some balance and leverage in the ministerial responsibility and accountability of ministers to parliament.”

The emphasis of the dissolution-article should be on a conflict within the government,” Wescot-Williams notes. “In other words: a cabinet crisis or a prolonged standoff between government and parliament, obstructing effective governance of the country.”

The MP emphasized that article 59 is “not an open-ended mandate to the government to change parliamentary election-dates and terms at their whim.”

Wescot-Williams states that she is trying to understand why the government would want to move the elections to November 2023. “Is there something brewing in the Council of Ministers that will soon come to a head? Is there a lack of majority support for the sitting government, making effective governance impossible? Or is it a pre-emptive strike to still any potential shakeup? Are we in a political quagmire?”

The MP said that rumors that the government wants to avoid campaigning during the Christmas period “do not hold water.” She maintains that the government has no other option than sticking to the regular election-timetable or to present a wellmotivated case for an early election.

“The government will not get away with its usual shenanigans when it comes to decreeing early elections,” Wescot-Williams states, adding that “these are the type of general decisions that should be challengeable in a court of law, because they undermine the rule of law.”

January Edition 2023

Colofon

StMaartenNews.com Telephone: +1-721-588-0800 Whatsapp: +1-721-588-0800 Telefax: +1-866-503-0347 Email: info@stmaartennews.com Website: www.stmaartennews.com Facebook: stmaartennewsdotcom

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Measures related to strategic staffing policies and strengthening of the Human Resources function also encounter delays. “This impasse is caused by a difference of opinion about clarifying the division of roles between the top of the civil service and management.”

Parties reached an agreement about this issue in the month of August.

On the upside, the report states that the implementation of a general health insurance per January 1, 2024, is feasible. “Unfortunately VSA (the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor) has trouble sticking to agreements. There is a lack of capacity but the question is also whether the available capacity is being used efficiently.”

Measures to increase the sustainability of the healthcare system have encountered “unnecessary delays for three-quarters of a year,” the report states. A simple progress report about the way the TWO spends its budget is not forthcoming either.

Capacity shortages at the ministry of justice are causing delays in the progress with the management and supervision of the Crime Fund and with agreements that St. Maarten will abide

by CFATF-guidelines for combating fraud and money laundering.

The draft policy plan for the Crime Fund is ready but it has not been established yet.

There is also a Crime Fund manual. The establishment of a Crime Fighting Steering Group is delayed because no

candidates have been selected for this function yet.

The agreement with UNOPS (the United Nations Office for Project Services) for the construction of the new prison encountered delays “due to a lack of feedback from St. Maarten.”

In November negotiations took place about a fiscal agreement between the Netherlands and St. Maarten. This agreement focuses on the minimum Base Erosion Profit Shifting conditions that aim to prevent attempts to move profits to a different jurisdiction.

Part of the country package is also research into the cost of an independent (local) currency versus dollarization.

The International Monetary fund (IMF) has researched dollarization and the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten has analyzed how the disadvantages of having a local currency can be approached.

Regarding the gambling sector the TWO is still waiting for St. Maarten’s view on the organizational structure for a local Gaming Authority.

Gaming Laboratories International has done a technical audit of gaming machines, a project that is supposed to be completed by the end of this year.

Measures to improve detention conditions encounter delays as well. St. Maarten has asked to postpone the deadline for this project until June 30, 2023. The implementation of function manuals has not been realized yet and the tender for architectural improvements has not been granted yet either.

“It is important to continue wearing your facemask, to maintain social distancing and to practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette. Persons with flu-like symptoms should remain at home until they have recovered.”

This advice illustrates how deep the COVID-pandemic has cut into the fabric of our society. Worldometer reported on December 30 the latest state of affairs for COVID in St. Maarten. There have been 10,988 corona-cases on the island and 89 people have died while 10,873 have recovered. There is a discrepancy of 26 in these numbers and it remains unclear what happened to them.

On February 24, 2022 the government announced the first uplifting message about the pandemic. On that date the country transitioned from pandemic to endemic status. Entry requirements were relaxed per March 1 whereby fully vaccinated travelers and those who had recovered from COVID no longer needed a negative PCR-test. Unvaccinated travelers would still need to show a negative PCR test taken 48 hours before arrival or an antigen test taken 24 hours before arrival. All travelers would still have to fill out a health pre-authorization form (EHAS) 72 hours before arrival. All entry-information was available on a dedicated website: stmaartenentry.com.

As the months went by and

the COVID-scare more or less faded, CPS remained vigilant. On December 29, 2022, it still advised citizens to wear a facemask for visits to healthcare facilities like doctor’s offices, pharmacies, laboratories and hospitals.

“Don’t become complacent at the height of the cold and flu season,” CPS warned.

In the meantime, the government announced that per November 1, 2022, travelers no longer needed to complete the EHAS-form.

(EHAS stand for Electronic Health Authorization System).

Elsewhere efforts made

by CPS and in particular

by Eva Lista-De Weever also had their impact. Terrance Rey, Publisher of StMaartenNews.com notes that CPS “pulled off the miraculous balancing act of weighing health versus economics and tourism.”

The publisher adds that CPS was “critical in averting a public health crisis that strained our island’s human and financial resources. It also made a trajectory possible for our island to open back up its ports for visitors.”

Rey also mentions the complications he encountered at times with travelers for his intenational travel business, AirStMaarten. “I spent countless days and nights making urgent calls to CPS, its supervisors and its head Eva Lista-De Weever to get visitors approved when their application for what-

ever technical reason got held up.”

Visitors whose paperwork was in order sometimes got stuck during check-in because their EHAS application had not been approved yet. “Frantic calls to CPS usually helped to remedy the situation. But you had to know the right number to call.”

Rey takes his hat off to Lista-De Weever. “I think she was just appointed when the pandemic broke out. Without any rule book or game plan on how to deal with the unprecedented situation, she stood by the Prime Minister and the Public Health Minister day and night. I found her to be an extremely humble and shy person.

She will never be the one to tout her own horn, but she amazingly managed to lead the organization through its most difficult and challenging times.”

Lista-De Weever has so far politely remained non-committal to a request for an interview with StMaartenNews.com. That could be because she is busy with her doctoral degree while taking care of her family with a daughter and twin boys.

