News item | 29-09-2023 | 15:15
State Secretary Alexandra van Huffelen of Kingdom Relations will pay a working visit to Sint Maarten, Curaçao and Bonaire from September 30 to October 5. The visit is largely dedicated to the commemoration year of the history of slavery. For example, she is participating in a Catshuis session on Sint Maarten with representatives from all six islands and she is in Curaçao for the rehabilitation of Tula. In addition, the State Secretary will hold administrative discussions on Bonaire about the laws that regulate the administrative and financial relationships between the European Netherlands and the Caribbean Netherlands, the WolBES/FinBES.
St Martin
State Secretary Van Huffelen’s working visit starts on Saturday, September 30 in Sint Maarten with a meeting with Prime Minister Jacobs. The Catshuis session will take place on October 1 and 2, during which the minister will discuss the impact of the slavery past and the way in which content is given to the slavery commemoration year with representatives of Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius. A special part of this meeting is a break-out session with the youth parliament of Sint Maarten.
Curacao
In the evening of October 2, State Secretary Van Huffelen will travel to Curaçao. On October 3, she will talk to Women of Curaçao about, among other things, the impact of the history of slavery. Meetings with Prime Minister Pisas and the governor are also on the agenda that day and the evening is entirely devoted to the rehabilitation of Tula, who led the great slave uprising in Curaçao in 1795.
The visit to Curaçao also includes a visit to Swaen Village, a meeting with organizations committed to the LGBTQI community in Curaçao, a conversation with economics students from the University of Curaçao and a mini-conference with civil society. .
Bonaire
During the visit to Bonaire on October 5, the State Secretary will hold administrative discussions about the laws that regulate the administrative and financial relationships between the European Netherlands and the Caribbean Netherlands, or the WolBES/FinBES. In this context, she sits down with the WolBES/FinBES working group, the Executive Council and the Island Council.
On Thursday, October 5, State Secretary Van Huffelen will travel back to the Netherlands.