Colonialism is alive in the Caribbean

Open letter to all Caribbean Nations
Bonaire July 8, 2020

Subject: Dutch Government is using COVID-19 crisis to extort, destabilize, and recapture the autonomous countries Curacao, Aruba, and St. Maarten

Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen,

We want to bring to the attention of all Caribbean nations to be aware of the present situation that is occurring on our sister islands, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten. The Dutch government is misusing the COVID-19 crisis to impose a constitutional change that is unacceptable and unjust.

The Netherlands did not give up their set out path to reconquer the Caribbean Dutch islands with the aim to further regain geopolitical power and influence and keeping their prior war-plan against Venezuela and its oil-fields in eyes-sight. The economic embargo on Venezuela is exploited by the Dutch government to the max against our islands to break down our economies, destabilize our governments, and continue their step by step reconquest and re-colonization of its Caribbean islands. Curacao is under siege of the Dutch government as the refinery the main employer and main economic pillar is about to close. . When the he Dutch Shell left Curacao in an economic disaster in 1985, and the Dutch closed down the Offshore Business, the same Venezuelan PDVSA rescued Curacao and took the refinery over and operated its since then and stabilized Curacao economy and democracy. With recent threats of war against Venezuela, the Dutch government came back in, using the economic embargo against Venezuela and forced PDVSA to leave again, creating an economic chaos. The same case on Bonaire, with the oil-storage-terminal BOPEC is under embargo, which is wholly owned by PDVSA is also directed to be closed next. All this will lead to more dependency on Holland.

As COVID-19 broke out, the Dutch-government led by the Dutch State-Secretary Mr. Knops, an ex-tactical-military used in Iraq war for his expertise for the energy & oil securing operations, has strengthened his grip on the islands of Curacao, Aruba, and St. Maarten by imposing conditions on the financial aid which forces them to effectively surrender their limited autonomy and governmental powers back to The Hague government. One of the conditions is a salary cut for all government workers which will further reduce their spending power and thus reduce economic activity in a country already in crisis because of the Corona that took out the tourism-industry-economy. On Curacao, with a pro-Dutch government, this led to protests on June 24 escalating into riots and arson. In a reaction, the Dutch government sent hundreds of military personnel to be used against the people of Curacao and possibly for a next step in an armed conflict with Venezuela.

On St. Maarten, State-Secretary Knops used the same Dutch military extortion tactics forcing them also to sign and surrender autonomy and powers back to the Dutch government, all in the name of Covid-19 aid.

On Aruba, the government which has held so far strong against the Dutch aggressive intervention was put against the wall, threatened, yesterday, July 6, when they received from The Hague a 218 pages document containing 18 measures dictated by the Dutch to be in effect and to impose a non-democratic Dutch financial-supervision above their own government and democracy, eliminating their autonomy. These measures have to be in place before the end of week otherwise the Dutch will cease all financial aid per direct.

Meanwhile on Sint Eustatius, where same State-secretary Knops deposed the government, and has no democratically elected government for three (3) years already, and a Dutch appointed governor is ruling in charge and elections to restore democracy are nowhere in sight.

On Bonaire, already illegally annexed and under Dutch rule since October 10, 2010, the Dutch government has possessed all tax-earnings from Bonaire citizens and the local government has no access to their people’s tax-money and cannot decide on it nor can it request or get accountability on it from the Dutch government. This same government now used the Covid-19 crisis, poured lots of money into the RCN, a Dutch civil service Public Relations institution to promote false-propaganda that Holland is helping Bonaire and promote on the other islands Curacao and Aruba destabilization and of the governments and division of the people, that if they are under Dutch rule, they will receive Covid-19 aid without conditions, just like Bonaire.

We call on all Caribbean nations to condemn and help us stop this renewed Dutch aggression towards our Caribbean people, because if they succeed, the Caribbean will never be peaceful again.  Why this is important for all Caribbean, is because Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire, ABC-islands are less than 15 miles off the coast of Venezuela and will be used when the US economic-war against Venezuela backed by Holland will develops into an armed conflict that will destabilize the region and peace of the Caribbean.

Yours Sincerely,

James Finies, president Foundation Nos Kier Boneiru Back