Curacao Precious first edition

Curaçao Precious1
Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao Volume 1 - Issue 1 - June 2014
HerbertMichaelPinedo:
Collaborationisessential
ineverythingwedo
FelixRenédeRooy:
It´snotaboutcolororrace,
it´saboutconsciousness
JurenneDeonisiaHooi:
Ipossessaflamboyantand
healthydosageofenthusiasm
Izaline Calister
Award winning singer
from Curaçao.
MilouskaMeulens:
Oneshouldpossessthe
impulsetosupplyinformation
forbeneficialpurposes

Curaçao Precious2 3
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
A WORD FROM THE MINISTER
PLENIPOTENTIARY
The government of Curaçao is
delighted and justifiably proud to
present the first edition of Curaçao
Precious to you.
By means of this magazine we strive
to highlight the absolute gem called
Curaçao!
What better way to give you a
proper introduction of our beloved
island than by focusing on its
people?
In this edition we present seven
exemplary Curaçaoans to you that
excell in the field of medicine,
diplomacy, literature, social work,
art, music, television and politics.
I hope you enjoy reading this issue
of Curaçao Precious and all those to
come!
Marvelyne Wiels
Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao
to the Netherlands
Content:Colophon:
Cabinet Minister Plenipotentiary
of Curaçao
Wagenaar 13
2597 LM The Hague
+31 (0)70 3066111
info@kgmc.nl
Editorial:
Communication and Information
Department | Cabinet of the
Minister Cabinet of the Minister
Plenipotentiary of Curaçao.
Design: Ben Coëlho
Production: Bemaco Design
Photography: Paco Núñez
Caïnva Isenia
Brett Russel
Eric van Nieuwland
Picture cover: Brett Russel
Herbert Michael Pinedo:
Collaboration is essential in everything we do 5
Jurenne Deonisia Hooi:
I possess a flamboyant and healthy dosage of enthusiasm 7
Felix René de Rooy:
It´s not about color or race, it´s about consciousness 9
Izaline Calister:
Feelings are a universal matter 11
Robert Vornis:
Curaçao should embrace its Caribbean and
Latin American distinctiveness 13
60 years Dutch Caribbean art 14
Carnival in Curaçao 16
Ann Philipps, new Chief of Staff 17
Florimon Igma van Putte-de Windt:
Papiamentu is the foremost determining factor in
the cultural identity of any Curaçaoan 18
Milouska Meulens:
One should possess the impulse
to supply information for beneficial purposes 20
Gilbert Isabella:
There is always something crossing my path
connecting me with Curaçao22
There are multiple reasons why the sapphire has been chosen as the
gem to embody the preciousness, the uniqueness and the invaluable
personification of our cherished island nation. Although there are
many colour variations of this gemstone, the most valued and
best-known hue of the sapphire is blue. It is an acknowledged fact
that the sapphire has become synonymous with the colour blue.
Throughout the ages the characteristics of this coveted gem have
been both recognized and admired. The sapphire is rare, indescribably
beautiful and more expensive than the clear diamond and the other
big two coloured gemstones, the ruby and the emerald. This could
explain why the sapphire reigns supreme.
The colour blue is also omnipresent in the clear daytime sky of
Curaçao and the Caribbean. The different variations of blue that
characterize the azure and pristine water of our sea are legendary
since they provide a colourful background for photographs and movie
clips by both amateurs and professionals.
In addition, blue is also the principal colour in the flag of Curaçao, a
blue, much like the vibrant and lively blue of a fine sapphire. By the
way, the other two colours featured in the flag of Curaçao are yellow
and white – the flag was officially introduced on July 2nd 1984.
Considering the abovementioned, it is easy to conclude why sapphires
were selected to exemplify Curaçao Precious...
Blue Sapphires
All rights reserved. The magazine may
not be published, broadcasted etc.,
in whole or part, without the express
written consent of the Cabinet of the
Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao.

