Singers Harm and Roelof came to the bulging Statenzaal of the provincial government this afternoon. After a song for Brink, the cycling fanatic of the regional singers received an original yellow jersey from the legendary cyclist and Tour de France winner Joop Zoetemelk. Together with Joop, he can pick up the jersey at the end of September in Sleen, Harm and Roelof’s base of operations. Brink and Zoetemelk together ‘on bicycles’, that is a nice tribute, thought the Sleener singers.
There were words of praise this afternoon from King’s Commissioner Jetta Kijnsma and Brink’s successor as deputy Willemien Meeuwissen. Klijnsma believes that other directors can take an example from Brink. “Twelve years in his post, kill that again with drivers who don’t look further than four years,” she says. “A striking Drenthe with a heart for the cause. A beautiful and special person.”
Klijnsma and Meeuwissen also praise Brink’s other qualities: “Don’t talk with words, reliable, averse to procedures and procedural nonsense.” As far as the latter is concerned, Brink also occasionally had to lose out to the officials at the provincial government.
Brink doesn’t like the feathers. He especially thanks all Drenthes with whom he has worked over the past twelve years. In his farewell speech, he outlines the special times in politics. He hopes for prospects for agriculture and asks to stop polarizing.
Emotion comes later in his speech. Partner, children and grandchildren have had to miss their Henk quite often over the past twelve years, but also in the years before. “Family, I hope we can still do many beautiful things together.” The latter will soon start when he and his wife go on a trip to America.