Rey decided to give the epidemiologist the credit she and her organization deserve: “The strategic way to tout her horn indirectly is to nominate CPS as the Organization of the Year under the leadership of its head Eva Lista-De Weever.”

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January Edition 2023

Speaking out on behalf of

CFT unhappy with deficit on draft 2023 Dear Editor, budget

pensioners

PHILIPSBURG -- Financial supervisor CFT is not happy with St. Maarten’s draft 2023 budget. While the Kingdom Council of Ministers decided on September 30, that this budget has to be balanced, it shows instead a deficit of 72 million guilders ($40.2 million).

“St. Maarten must balance its 2023 draft budget and its multi-annual budget to generate surpluses for the payments on loans and the compensation of deficits,” the Cft writes in its advice to finance Minister Ardwell Irion.

In 2023, a loan of 73.5 million guilders ($41 million) from 20210 expires. “A surplus on the budgets of 2024 and 2025 would be desirable,” the Cft writes, adding that the deficit for 2022 is much lower than expected and that therefore a balanced budget for 2023 is within reach.

The financial supervisor repeats its advice to introduce, in 2023, a casino tax, a tax on the import of private goods, and an adjustment of the room tax, including collection through AirBnB.

St. Maarten budgets 520 million guilders ($290.5 million) for goods and services in 2023. This is 10 percent higher than the 2019-level and it is also above the expected realization in 2022. The Cft advises to adjust this budget item downwards.

The budget for capital investments is balanced, but only because Finance Minister Irion assumes that the liquidity support-loans will be completely refinanced.

Agreements to this extent still have to be made.

The Cft again expresses its concern about the untenable financial situation of the social security funds. Their accumulated deficit per the end of 2021 was 345 million guilders ($192.7 million).

The Cft furthermore notes that St. Maarten intends to collect taxes and social premiums from lottery booths, that St. Maarten’s national debt per ultimo 2023 is 1,252 Million guilders ($699,441,341, or 52 percent of Gross Domestic Product) and that the draft budget for 2023 does not include dividends to be paid by government-owned companies.

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How can we be just looking forward to the fun filled coming days of the closing of 2022 and the opening of 2023 Celebrations, when our Seniors still continue to struggle and suffer every end of the month when having to receive their SENIORS MONTHLY PENSIONS? The Seniors are all retired, and have already worked all their lives for the little Pension that they are now receiving, and is due to them.

“Where and what is really the problem”? a) is it at the desk of the Council of Ministers, meaning the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Social Affairs/ Welfare, which includes this Senior Citizens matter of their Monthly Pension? b) should the paperwork process not be done earlier, probably from the 21st of every month, in order that the Funds Transfer can be carried out earlier? c) what is the role of SZV in making sure that this is properly and efficiently expedited? d) there seems to be an efficiency delay with all other Banks other than the WIB Bank, since the WIB is where the Funds/ Revenues of Government may be originally deposited, and then transferred to the other Commercial Banks.

So how can we solve these delays between Banks in order for every Senior Citizen to receive their Pension on the same day, avoiding having to encounter weekend delays as well on a friday? e) this transfer of Funds from WIB to the other Banks causes a few days delay for these Senior Recipients to

receive their Pension.

That is unfair, unacceptable, and demonstrates constant inequality service treatment between Banks.

But can their be a System set up that these other Banks can be credited a month before so as to avoid this from ever reoccurring anymore?

Probably having the Ministers presenting Budgetary Amendments to Parliament for Approval so that the Banks are always Two Advanced Monthly Pension Payments ahead. f) In addition, is there a Law or Legislation that will resolve this very unfair and abusive matter for our Seniors once and for all as proposed above?

THIS PROBLEM IS EASILY RESOLVED, ONCE WHOMEVER BEING RESPONSIBLE, WHETHER THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, SZV, OR THE LOCAL COMMERCIAL BANKS, CAN ESTABLISH AN EARLIER MONTHLY DATE BY LAW OR LEGISLATION FOR BANKING FUNDS TRANSFER TO OUR LOCAL COMMERCIAL BANKS. IN THIS MANNER WE WILL IMMEDIATELY RESOLVE THIS DELAY SAGA FOR OUR SENIORS AND ALL OTHER GROUPS FALLING INTO THIS CATEGORY. All Parties being called upon to immediately resolve this matter in my opinion are the following: 1. Government/ Council of Ministers, more specifically the Minister of General Affairs, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of VSA. 2. The Parliament of Sint Maarten, by way of the

Chairperson/ President of Parliament.

3. SZV by way of their Chairman and Management Team.

4. Sint Maarten Commercial Banking Association, which would handle the Pension Funds Transfer by way of the Windward Islands Bank to all other Local Commercial Banks.

5. Combined Labour Unions, which includes all individual Labour Unions and their Representatives.

6. Representatives of the Seniors, as well as all other Representatives for the remaining Categories falling into this Monthly Pension Dilemma.

“Can we not resolve this situation once and for all on behalf of our Seniors without further delay”?

Let us not begin the end of the first month of 2023 still not having this matter resolved. Resolving this can be a great New Years Resolution to begin this Year 2023 on behalf of specifically our Seniors.

For Third Party Outsiders like myself and the People of Sint Maarten, this is very embarrassing.

And I do feel the cries of these Seniors, because many of them are my family, my close friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and just innocent Senior Citizens of Sint Maarten who do not deserve to be treated in such an unfair and abusive manner after having served and laboured for this Country all of their lives.

I have presented much Options, Proposals and Ideas in this Correspondence, and so IAM humbly resting my caseAchken Roberto Richardson.

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Temmer wins lawsuit against PHILIPSBURG -- The Court in First Instance has ordered utilities company GEBE to pay its former temporary manager Merrill Temmer his monthly salary of more than 15,000 guilders ($8,380) starting from November 7, 2022.

The court ruling, dated December 29, 2022, deals a firm blow to the company and to its lone shareholder, Country St. Maarten with regards to the cyber attack by Blackbyte on March 7, 2021.

“The statement that (only) Temmer is liable for the cyber attack and its negative effects, denies the responsibility of managers, members of the supervisory board and the large number of temporary managers that have led GEBE during the past couple of years, not to mention the habitual political interference by GEBE’s only shareholder: Country St. Maarten,” the ruling states.