Curaçao Precious Curaçao Precious4 5
MEDICAL SCIENCE
head at the (then) VU University Medical Center”. In this
context, Pinedo also led the Pharmacology Laboratory
of the Netherlands Cancer Institute for four years.
Indeed, Pinedo is recognized internationally as one of
the founding fathers of modern oncology and admired
for his pioneering efforts to bridge the gap between
laboratory and clinical research – many unique
partnerships have come into existence on his initiative.
In 2008 Bob Pinedo retired after a long and
successful career reflected in many (international)
honorary memberships, publications and awards.
One of the most recent honors bestowed on
Pinedo is the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award,
an award that he will accept by the end of May
2014 in Chicago by opening the annual congress
of the American Society of Clinical Oncology,
the guild that awards this prestigious prize.
“I am indeed the first Dutchman and native of
Curaçao to receive this prize”, says a humble Pinedo.“As
a matter of fact, over the 40 years, it has only been given
on three occasions to a non-American.”Pinedo has been
granted this prize based on the quality of his superior
scientific research and his first-rate level of diagnostics
and patient care. Especially the latter is very meaningful
to Pinedo:“Back then my team and I strove to dedicate
at least 20 minutes to every outpatient admitted to
the respective clinic. Nowadays, when I offer second
opinion services,
I invest at least 60 minutes in every individual”...
After his retirement from academia, Pinedo starting
devoting his energies to cancer care in Curaçao,
through the Fundashon Prevenshon (´Foundation for
Prevention´) focusing mainly on breast and cervical
cancer.“I had reached a stage where I was eager to use
my know-how for
the benefit of public health on my island”. Population
screening and proper information is according to
Pinedo essential in his current efforts on the Caribbean
island.
Besides oncology Pinedo also uses his notable bridge-
building skills to benefit his homeland in other medical
fields. Through his intermediary, the St. Elisabeth
Hospital in Curaçao has recently opened a new cardiac
unit in close cooperation with the Catharina Hospital in
Eindhoven.
“I truly believe that collaboration is essential in
everything we do. In this day and age cooperation
should be inseparably linked to our daily activities –
no country is able to solve all matters within its own
borders”.
“I truly believe that collaboration
is essential in everything we do. In
this day and age cooperation should
be inseparably linked to our daily
activities – no country is able to solve
all matters within its own borders”.
Collaboration is essential in everything we do
I
n Curaçao the Sephardic Jewish surname Pinedo can be found in
records dating back to 1715. Little did emeritus professor
dr. Herbert Michael“Bob”Pinedo (1943) know, when he selected
medicine as a field of study back in 1960, that he would play a
groundbreaking role in oncology.
While it is his ultimate wish to see a new hospital being built on the island
where he was born and raised, presently he is playing a crucial role in
cancer care in Curaçao.
“Oncology was an area largely unexplored back in 1972 when I received my
doctorate in Nephrology and started working as a chief medical registrar in the
University Medical Center Utrecht. There were neither oncological trainings in
the Netherlands nor any academician specialized in this area of study back then”,
says Pinedo. Faced with many cancer patients literally left to their fate in his
department, Pinedo decided to start focusing on this perplexity.“In 1979, after
two years of research at the National Cancer Institute in the U.S.A., I was appointed
the first professor of Medical Oncology in the Netherlands and departmental
Picture: Paco Núñez

SOCIAL CARE
A
fter having acquired a PhD in Health
Sciences back in 1998, many expected
Jurenne Deonisia Hooi (1965) to
eventually end up occupying a position in
the healthcare system of her native island
of Curaçao. Nevertheless, she has been, for
almost 10 years, the driving force behind the
MaDi Foundation, an institution set up to
support inhabitants of Amsterdam Zuidoost
and Diemen to resolve bottlenecks in their
lives – the encouragement of self sufficiency
is the key behind this noble attempt.
As health services remain her true passion, she
is convinced that there is a factual correlation
between healthcare and social care.
“I have acquired this sense of self-determination
and self sufficiency from my parents”, says Hooi. While
working for the former Shell refinery in Curaçao, Hooi’s
father faced racial segregation – as a result, he enrolled
in the local police academy and hereafter always
encouraged his 7 children to study as he believed
that knowledge opens many doors. Hooi claims that
even today when she calls her father for advice, whilst
facing a difficulty, first of all he always questions her
about her own role in the particular situation.
Hooi believes that in her daily activities at
MaDi, her scientific background comes in handy. In
2005 she stated publicly that plunging oneself into
debt has a behavioral component.“Consequently
I was flooded with criticism – yet, it has been
proven today that there are indeed behavioral
elements associated with the fact that some people
constantly keeps getting themselves into debt”.
Hooi expresses her deep concern about the actual
social issues in the Dutch society.“Debt services
have increased with another 10% in the last months.
In addition to this, many elderly people are truly
struggling to make ends
meet”. Hooi dispels the
claims that only minority
groups are subject
to social problems.
“Adversities are faced
on all levels of society.
The difference is that
native-born citizens know
better which paths to
follow in case of trouble,
and are less embarrassed to sound the alarm
and display their problems when necessary”.
When it comes to her native island it deeply
saddens Hooi that Curaçao is moving from a being
a collectivistic society towards an individualistic one.
“Change is inevitable – the fact, however, that Curaçao
as a society is losing its civic values, worries me. We have
always been able to survive with few resources by using
our creativity to move forward – however selfishness, at
the cost of everything, is not a positive development!”.
Hooi believes that if the Netherlands and the
Overseas Territories combine their strengths, that
this will lead to a win-win situation for both parties
in different areas.“If, for example, we combine the
Dutch mentality of working by means of setting
processes in place and the Curaçaoan sense
of creativity to solve problems, this will lead to
synergy”. According to Hooi there is no perfect
system and therefore one system does not surpass
the other.“Whenever people tell me that I’m too
emotional as compared to other Dutch-born female
scholars, I always respond that I just possess a
I possess a flamboyant and
healthy dosage of enthusiasm
“Adversities are faced on all levels of society”.

