Honourable Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams would like to congratulate the Aruba people and Government on their national day, Aruba Day, celebrated on March 18, on behalf of the people and Government of Sint Maarten.
On March 18, 1948, during a Netherlands-Suriname-Curacao conference in The Hague, former Aruban leader Shon A. Eman presented a petition signed by more than 2000 Arubans in favour of independence.
On March 16, 1976 during a parliamentary session, it was agreed that March 18 would be Aruba’s National Day, the day to celebrate Aruba’s national anthem and flag, and this was also celebrated for the first time in 1976.
Ten years later, in 1986, also on this important date, Aruba celebrated the achievement by Betico Croes of an autonomous status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands for the island and on the same date of March 18, in 1996, a monument was inaugurated in remembrance of the 2,147 people who back in 1947 and 1948 had signed a petition in favour of separate status.
"Aruba, is also celebrating its 25th anniversary of separate status. This is a great achievement for all who have been involved in this process, achieving such a position which is the right of the people of the country under the principle of, the right to self determination.
"For our new-born country, we also exercised our right of self determination, a process that took more than 10-years to achieve as well, however we have achieved it and now as a people we proudly move on in building our country just as Aruba has done within the past 25-years.
"Once again, congratulations to the people and Government of Aruba, and congratulations to the Aruban Sint Maarteners," Hon Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams told the Department of Communications (DCOMM) on Thursday.