“The statement also denies the responsibility of all those who are currently in a position to battle the consequences of the cyber attack.

They are responsible for the cumbersome recuperation of GEBE’s ICT-organization.

Because of that, the negative effects of the cyber-attack are still noticeable.”

Temmer started working at GEBE in 2013 as ICT-manager. On December 2, 2021, he was appointed as the company’s temporary manager.

This appointment was based on an agreement to provide services. His employment contract was suspended.

The contract contained a provision that guaranteed Temmer could return to his function as ICT-manager, or a similar function, upon the expiration or termination of the service contract.

On March 17, 2021, a Blackbyte cyber attack hit GEBE. The hack encrypted GEBE’s complete client database, its financial data and other company information. Blackbyte demanded around one million dollars to give GEBE access to its data again.

On May 18, 2022, GEBE signed a service agreement with Temmer whereby he was appointed as Chief Operating Officer. This contract also contained a guarantee that Temmer could return to the company as an employee in case the service agreement ended.

Between June 1 and September 2 of that year Temmer was unable to work. On August 22 his appointment as Chief Operating Officer became effective.

A bit more than two weeks later, on September 8, the supervisory board announced in a letter its intention to suspend Temmer. Four days later the board confirmed the suspension.

GEBE

On November 7, Temmer’s attorney Lucas Berman wrote to GEBE that his client resigned from his directors-position. The letter referred to the return-guarantee and stated that Temmer would be available for work per November 8.

GEBE ignored Temmer’s attempted to get back to work and it stopped paying his salary in November.

GEBE’s attorney Zylena Bary wrote on December 2 to Berman that Temmer was in default because of his resignation with immediate effect, that there is no (labor) contract between the parties and that GEBE has lost its confidence in Temmer’s functioning.

Temmer asked the court to order GEBE to pay his salary or to grant financial damages to the tune of almost $1.2 million.

The court ruled that the service contracts for temporary manager and chief operating officer did not terminate Temmer’s dormant labor contract and that he could invoke the guarantee to return to his previous function with or without an existing labor contract.

GEBE contested this right by stating that Temmer had violated the rules when

he terminated the service contract for chief operating manager. The court was not buying that argument, calling it an opportunistic point of view because the company had aimed to terminate Temmer’s work as chief operating officer by first suspending him and then firing him per November 7, 2022.

GEBE also argued that it had made a mistake by including the return-guarantee in the contracts because it had been unaware of Temmer’s failures as ICT-manager. The court dismissed this argument and ruled that the plaintiff is within his rights to invoke the guarantee to return as an employee.

The court sentenced GEBE to pay Temmer’s monthly salary from November forward with a 10 percent pen-

alty in case it fails to pay on time. The payments have to continue until there is a different ruling in a regu-

lar court procedure. GEBE also has to pay the costs of the procedure, around 9,240 guilders ($5,162).

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January Edition 2023

Poised for the Positive

By Jimmy Challenger

It is often said that chaos in its full extent must be experienced to better appreciate order and calmness. From 2017 to 2022 – five years approximately, the nation experienced events that shaped the ultimate and cumulative trials and tribulations of 2022. The leaders of the nation, in the private and public sectors alike, withstood the tests of time and are poised for greatness…

Perfect Storm of Hurricanes and Pandemic Economic Shutdowns The five-year period went from hurricanes to pandemic. From liquidity support to improved tax collection efforts, and from increased Social Insurance Premiums by widening the net of SZV contributors to the beginning implementation of building better health care

facilities island wide. From a cry of not enough past recordkeeping, to improved reporting, marketing research and analyzing of collected data for better decision making overall. From reconstruction to a closer look at project management, human resources, and procurement processes. In other words, with all the trials of the previous years, one can only foresee that 2023 will bring all our resilience and good efforts to fruition, filled with the continued execution of opportunities, bringing order and calm that needs to be created out of the past chaos.

A chaos that did not knock at the door, but rather pushed forcefully its way through, like strong winds during a stormy night, without an invitation.

Planning, State of Preparedness & Appreciation From the outside looking in,

the hurricanes were stronger than ever, and reminded us that while we do have experience with these types of natural disasters, one can never be hundred percent prepared when dealing with nature – planning, and human kindness before, during and after these storms are a must. Results, the government engaged and took advantage of the various funding programs, budgeted for new and improved hurricane shelter facilities and processes. In other words, with all the trials of the previous years, one can only foresee that 2023 will bring all our resilience and good efforts to fruition, filled with the continued execution of opportunities, bringing order and calm that needs to be created out of the past chaos. A chaos that did not knock at the door, but rather pushed forcefully its way through, like strong

2023

January

winds during a stormy night, without an invitation.

Affordable Financing, Government Initiated Business Skills Enhancement Programs for Startups We followed the monetary subsidy and low interest financing sources – The World Bank, NRPB and Qredits – and experienced multiple practical programs initiated by the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the previously mentioned institutions – resulting in the SSRP, Learn Smart and National Youth Pitch Programs and Corporate Governance Traineeship, to name just a few. The Ministry of Finance understood the importance of bringing in key stakeholders, including the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the business community and NGO’s. 2023 should see a rise in the number of successful small to medium size business entities registered and fully operational. Providing much needed (self) employment across our economic sectors.

Reconstruction & Government Owned Company Management It would be remiss of this writer to not mention the challenges at most of the government owned companies. Yes, they too were struck directly by the pandemic and the hurricanes – their provision of relief to the public, combined with reduced (international business), also meant additional reduced income during the full pandemic economic shutdown. The external shocks and how to mitigate these in the future – from all what is said in the media – are now part of each company’s respective team’s planning and organizational structure for the future.

Each government owned company provides vital services that are essential for the economic growth in 2023 and beyond. From telecommunications to water and electricity production, to shipping and air travel – non can be left behind and combined they are the parts of the engine that drives St. Maarten. Without the airport or harbor in full operations, nothing or no one person can operate to their full capacity – importation of all our goods and raw materials and the movement of people from the America’s, Europe and across other parts of the world are required to keep our economy afloat. With government owned companies back on their feet, we

guarantee better levels of general safety, improved infrastructure, health, food and energy security well into 2023. Results, we see the start of Crisis Management Teams implementation, appointment of experienced persons to key positions at every tier of the organizations and the government Ministers becoming more engaged – within the limitations of the statutes, corporate governance codes and other leadership role regulations.

