Honourable Minister of Plenipotentiary Mathias Voges last week presented a copy of the Sint Maarten Golden Book to Rotterdam Mayor ing. A. Aboutaleb on behalf of Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and the Government of Sint Maarten.
Minister Voges attended a meeting with 22 Mayors who represent cities in Holland where many "Antilleans" reside. Mayor Aboutaleb chaired the meeting. Also present was Minister Piet Donner and the Ministers of Plenipotentiary of Curacao and Aruba.
Minister Voges said the focus of the meeting were about the challenges many "Antilleans" were being confronted with in Holland. Many of the young ones end up in the circle of criminal activity. The meeting also addressed the fact that the Dutch Government is cutting subsidies to these cities that have "Antillean" intervention programs.
Voges said that he advised the Mayors not to refer to the term "Antilleans" since the Netherlands Antilles has ceased to exist as of October 10, 2010.