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Daisy Coffie: Another case of inequality in the Netherlands

Daisy Coffie

The inequality in the payment of childcare costs shows once again that we need to engage in serious consultation with the Netherlands to enforce direct action. On 10 October 2010, Bonaire became an integral part of the Netherlands, and on the basis of article 134 of the Dutch constitution Bonaire was established as a Public Entity of the Netherlands. To accommodate special circumstances in the Caribbean Netherlands, a change in the Dutch constitution placed Bonaire under Article 132a of the Dutch constitution and removed Bonaire from the Statute of the Kingdom. Article 132a sought to take into account the differences between the situation in the Caribbean and the situation in Europe. The article was never intended to harm the Dutch population of Bonaire and certainly not to create a policy of apartheid.

However, we could note that in practice if we create second-class citizens despite falling under the same constitution, we have the same individual nationality, with the same Estates General and with the same central government.

In their coalition agreement the current cabinet itself writes that they will continue to work harder because we live and work on Bonaire. This is the same as not being able to discriminate against citizens who live in Groningen, Limburg, The Hague or Amsterdam. It’s that simple.

Now M21 takes note of a letter that the reception association on Bonaire, 32 in total who are being cared for for a total of 3000 children receive reception in a way that makes it easier for parents to work, are being discriminated against and treated unequally to those in the Netherlands. On the one hand, it requires that there should be the same quality of hospitality, both in terms of the requirements for the building, but also in terms of the level of education of the leaders. Quality in education is something that M21 advocates without further ado, but on the other hand the financing of the institutions must be in a healthy relationship in order for them to respond to the demand for quality. The association’s claim is based on the fact that daycare costs four times less than the rate in the Netherlands, while after-school care costs half as much as in the Netherlands. M21 has now understood that it will once again conduct an investigation to stipulate the tariff and adapt it if necessary. And while so many of the initiatives are financially unable to continue, they will be forced to close their institutions.

Last year there was a demonstration with the theme DIFFERENCE YES, DISCRIMINATE NO. More and more movements are taking place in the Netherlands, such as the College for Human Rights calling on the Dutch government to stop this unequal treatment. M21 believes that if an agreement cannot be reached that actually works to eliminate all inequality, then a political consultation should be called first here on Bonaire to address this issue at the national level. And we must not forget that as long as we do not have full self-governance the way to denounce the behaviour of the Netherlands in this regard at the UN is wide open. As the Island Council representing the entire people of Bonaire we cannot continue to accept this treatment which shows increasing signs of apartheid.

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