The Businesses and Our Communities at Large Without the people, there is no country. And we the people have time and time again remained steadfast on the belief that St. Maarten will rise again from the ashes – in 2023. We know too well what lies before us if we standby and do nothing.

We are reminded by 1995 and then again by 2017. We stand strong and we rebuild each and every time. Businesses reopen, they adapt to the needs and wants of the local community and visiting tourists almost instantly. Teachers return to the class rooms and do their part, while parents return to their place of work, or find new place of employment or simply become business owners to ensure income to continue to have a means to pay for home accommodations, nutrition, education and recreation for their children. We see the drive of our community leaders, through active participation in various foundations, schools, work places, that the 2023 wheel is in motion.

It is Time In 2023 – we are poised for the positive, the invisible hand of the most powerful will have his way, knowing that it is time for the calm to visit our doorsteps in his name – by invitation. It is time for the positive!

January Edition 2023

COLUMN

Eyes wide

By Terrance Rey

open

oday a client told me when he landed at the SXM Airport, he saw T everything that was going on because he had his eyes wide open.

I am still determining what he means by that, but I can make some educational guesses. The state of the airport today and all that is taking place is enough to keep one’s eyes wide open. Wide open in disbelief, shocked, and even amazed. Amazed because it is incredible to believe that the airport is in the state it is in. Meanwhile, airport workers, handling agents and airline staff are doing their tremendous best to keep operations running like a well-oiled machine. With your eyes wide open, you see what is best described as organized chaos.

Chaos with civility. Chaos with discipline. Chaos without calamity.

Granted, working under conditions where you are perpetually on your toes, on your guard and on your qui vive can be highly stressful. I know many last only a short time in the airline and aviation business at the airport. Eventually, the choice is made to move on and work in less stressful environments. Those who stay and endure the stress, the tension and the hyperactivity know that at the end of the day, they can shrug off the pressure, release the tension, and walk away. They put the day’s crazy activity behind them, knowing they have completed a day’s job well. Tomorrow is another day, and they face it again the next day, ready, willing and able with eyes wide open. Thank God for those airport workers. Where would St. Maarten be without them?

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Opinion

January Edition 2023

Mi

Present-day

slavery

Rut

Door Hilbert Haar St. Maarten will “accept nor deny” apologies for the history of slavery from the Dutch government, according to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs in a reaction to a speech by Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The Dutch apology is loud and clear: slavery was a crime against humanity.

“We, living in the here and now, can only acknowledge and judge slavery in the clearest terms and disapprove of it as a crime against humanity.”

Rutte had of course a lot more to say, but this is the meat of the matter. The Dutch government acknowledges its role in the history of slavery and admits that this was a criminal system. Rutte said that his government does not want to close the book after the apology. “Ages of suppression and exploitation have their effects today through racial stereotyping, discriminating patterns of exclusion and social inequality.

We must continue together. So let us have that debate about the history of slavery, also when that debate is difficult.”

You’d think that such an unambiguous apology would be enough, or at least a step in the right direction. But no. Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, in a speech that seems to have been written before she knew what Rutte was going to say, speaks in a reaction of “mixed emotions” and “a forced apology.” Jacobs also mentioned reparations, though Rutte has already publicly stated that the Netherlands is not going to pay anything.

And while there is plenty of historical research into the role of the Netherlands in the slave trade, Jacobs wonders “how a nation can be sorry for something they know little or nothing about.”

The main issue seems to be that St. Maarten has not been consulted before the Dutch government decided to apologize. And therefore, the government in Philipsburg has installed an advisory committee that will speak with citizens about this subject.

Only then will the island take a position, I read.

Really? Slavery was abolished almost 160 years ago and St. Maarten does not have a informed opinion about possible excuses? Where was everybody all this time?

I would think that, looking at that

history with today’s eyes, one can hardly maintain that slavery was good for the economy (or rather, that it was acceptable that it was good for somebody’s economy) or that is wasn’t all that bad. It simply is a black page in the history of the Netherlands. End of story.

But is it, really? Elsewhere I read that some activist demands 40,000 euro for every descendant from slaves before he is ready to accept apologies. So now, it is suddenly about money. Never mind that it will probably take a hell of a long time (and plenty of money) to define who is a descendant from a slave (and who isn’t). We don’t even have to have this discussion because Rutte has already announced that the Netherlands is not going to pay reparations.

Some years ago, St. Maarten established July 1 as an official holiday to mark the abolishment of slavery. I remember local politicians saying that this should not become just another day off.

It had to be meaningful. I totally agreed with that.

But how do you make such a day meaningful? By teaching kids in school how bad slavery was? By demanding reparations of which anybody with half a brain knows darn well that they will never materialize?

I had a different idea. I wrote that to make July 1 meaningful, our community ought to do something about the slavery that is taking place on our island today, right under our noses. I mean, you can complain about the history of slavery all day long, but it will never change the facts. Liberating people who are held, in different ways, in slavery today seemed much more productive to me.

That observation hit a nerve: by saying this I was denying slavery.

That is of course bullshit. I have never, and I will never, deny the history of slavery. It was terrible.

Shameful. But it is also water under the bridge.

Up to a point, I feel for people who claim that they are still feeling the pain of slavery. But it has to stop somewhere. You cannot go through life playing victim all the time. To all those people who think that slavery was so terrible I say: I agree with you. But since you find this so horrible, why don’t you use your energy to do something about present-day slavery?

PHILIPSBURG - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte offered profound apologies for the role of the Netherlands in the history of slavery on December 19. Reactions to his speech remained however divided, at times cynical and mostly critical.

An overview.

Amsterdam’s mayor Femke Halsema already offered last year apologies for the role her city played in

the history of slavery. S Rutte’s speech as “a bea ment,” appreciating that en the time to explain ho the slavery-system had b Christa Tache, a reader o meen Dagblad, wrote in the editor that the majo zens in Amsterdam had eat during “the Golden (G They were exploited as la servants (that is what t

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ixed reactions to

tte’s slavery-excuses

She labeled autiful mohe had takow criminal been. of the Algen a letter to ority of citinothing to Gray) Age.” aborers and they called

laborers). So who is it now who does not know the history? It was a group that committed indeed gruesome acts and they turn my stomach as well.”

