When I received a WhatsApp notification from Mike’s account, I immediately thought he was feeling well enough to resume our weekly coffee mornings. Unfortunately, the message contained the tragic news that he had lost his battle with cancer. Mike had shared his struggles with me for years, but never from a place of self-pity. Despite his pain, he preferred to talk about his time as a DJ in the Netherlands, his adventures as a marlin fisherman, his grandchildren, and his political ‘war stories.’ The New York Yankees also frequently came up, as Mike was an avid Atlanta Braves fan.
I met Mike in 2009 during the reopening of a jewelry store in Punda. We quickly discovered a shared frustration over the lack of progressiveness within our political parties, particularly regarding the changes we believed were necessary for the dissolution process of the Netherlands Antilles and the upcoming 10-10-10. He was active with the PAR, and I was with the PNP. A few months later, we decided to form a new party together: PAIS.
Mike had politics in his DNA. He knew the political landscape like no one else, not only in Curaçao but also in Aruba, the Netherlands, and later on the BES islands, particularly Sint Eustatius, where he served as Government Commissioner for two years. As President of Parliament, he was highly respected for his diplomatic and tactful approach, as well as his impeccable integrity. A particularly moving moment occurred during the solemn Parliament meeting on Flag Day, July 2, 2014. Mike showed a video of his late father, and Deputy, Willy Franco, who gave a speech in 1984 during the first raising of the Curaçaoan flag. This moment deeply touched him and highlighted his great love for his country and family.
One of my fondest memories of Mike is a story he often told: before entering my office in the morning with bad news—and believe me, that was almost every day because in the political arena, good news was rare—he would first check if the Yankees had won or lost. If they had won, he would walk in without hesitation. If they had lost, he would tiptoe in or try to speak with me later in the day, not wanting to burden me further. This illustrated Mike’s sensitivity and his sense of humor.
My thoughts go out to his family, especially to Tania, Mikhail, and Kayla, and to his friends during this difficult time. Above all, Mike was a family man, and he will be missed by everyone who knew and loved him.
