THE DAILY HERALD, Monday, August 24, 2009
By Suzanne Koelega
R O T T E R DA M - - M i n i s -
ter Plenipotentiary in The
Hague, Marcel van der
Plank, spoke the mind of
many Statians living in the
Netherlands when he said
that the island should make
sure that it does not lose its
culture when it becomes part
of the Netherlands in the
near future.
“I hope you will keep your
own culture and flag. Stay
proud of yourself and remain
as you are although techni-
cally you will become part of
the Netherlands. Don’t be-
come second class citizens,”
said Van der Plank who was
part of the well-attended
Sunday BBQ picnic, organ-
ised by Friends of Statia, in
Kralingse Bos, a large park
in Rotterdam.
Friends of Statia Chair
person Lynnette Anson
fully agreed with the senti-
ments the minister expressed
words. “We have our own
culture and it is important
to maintain that, if we can.
We’ll have to fight, stand up
for who we are,” she said.
Being part of the Nether-
lands as a “public entity”
together with Bonaire and
Saba would not “only bring
nice things,” said Anson,
who had been involved in
politics and had run on the
slate of St. Eustatius Alliance
(SEA) years ago. As former
president of St. Eustatius
Historical Foundation, An-
son knows it is important to
maintain ones identity and
fight for ones culture and
heritage.
Anson, who has been liv-
ing in the Netherlands for 18
years, said St. Eustatius had
not learned to grow up and
was still stuck like a prema-
ture baby in an incubator.
“We didn’t show the ability.
We were lazy and just held
up ourselves. We need to
be more independent,” she
said.
Friends of Statia board
member Xiomara Balentina
said becoming part of the
Netherlands was “not the
Attracted by the warm weather, good food and the chance to have a nice chat with fellow
countrymen, more than 150 Statians living in the Netherlands went to Kralingse Bos, a
large park in Rotterdam Sunday afternoon. Friends of Statia organised the BBQ picnic.
Photo by Suzanne Koelega
right status for the people.”
“Some people say it’s good
for Statia’s development,
but I don’t think so. People
should be able to stand on
their own feet. Sure, with
some help from outside, but
this way they’ll never learn.
The people will stay spoiled,”
she said.
Balentina, who has been in
the Netherlands for twelve
years, acknowledged that St.
Eustatius, at this moment, is
not ready for more indepen-
dence. “We should take the
opportunity and make use
of the knowledge that the
Dutch will bring, so that af-
ter the five-year evaluation,
the island will be ready for
more autonomy.”
Self-esteem
Assuming more indepen-
dency is important for Sta-
tia’s future and the self-es-
teem of its people, said Bal-
entina. “If we don’t do this,
what will be our legacy? Who
will our children be? Do we
know who we are? We have
no real identity. Look at St.
Kitts and Nevis. They strug-
gle, but they are proud,” she
said, pointing out that “dis-
trust” has hindered Statia’s
development.
Errol Brice said that “go-
ing back” to the Netherlands
into a “semi-colonial” status
proves a “sense of failure.”
Being part of the Nether-
lands Antilles for more than
50 years should have served
as an interim period in which
St. Eustatius should have
prepared for more autono-
my. “Now it is too late. We
are spoiled, accustomed to
holding out our hand, getting
things the easy way and that
is a pity,” he said.
According to Brice, who
has lived in the Netherlands
for 18 years, Statians suffer
“mental poverty” because
their mind was not free.
Changing that mentality will
be the biggest challenge, he
predicted. About Statia’s
new status as public entity,
Brice said: “We tolerate the
situation more or less for fi-
nancial reasons, but it is not
ideal.”
No turning back
Naris van Putten, who has
resided in the Netherlands
since 1990, said it was a
“pity” that it had to come
this far. He said that with the
disintegration of the Nether-
lands Antilles, some kind of
solution had been necessary
for the smaller islands. “Now
there is no turning back. I
am not in favour of this new
status, but we’ll have to make
the best of it.”
Van Putten also hoped that
Statia’s culture and iden-
tity would not be lost. He
Islands 11
Hook said that many Sta- should keep most of their
tians in the Netherlands cultural identity,” she said.
would love to return to their Avril Bakker-Euson was
island to help, but there are born in St. Eustatius. Having
not enough jobs and that lived in the Netherlands since
they are not certain what the 1980, she saw the positive as-
future would bring for them. pects of becoming part of the
“Will the doors be opened for Dutch Constellation. “Infra-
everyone? What will happen structure, education, health
to the jobs, land and houses care have to be improved
for the Statians?” and it will be. St. Eustatius
will be confronted with new
More rules growth and new cultures.
Lashandra Heemstadt re- That needs to be guided well.
tuned to the Netherlands a You cannot integrate into the
year ago. She had lived in Netherlands and say we are
Statia for four years in the not changing anything,” she
past. The new status will said in flawless Dutch.
have “good and bad things,” Bakker-Euson said she was
she said. “There will be more convinced that Statia’s peo-
employment when the Dutch ple could maintain their cul-
takes over. It will help the ture and own identity. “You
economy, but there will also are and remain a Statian. I
said that Statians were not be more rules. St. Eustatius am not afraid of the transi-
outspoken and had always needs this status for now be- tion, but then again, I live in
maintained an attitude of cause it cannot stand on its the Netherlands, I pay taxes
wait and see. You have to own feet. However, people there and I know the rules.”
be outspoken and stand up
for yourself. Be more pro-
active. I mean, whose island
is it really?” He said local
politicians played a vital role
in the constitutional process
and they should inform the
people.
Lilian King grew up in Cu-
raçao, but her roots lie in St.
Eustatius. Having lived in the
Netherlands for 29 years, she
believes that it is important
to keep ones pride and own
identity. “I hope St. Eustatius Friends of Statia board member Xiomara Balentina (left)
can maintain its own culture. and Therese Hook (right) are concerned about the possi-
Otherwise, they’ll become ble loss of culture and identity when St. Eustatius becomes
just like a republic.” part of the Netherlands in the near future. Photo by Su-
“I’m for the new status, zanne Koelega
as long as it brings positive
things and only if St. Eusta-
tius can remain as it is,” said
Bernadette Blair, who lives in
the Netherlands since 1993.
“St. Eustatius needs a push.
We’ll have to wait and see
how it works out,” she said.
Therese Hook believed
the new status was a “good
thing.” “St. Eustatius now
has a chance to build back
up itself. More autonomy
will become possible in a few
years, but not now. There are
not enough capable people. Minister Plenipotentiary Marcel van der Plank receives a
The Dutch taking over tasks small gift from Friends of Statia Chair person Lynnette An-
may not be a bad thing. Peo- son during the BBQ picnic in Rotterdam on Sunday after-
ple can learn,” she said. noon. Photo by Suzanne Koelega