Jorien Wuite, a former (acting) Minister of Education and a former Minister Plenipotentiary for St Maarten who is now a member of the Dutch parliament for D66, highlighted what she considers the most important part of Rutte’s address: his confirmation that the role of the Dutch state in the transatlantic slave trade amounts to a crime against humanity. “For centuries the Dutch state and its representatives have made slavery possible, stimulated it, maintained it and benefited from it.”

The reactions in the Caribbean were mixed: Aruba accepted Rutte’s apology, Curacao first wants to hear what its parliament has to say about it and St. Maarten came up with conditions.

“Every well-intended apology is always welcome,” Aruba’s PM Evelyn Wever-Kroes said, adding that the apology is “a turning point in the history of the kingdom.”

Curacao’s Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas spoke of “a new stage in the relationship between Curacao and the Netherlands.” But before accepting the apology, he wants to hear the opinion of his parliament.

St. Maarten’s Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs wants research into how colonialism could happen, who was affected by it and who is responsible for it before accepting the apology.

Jacobs said that she had experienced “mixed emotions” and that she extended “an invitation to openly dialogue on the ways to approach the abrupt and forced apology for slavery past by the Netherlands.”

Rather ambiguously, Jacobs added that “we are not at the stage that we can either accept or deny the apologies, saying that it is “in poor taste” to move full steam ahead with the apology before proper dialogue has taken place. She furthermore labeled Rutte’s speech as “a statement shrouded in secrecy as to the real motives.”

Jacobs also criticized the announcement of a 200 million euro fund for awareness and education and the 27 million euro the Netherlands has pledged for the construction of a slavery museum. “Built on European soil this institution is meant to bring awareness to the Dutch atrocities during the Golden Age. Such an enterprise can be conceived as an admittance of ignorance regarding

the subject of slavery and colonialism. How can a nation admittedly ignorant of their own colonial violence determine the conditions for an apology, let alone reparations?

How can a nation be sorry for something they admittedly know little to nothing about?”

Jacobs maintained that “for an apology to be sincere, it must come with the realization that slavery and colonialism have impaired our people’s economic and social development.”

Jacobs also mentioned the Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome-theory (PTSS) which holds that slavery trauma is held in people’s DNA and that it is passed on to next generations.

The black author Ibrahim X. Kendi wrote six years ago on AAIHS.org (the website of the African American Intellectual History Society) under the banner of Black Perspectives that PTSS, a theory first published in 2005 by the black psychologist Joy Degruy, is a racist idea. “Black people must realize that the only thing wrong with black people is that we think something is wrong with black people. Black Americans’ history of oppression has made black opportunities—not black behaviors—inferior,” he wrote. Black people as a group do not need to be healed from racist trauma. All Black people need is to be freed from racist trauma.”

Kendi has expressed concerns that PTSS will, at the very least, fall into the wrong hands and be used by racist forces as further confirmation of black cultural, psychological and ontological inferiority.

While DeGruy is trying to help black people survive psychically in a world that tries to strip them of their humanity, Kendi maintains that the world has not succeeded in doing so.

MP Melissa Gumbs (Party for Progress) referred to a statement Mike Bindraban (project leader Dialogue and Education in the town program colonial and slavery history in Rotterdam) made during the last IPKO: “No words, but action.” Gumbs wrote that the apology “comes amidst a flurry of stubborn voice in the Netherlands and unnecessarily combative and incohesive local voices. I find myself wondering: Now what?”

Gumbs offers a way forward “The now what must include self-reflection and self-study, especially on the part of the Dutch government, the royal family and the people of the Netherlands. I urge for self-reflection and self-study because it does not surprise me that a country that

does not teach nearly enough of its own history of colonization to its citizens, now makes an empty apology that is not backed by action.”

Gumbs is furthermore of the opinion that “reparatory justice in the form of remuneration is necessary.”

“We must find a way to move on from all of colonization’s remaining effects, including our dependency on hyper-capitalism and tourism, our misogynistic and patriarchal culture and its impact on the rights of women and children, and our treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered St. Maarteners.”

The One SXM Association spearheaded by former Education-Minister Rhoda Arrindell published a petition against accepting the Dutch apology. Within a short time, the petition gathered more than one thousand signatures.

MP Sarah Wescot-Williams said that she considers the apology by the Dutch government as a first step.

“We should focus on the what now,” she wrote, adding that the dialogue group the government want to establish “must be a true representation.”

Wescot-Williams furthermore noted that reparations is a “deeply-rooted process that cannot be compensated with the recent loans from the Dutch government.”

“No national dialogue on slavery and reparations is complete without the broader dialogue of who we are as St. Maarteners,” the MP added.

Dew Sharman, the vice-chairman of the Surinamese parliament is “absolutely not in agreement with the apology,” saying that some things have been left out such as reparations.

Amand Zunder of the National Reparations Committee Suriname, acknowledged that the apology is “very clear” but that it is lacking the associated issues of responsibility and liability.

He wants a debate about reparations.

Suriname’s President Chan Santokhi remained critical about the date of December 19. He expressed a preference for July 1, 2023. However, he was also looking forward: “In the future we must work more together for the honor and recovery of this black page in our history.”

Lastly, Rabin Baldewsingh, the national coordinator against racism and discrimination in the Netherlands said that he was very happy with the apology. “This helps in the fight against racism.”

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Central Bank examines effect of inequality on economic growth

PHILIPSBURG - The Economic Bulletin of December 2022 of the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten contains an article about the effect of inequality on economic growth. The bank writes that this topic warrants further research and that it can therefore not present a definitive conclusion.

Inequality has effect on a political and an economic level. Politically, inequality creates pressure for the implementation of redistribution policies. Economically, it provides incentives for innovation and entrepreneurship.

“Those at the upper end of

income distribution have surplus resources to invest in new businesses,” the report states. ‘Those at the lower end may undertake entrepreneurship out of necessity.”

