THE HAGUE - The wage cuts that the Netherlands demands from Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten increase social and economic inequality within the Kingdom and do not benefit the democracy of the countries. The ombudsmen of Sint Maarten, Curaçao and the Netherlands - Gwendolien Mossel, Keursly Concincion and Reinier van Zutphen - write this in a joint letter to Prime Minister Mark Rutte in his role as chairman of the Kingdom Government.
More suffering
Many of the problems in the Kingdom do not stop at a country's borders, they write. “The poverty in the Caribbean Netherlands can also be found in other countries in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. For many, the corona crisis has only made this situation more distressing. The conditions for liquidity support imposed by the Netherlands, in particular the mandatory reduction of personnel costs, will inevitably entail more suffering, especially for the most vulnerable in society. That could not have been the intention of the Kingdom government. The effects of this measure increase social and economic inequality within the Kingdom and do not benefit democracy in the countries of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.”
Other problems
In the letter, the ombudsmen also draw attention to "the absence of an effective approach" to the recovery in Sint Maarten of the damage caused by hurricane Irma. “For Curaçao, the existing and increasing poverty on the island and access to clean drinking water for vulnerable citizens are also important current topics. Refugees from Venezuela are also a problem in all countries. In particular, the lack of adequate regulations and reception facilities has been mentioned before.”
Inequality
The ombudsmen also point to the lack of an ombudsman institute in Aruba: “This means that the Aruban citizens do not have the possibility to submit their complaints regarding government actions to an independent and impartial institute. Inequality within the Kingdom.” The signatories would like to talk to Rutte “to find a solution with each other in the Kingdom.”
