Cindy Slaper-van der Werff from Zaandam – one of the North Holland perseverants who spoke to several ministers yesterday in The Hague about increasingly expensive groceries and high energy bills – looks back on the day with satisfaction. However, she does have a bit of an aftertaste. “It’s great that so many ministers spoke to us, but I’m afraid it won’t work.”
Cindy helps hundreds of Zaan families with her Prakkie Foundation About 075 Zaandam and sees new registrations coming in every day. “I also told Minister Carola Schouten that. It was nice that she wanted to talk to us all.” Still, Cindy thinks it makes little difference. “Rutte and those other ministers of the major parties have to do that and I have not seen them.”
The highlight of the day for Cindy was Carola van der Plas, of the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) political party. “I called her and she immediately came to us. What a top woman she is, with her hat of five euros. Van der Plas also told us that the politicians in The Hague are miles away from society.”
Empty stomach
Cindy traveled to The Hague with four other Zaankanters, including Corrie Blanken from Krommenie, who is told by the GP to eat healthier after various operations on her intestines, but at the food bank there is less and less fresh fruit and vegetables to get. Healthy products are unaffordable in the supermarket, since they have to live on 60 euros a week. “If I have to choose between meat for a third of my budget or fries with croquettes that I can eat for three days, the choice is made quickly.”
The situation for Corrie is so dire that yesterday she was on the bus on an empty stomach, so without breakfast, on her way to The Hague.
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The perseverants from all over North Holland eventually told their stories to BBB party leader Caroline van der Plas, Wybren van Haga, SP party leader Lillian Marijnissen, Liane den Haan, Pieter Omtzigt and Minister of Poverty Carola Schouten.