10-10-2010: Netherlands Antilles are no more - but individually "Islands in the sun" still part of the Dutch Kingdom

Tomorrow 10-10-10 will bring an end to 56 years of a constitutional arrangement between the Netherlands(Holland) and its Caribbean dependencies Curaçao , St Maarten, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba. The Island of Aruba, which was part of the group, negotiated its own internal autonomy already in 1986.

Under the new agreement Curaçao and St Maarten, the larger islands of the Netherlands Antilles will become self governing within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, except in matters of defense, foreign policy, and judicial and financial affairs, which will remain the responsibility of the Dutch government.

The three smaller Netherlands Antilles islands, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba will gain Dutch municipality status.Together the smaller islands have 19.000 inhabitants. Aruba and Curacao have a total population of 208.000 inhabitants.

EU-Digest
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US fighter aircraft flying from Netherlands Antilles violates Venezuelan airspace says Chavez

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said a US military aircraft had violated the country's airspace for 15 minutes before being intercepted and driven out by two Venezuelan F-16s.  Chavez said the aircraft had flown from the Netherlands Antilles' island of Curacao, and was escorted out of Venezuelan airspace, but later returned for 19 more minutes.

'They are warplanes used for the imperial war, not - as (the US) claims - specialized aircraft to combat drug trafficking,' he said during a cabinet meeting Friday.

Read more: Chavez says US military plane violated Venezuelan airspace - Monsters and Critics

Coha.com: Netherlands Antilles’ Break Up Continues as Its Geopolitical Importance Mounts

For the complete report from the Council on Hemispheric Affairs click on this link

Netherlands Antilles’ Break Up Continues as Its Geopolitical Importance Mounts

The upcoming May 15 referendum in Curaçao is sure to have important repercussions for the political future of the Netherlands Antilles, a group of islands located in the southern Caribbean, which make up part of the Kingdom of Holland. One of the last remnants of overseas colonial territories in the Caribbean, the population of each island making up the Netherlands Antilles has divergent perspectives regarding what future ties their home-islands should maintain vis-à-vis Holland: autonomy within the Kingdom, or maintaining the status quo.

Devoid of ample natural resources and heavily dependent on tourism, the option of independence for many of these islands represents a paramount challenge. Within an international context, the autonomy of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (which could eventually lead up to full independence), may serve as a catalyst for other overseas territories to also pursue self-rule. Furthermore, the Netherlands Antilles are known for being tax havens and offshore financial centers by international organizations, hence a new political status may, ostensibly, prompt local leaders to agree to disclose the financial secrets of their clients. Finally, the geographical location of Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles most populous island, makes the island’s politics important vis-à-vis Washington and Caracas, as both are know to have interests there.

As part of the autonomy process Holland has negotiated an economic aid package with the Netherlands Antilles to ensure that any island that chooses autonomy will be in sound financial condition. The aid includes financial supervision and a solution to the Antilles’ national debt, estimated at around $2 billion. Other changes include a native police force and amendments to the Constitution and charter. Holland also seems keen to maintain some kind of oversight over Curaçao’s and Sint Maarten’s judicial system. A referendum will be held in Curaçao on May 15. A “yes” vote will mean relieving the debt and accepting Dutch assistance in helping the island communities; a “no” vote will prompt Holland to demand repayment of the funds which were sent last January as part of the financing to begin assisting the Antilles repay its national debt. Furthermore, The Hague has hinted that, should the “no” vote prevail, there will never again be an opportunity to mitigate the islands’ debt, and that the autonomy discussions that have dated back to 1993 will cease.