Demonstration on Bonaire towards inequality with the Netherlands

• Dick Drayer

  Correspondent Curaçao

A whole lot of individuals took to the streets in Bonaire yesterday to protest towards the hesitation of the Dutch authorities to set a social minimal. Native media converse of the most important demonstration within the historical past of Bonaire.

Residents, commerce unions, church, politicians and shopper organizations on the island marched by means of the capital Kralendijk to precise their displeasure. Bonaire, but in addition Saba and St. Eustatius have been Dutch municipalities since 2010 and subsequently fall beneath the ministries in The Hague and the obligation of care.

In apply, the islands do not need the identical social amenities as within the Netherlands. For instance, no social minimal has been set, no unemployment profit and there are not any incapacity provisions.

One of many audio system on the demonstration was Elsie Martinus (49). She is a single mom with two kids. Her eldest son is autistic, her youngest son Kyon has a uncommon sweat gland dysfunction, which signifies that his pores and skin can’t be uncovered to direct daylight.

She herself has a illness of her bone marrow, which causes her to provide too few crimson blood cells. Elsie is on welfare, as social help known as on Bonaire. She has to dwell on about 850 euros a month.

As a result of there are hardly any amenities on the island, Elsie needs to be artistic. “Kyon shouldn’t be allowed to play outdoors throughout the day, a shelter at my home would supply an answer, however I can not afford that. An software to the municipality has been rejected.”

As a result of Kyon wants numerous skincare, he cannot share the small showers and altering room along with his class after faculty swimming. “That stops the entire class,” says Elsie. “The separate facility for kids with a incapacity has been closed for months. That is why I dry it off within the sandy car parking zone.”

An estimated 4 out of ten Bonaireans have an official revenue that’s beneath the subsistence stage. That’s the reason 3000 households can not make ends meet in an honest manner. What bothers many individuals on the island is that they have been instructed in 2010 that the amenities can be raised to Dutch stage, however that didn’t occur.

Lately, the Home of Representatives specifically has been pushing for issues to be corrected. However the confidence in that’s, 13 years later, utterly gone, because the demonstration confirmed. “Now we have been ready for thus lengthy, one dedication after one other, however poverty has by no means been so nice on Bonaire,” says Elsie.