That wealth is unevenly distributed in St. Maarten is no secret. The Central Bank underpins this notion with numbers. An astonishing 41 percent of households earns up to 25,000 guilders a years (Curacao: 27%), while only 9 percent (Curacao: 14%) earns more than 125,000 guilders.

On a global level 10% owns 50 percent of global income while the bottom 50 percent owns just 7 percent.

In St. Maarten, 74 percent

of the households earned in 2018 up to $2,747.25 per month, while the median income was $1,236.26 ($14,835 per year) according to the local bureau for statistics. (By comparison, the median annual income in the Netherlands was $34,756 in 2020).

The Central Bank’s study found no impact of inequality on economic growth in Curacao and St. Maarten.

“This suggests, the report states, “that governments can implement policies aimed at tackling inequality without concern for constraining economic growth.”

Central Bank president Richard Doornbosch writes in his introduction to the bank’s Economic Bulletin that the external economic environment deteriorated considerably in 2022 due to persistent high inflation, tighter financial conditions and spill-over effects from the war in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, the monetary union’s recovery continued, supported by a surge in stay-over arrivals in both Curacao and St. Maarten.

There were 66,897 arrivals from North America (60,991 from the USA), 21,796 from Europe (6,968 from the Netherlands and 11,094 from France).

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 5.9 percent in Curacao and by 5.1 percent in St. Maarten.

Previously, the Central Bank projected a 5.8 percent growth for St. Maarten, but it was negatively impacted by a slower than ex-

pected growth of stay-over and cruise tourism and by delays in the airport reconstruction and the construction of the new hospital.

The report warns that strengthening of the dollar and a decrease in airline seat-capacity and airlift to St. Maarten could affect growth perspective in the monetary union.

“St. Maarten should adopt an inclusive growth approach an also tackle unemployment, inequality and poverty,” according to the Central Bank The report points out that financial inclusion should offer better access to financing for small and medium enterprises and that this objective ought to be included in the policy agenda to improve the investment climate.

In the field of economic diversification St. Maarten ought to focus on encouraging investments in alternative energy sources. The country’s tax system should be simplified to create a broader tax-base, which in turn would reduce the burden on lower income groups and small businesses.

The economy did grow in 2022, but not everywhere at the same pace. In terms of percentages, Curacao leads the dance with 5.9 percent, followed by St. Maarten (5.1) and the Netherlands (4.5). The world economy expanded by 3.2 percent, emerging and developing economies by 3.7 percent, advanced economies by 3.2 percent and the economy

of the United States by 1.6 percent.

Unemployment in St. Maarten dropped from 15 to 12 percent, but it remains above pre-pandemic levels.

The Central Bank projects that stay-over tourism will reach 90 percent of prepandemic levels, and cruise tourism 87.5 percent. The report states that the government of St. Maarten is expected to withdraw the temporary reduction of excise on gasoline per January 1, 2023.

The report also provides data about the economic situation in the second quarter of 2022. GDP grew by 11.9 percent in St. Maarten (25.9 percent in 2021), based on a surge in stay-over arrivals, mainly from the United States and the gradual return of cruise tourism. The fastest growing sectors were hotels and restaurants (+42.7%), transport, storage and communication (+30%) and wholesale and retail (+23.7%).

In the second quarter, the gas price was 33 percent higher than during the same quarter in the previous year. Prices for gasoil (diesel) went up 60.4 percent. St. Maarten’s debt at the end of the second quarter was 1,085 billion guilders, or 44% of GDP. Expenditures in the second quarter totaled 115.5 million guilders, of which 51.6 million was for salaries and wages.

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Louis Brown wins appeal against his

PHILIPSBURG - The Appeals Council for Civil Servants Affairs has annulled the national decree that sealed the dismissal of Luis Brown as Secretary-General of the Ministry of Public Housing, Urban Planning, Infrastructure and Environment (VROMI) per June 28, 2021.

Governor Holiday signed the decree based on two articles in the LMA, the rulebook for civil servants.

The first article regulates disciplinary measures against civil servants for neglect of duty. The second article regulates these measures: they vary from the lightest punishment (a reprimand) to the heaviest sanction (dismissal). The decree also mentioned that Brown abused his position as (Acting) Head of Domain Affairs by changing a negative advice about the issuance of a water parcel in long lease to Alegria into a positive advice.

On January 17, the Council declared Brown’s objections against his dismissal as unfounded.

The ruling of the Appeals Council describes step by step Brown’s involvement in Alegria’s attempts to obtain the rights of long lease to a water parcel near its Morgan Resort. That involvement included a decision by Brown to inform the country’s attorney (Aernout Kraaijeveld) on May 4, 2020, that there was an agreement about the conditions attached to the long lease. Kraaijeveld in turn informed Alegria about this decision.

The dismissal decree reproached Brown for informing Kraaijeveld without permission from his minister that the country agreed with Alegria’s conditions.

Brown contested that he had no permission with a reference to a phone call with the minister on May 4, as well as emails and Whatsapp-correspondence.

“It cannot be excluded that the minister has given permission to enter into the agreement with Alegria,” the council’s ruling states.

“However, there is no evidence that the minister gave explicit permission.”

The judges note that Brown failed to make sure that he had explicit permission in

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dismissal

writing and labeled this as neglect of duty.

Brown also contested that he had abused his position as acting head of domain affairs, saying that he was authorized to change a negative into a positive advice. The policy advisor had advised to deny the request for long lease unless Alegria met certain conditions. Brown had changed this into an advice that granted Alegria’s request on the condition that it would abide by the same conditions.

The Appeals Council concluded that Brown did not abuse his position in this case or that he neglected his duties. The governor was authorized to impose disciplinary punishment but Brown noted that dismissal was disproportionate because it lacked a balance of interests.

The ruling notes that the decision-making process was almost completed when a new minister of VROMI (Doran) took office on March 28, 2020. It furthermore describes Brown’s spotless track record since his appointment as Secretary-General on October 10, 2010, and notes that Brown had no personal interest in the matter.

“It is unimaginable that the plaintiff intended to put his function, his relationship

with the minister or the general interest at risk,” the ruling states.

The Council ruled that Brown’s dismissal is dis-

proportionate to the nature and the seriousness of his neglect of duty. “The dismissal decision cannot stand.”

