Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was offered a copy of the ‘declaration of independence for Curaçao’ while she was visiting the country’s legislative assembly on Tuesday. The document was drawn up earlier this year by assembly member Helmin Wiels who boycotted the royal visit.
The declaration was accepted by Kingdom Relations Minister Piet Hein Donner. He is travelling with Queen Beatrix, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife, Princess Máxima, on their tour of Curaçao and the other five Dutch Caribbean islands.
Curaçao, a former Dutch colony, became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 10 October 2010, when the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved.
Those behind the declaration of independence for Curaçao complain the country has spent “three centuries under the colonial flag”. They believe everything should be done to break entirely with the Netherlands.
On their way to the assembly, the royal visitors passed a handful of people demonstrating for independence and demanding an end to Dutch “apartheid”.
(mw)
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Is Wiels the Prime Minister? Why is Wiels offering the Queen anything? And who cares if he doesn't appear for the Queen? Let him stay home!! I find him very disrespectful and he doesn't speak for everyone on the island!