Recently, an interview was aired featuring an Aruban student in the Netherlands who, while applying for an internship, was asked whether he had a residence permit. Although the student was aware that he did not need a permit because he holds Dutch nationality, he realized that some students might not be aware of this. Unfortunately, situations like this occur quite often in the Netherlands, in various forms. The reality is that not everyone in the Netherlands knows the position and rights of people from the Dutch Caribbean who also hold Dutch nationality.
Henco Cecilia of the ChristenUnie believes that one way for the Dutch government to address this issue is by placing greater emphasis on education about the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the added value of the islands within it. If more focus is placed on this topic in schools, young people will grow up with a better understanding of the roles and rights of the countries within the Kingdom. In that case, situations like the one described above would no longer occur, Mr. Cecilia concluded.