The Council declared Brown’s appeal against the national decree of June 28, 2021 founded and ruled that it has to be annulled.

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Dutch Action

Rather Than an

Apology

Today, the Dutch State is attempting to offer its colonies of the former Netherlands Antilles an apology for what they have labelled the “slavery past.” Rather than offering an apology that many consider to be insincere, Pro Soualiga contends that the Dutch State would be better suited by offering statutory action as a means to rectify the “slavery past.” Firstly, a Dutch apology is null and void as long as the colonial governor that was in place during the “slavery past”, still remains legally intact. Additionally, the Dutch State cannot offer an apology while Statia still has its “democracy” revoked. Lastly, a Dutch apology is null and void as long as Higher Supervision, Koninklijke Besluiten, Aanwijzingen, and Algemene Maatregelen van Rijksbestuur remain legal instruments of external intervention. We have addressed a letter to the State Secretary, as well as the Chair and Vice Chair of the Decolonization Committee, in which 14 questions are raised

regarding our peremptory (jus cogens) right to selfdetermination. Some of the questions include: 1) Can the Kingdom Council of Ministers confirm that the islands’ jus cogens right to self-determination is hierarchically superior to Het Statuut?

2) Can a Koninklijk Besluit, Aanwijzing, or Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur be imposed without violating the islands’ jus cogens right to self-determination?

3) Can the Kingdom Council of Ministers confirm that because national law cannot overrule a rule of international law with a peremptory character, such as the islands’ jus cogens right to selfdetermination, this makes Articles 44, 50, and 51 of “Het Statuut” obsolete or superfluous?

As long as the aforementioned questions are not clearly answered, and there continues to exist legal instruments of external intervention in place, the apology originating from the Dutch State is of very little consequence.

Airport ready to handle more than 7,000 passengers per day PHILIPSBURG - The departure hall of the Princess Juliana International Airport will be fully operational before the 2023 high season, the airport announced in a press release. The new terminal building is projected to be completed by April 2024. In the meantime, the airport expects to handle more than 7,000 passengers per day during this holiday season and up to March 2023.

Without providing any specification, the airport states that it has taken “several additional measures” to guarantee a smooth flow of passengers and to provide these passengers with a better airport experience within the given circumstances.

Five new TV screens, installed at the gates and in the waiting area, have en-

abled passengers to follow the soccer World Cup in Qatar.

The marketing team has taken care of Christmas decorations and music, while the technical department has upgraded the cooling system to provide passengers with a comfortable temperature.

The airport furthermore provides passengers with bottles of cool drinking water to keep them hydrated.

While the reconstruction of the terminal building is in full swing, the airport asks passengers for their understanding because of the noise and other hindrances that accompany the work.

Windward Roads has in the meantime completed the first phase of the tarmac repair project. This project has created adequate parking space for airplanes. The contractor also resurfaced the bypass, which is used to

hold aircraft before takeoff while another plane is landing. The second phase of this project will be completed in the first quarter of 2023.

The airport advises travelers to arrive three hours before departure time. This will help to spread the queues at the check-in counters and security checkpoints.

Checking in online in advance will obviously save travelers time at the check in counters.

The airport advises passenger to travel lightly. “Preferably leave the big suitcase at home and take just one piece of hand luggage.”

Lastly, the airport points out that travelers ought to prepare themselves for waiting in line: “Put on comfortable shoes and remove your accessories while waiting in line for hand luggage screening.”

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Rutte apologizes: Slavery was a crime against humanity THE HAGUE - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte offered his government’s apologies for the history of slavery on Monday December 19, in a speech at the National Archives in The Hague. We offer our readers hereby a verbatim translation of the speech which Rutte beforehand touted as “a meaningful moment.”

“Here in the National Archives history speaks to us through millions of documents. And even though we do not hear the unwritten voices from the past, the story that emerges from all those archived documents is not only beautiful. It is often also ugly, painful and even plain shameful. This is certainly true for the role of the Netherlands in the history of slavery.

We, living in the here and now, can only recognize and condemn slavery in the clearest terms as a crime against humanity. As a criminal system that has brought untold misery to many people worldwide and that works through in the lives of people here and now.

We in the Netherlands have to face our share in that history. This is why it is good that we meet each other today in the National Archives.

Here our national memory is stored. This is the spot for a national examination of our conscience.

This is a place where you cannot get around historical facts. Until 1814 Dutch slave traders shipped more than 600,000 enslaved African women, men and children under awful circumstances to the American continent.

Most of them went to Suriname, but they also went to Curacao, Sint Eustatius and other places. They were taken away from their families, dehumanized and transported and treated as cattle; often under the governmental authority of the West-Indian Company. In Asia between 600,000 and 1 million people - we do not even know exactly how many - were traded within the territories that were controlled by the United East Indian Company.

The numbers are unimaginable. The human suffering behind these numbers is even much more unimagi-

nable. The countless stories and witness statements prove that under the slavery system cruelty and arbitrariness were immeasurable. And therefore there was no measure for injustice and fear.

We only have to read Anton de Kom’s We Slaves of Suriname to read about the most gruesome treatments and punishments. We read about whipping and torture until death, about people whose limbs were chopped off, about branding faces. The fate of one person was even more horrible that that of others. Each page speaks of injustice and more injustice.

And the Way Anton de Kom described it for Suriname, it happened also elsewhere, under the same Dutch government authority. We read it, we know it and still the horrible fate of enslaved people is hardly comprehensible.

Or look, indeed, at the facts as they emerge from the archives; for instance the enormous administration that was established for the abolishment of slavery in 1863 and that can be accessed here.

Page after page mentions per plantation and per slave owner the names of enslaved people plus some other personal information.

Businesslike, systematic, in a dry enumeration; this makes it so confrontational, because it emphasized the absurdity of a system whereby one human being turned another human being into merchandise.

A system that was so inhuman and unjust that in 1863 not the enslaved people received financial compensation from the state, but the slave owners.

And it could still be more hard-hearted, because everyone who became free in Suriname in 1863 was forced to continue working for another ten years under state supervision. De facto that meant for many another ten years of living without being free, a life under coercion.

Until 1873. Next year that will be 150 years ago.

History keeps us busy. It is a complex history whereby in different locations different years and events are significant.

It is not just 1863 and 1873, but for instance also 1860,

the legal abolition of slavery in what was then the Dutch Indies. 1814 was the year when the Netherlands abolished the transatlantic slave trade; 1848 when slavery de facto ended on St. Maarten.

Or for instance 1795 when there was a revolt on Cracao lead by Tula that is still remembered every year.

Countless moments, countless stories, endless pieces of history.

That history got more attention during the past couple of years - in exhibitions, in publications and in the public debate. A societal awareness is emerging and that also causes a change in the way we think. That is good and justified, because it has remained silent for too long.

I also experienced that change personally. I want to be open about that. For a long time I thought that it was not possible to take responsibility in a meaningful way for something that happened so long ago, something none of us has witnessed. For a long time I thought that the history of slavery is behind us. But I was wrong because centuries of suppression and exploitation have their effect on the here and now: in racist stereotypes; in discriminating patterns of exclusion; in social inequality. To break through that we must look at the past in an open and honest way.

This is a past that we share with other countries, whereby our communities are forever connected with each other in a special way. It is correct that nobody who is alive today carries guilt for the slavery. But it is also correct that the Dutch state in all its historical appearances is responsible for the enormous suffering that has been imposed on enslaved people and their descendants. Therefore we cannot ignore the effect of this history on our times.

The report Ketenen van het Verleden (Chains of the Past) of the Dialogue Group Slavery History plays an important role in the awareness process that many of us are going through. That report was published on July 1 of last year and it contains a number of clear conclusions and recommendations. The three key words are recognition, apologies and repair.

Today we will send the offi-

cial reaction from the cabinet to the Second Chamber, wherein we embrace the analysis and the conclusions from the Dialogue Group.

During the past year and a half the cabinet has spoken in different ways and on different locations with different people and groups about the history of slavery. In September I was in Suriname where I learned how deep history is still interfering in the daily lives of people, also spiritually. I have also learned how experiences, memories and feelings can differ per group and per person.

It makes a difference whether your predecessors were stolen from Africa or that they belonged to the original population. It makes a difference in which country or region they lived their lives.

And it also makes a difference during which period they lived.

The historical, geographical and cultural differences between groups of people matter, also today.

This makes expressing general statements about the history of slavery so vulnerable. How do you do justice to those differences? What is the best moment for it? How do you do justice to all those spiritual symbols and rituals that is so important in some cultures? And how do you find the words to express so much injustice, so much pain and so many atrocities?

Every attempt to do this will always be inadequate and trigger new questions and discussions, with all the emotions that belong to it.

We know that there is not one good moment for everybody. Not the correct words for everybody; not one correct location for everybody.

And I acknowledge that the run-up to this day could have been better. But let that not be a reason to do nothing. We have to make steps forward together. We have to move on together. So please, let us have that debate about the history of slavery, also if that debate becomes difficult.

Such a debate begins with recognition. We have to recognize the terrible sorrow that has been brought upon generations of enslaved people. We have to recognize and rehabilitate all those who resisted, such as the Marrons in Suriname.

Today I mention with respect the names of Tula on Curacao, Jolicoeur, Boni and Baron in Suriname and One Tété-Lokay in St. Maarten and we remember all those nameless women and men who have searched for freedom throughout the ages and who were often punished for it in the most gruesome manner.

And of course we have to recognize the historical responsibility with the appropriate words. These words.

For centuries the Dutch state and its representatives have made slavery possible, stimulated it, maintained it and profited from it.

For centuries human dignity has been trampled upon in the most atrocious manner under the authority of the Dutch state.

Successive Dutch governments since 1863 have insufficiently seen and recognized that the history of slavery had and has a negative effect.

For this I offer today apologies on behalf of the Dutch government.

Today, I apologize.

Today I apologize on behalf of the Dutch government for the actions of the Dutch state in the past: posthumous to all enslaved people who have suffered worldwide because of those actions, to their sons and daughters, and to all their descendants until the here and now.

We are not doing this to make a clean sweep; not to close off the past and leave it behind us. So today we put a comma, not a period.

The debate about the history of slavery has to be done as broadly as possible, not only in the Netherlands, but in particular in those locations where it happened, with everybody who is involved or feels involved.

This is why the apologies I expressed today will be heard on seven other places in the world, there where the pain and the consequences of the history of slavery are felt the most up to today and where these consequences are the most visible.

They will be reflected in words spoken by seven representatives of the Dutch government in Suriname, on Curacao, on Sint Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Saba and

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Statia.

The government wants to work closer in consultation with all groups and people from all countries with whom we share this past, to increase knowledge about the history of slavery and thereby create more awareness, recognition and understanding. That process takes time and we can only do the work together on our way to that important date of July 1, 2023; after that, during the whole commemorative year; and during the years after that.

There is extensive information about all this in the reaction of the cabinet tot the report from the Dialogue Group Slavery History.

The most important thing is right now that all the steps we are going to make, are really going to be made together. In consultation, listening and with the sole intention of doing justice to the past, healing in the present. A

comma, not a period.

With Suriname, with the Caribbean parts of the kingdom and with all descendants in the Netherlands we will be working on the visibility of heritage, on awareness through education and on scientific-historic research.

During the commemorative year all aspects of the slavery-history and their effect on our times will be highlighted.

The King feels personally very involved with this topic and he will be present on July 1 next year at the commemoration and celebration in Amsterdam.

And we are looking further, past 2023.

An independent and broadly composed Commemoration Committee examines the best way to commemorate in the future, as much as possible together.

There will be a fund for social initiatives in the whole

kingdom and Suriname.

This way the effect of the slavery-history and the visibility will get the attention and approach it deserves.

The process of healing must begin now and we must write the program for it together.

Ladies and gentlemen, The book of our shared history contains many pages that trigger for us, living in the twenty-first century, astonishment, disgust and profound shame.

We are not eradicating those pages with these apologies and that is also not our intention. We cannot change the past, we can only face it.

What the government is hoping, and what I am hoping as well, is that this moment, this day will help us throughout the kingdom and together with Suriname and other countries, to fill the open pages that are before us with dialogue, recognition and healing.”

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