ARTS CULTURE
audience with a passion for theater.
Hereafter, his career took off like a
train.“I went on to get a MFA in Film-
making from the University of New
York in 1983. I actually studied with
Spike Lee and Ernest Dickerson”.
Throughout his very broad career
as a multifaceted artist, de Rooy
has never made any apologies to
publicly acknowledge his sexual-
ity and denounce ambivalences
in the society – to the discomfort
of some. For example, in 1990, de
Rooy and his then artistic partner,
Norman de Palm, were awarded
with a Golden Calf for their film Ava
Gabriel. At the time he was the
curator of a controversial exhibition
in Amsterdam named Wit over
Zwart.“As a result, the press in the
Netherlands reacted in an indiffer-
ent way with regard to the award I
had just received”, explains de Rooy.

All in all, de Rooy considers him-
self to be a fulfilled artist and very
involved in the cultural evolvement
of his native island. Many intriguing
international exhibitions dealing
with slavery, the transatlantic slave
trade and the African Diaspora
have been his brainchildren.
At his instigation the plantation
house Savonet was recently inaugu-
rated as a museum in Curaçao.
“The intention is to provide
visitors with a glimpse of the history
of the manor house and the chance
to experience the adjacent Christof-
fel National Park”, explains de Rooy.
In addition to this, his recent
contribution to the exhibition and
respective art book ‘Antepasado di
Futuro’, offers the reader a compre-
hensive view of the development of
fine arts in Curaçao in the last two
centuries.
Very aware of his African, Caribbean
and European roots, the artist is at
the same time very cautious to
classify himself as being part of one
particular culture.
“My slogan in life is: honor all
cultures within you, as life it is not
about color or race, but about
consciousness”.
It´s not about color or race, it´s about consciousness
E
ven though he originates from an artistic family, it was only after
having watched the original lithograph The Scream (Edvard
Munch) in the national museum of Curaçao in the early 60s, that
Felix René de Rooy (1952) truly decided to become an artist. Delin-
eated as an artist, filmmaker, theater-maker, curator, opinion maker
and poet, he often describes himself as the‘heir of a colonial orgasm’.
Distinguished several times, both nationally and internationally,
in the Kingdom of the Netherlands he is commonly known as the
one, and to this day only, Curaçaoan to have been awarded with the
prestigious Golden Calf, the highest film award in the Netherlands.
“We live in a pre-apocalyptic
time”, says de Rooy,“creation is
destroying itself – just look for an
example to global warming, the
economic crisis and the fact that
there seems to be enough nuclear
power on the face of the earth to
destroy this globe several times”.
According to de Rooy, the arts can
play a vital role in these ominous
times by helping individuals to
channel their emotions – however,
one should be open to this.“One
could be limited by means of the
place one was born”. In this light,
de Rooy believes that family plays a
fundamental role in instilling young-
sters with the awareness for the
arts. In this sense, de Rooy believes
that he is greatly indebted to his
late father. René A. de Rooy was a
Surinamese-born writer, poet and
artist, that also worked as an English
and Spanish teacher in Curaçao.
A progressive man and champion of
the Papiamentu language, René de
Rooy’s inquisitiveness brought him
and his family all over the world.
As a result, his son Felix finished his
international secondary education
in Mexico before heading to the
Netherlands to study painting and
graphic design at the Vrije Aca
demie Psycholpolis in The Hague.
After his return from the Nether-
lands in the late 70s, de Rooy started
working as an art instructor and
founded Ilushon Kósmiko (Cosmic
Illusion) – through this action, de
Rooy strove to instill the Curaçaoan
“One could be limited
by means of the place
one was born”.

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
had to prepare myself vocally and
emotionally whilst still working on
my dissertation”, Calister admits.
At the entrance exam Calister was
administered by no-one else than
the director of the music school.
“His
feedback was that my singing still
needed a lot of polishing, but that
it was noticeable that I had the
potential of becoming a singer – I
passed!”. Calister also admits that if
this particular opportunity was not
given to her, she had most certainly
not gone for other auditions and
would have ended up working as
an economist. She stresses that
studying to obtain a degree in
music, writing a dissertation to
complete her former studies and
performing, was sometimes an
insane task but that perseverance
is her middle name.“I complete
everything I start”, she emphasizes.
On completion of her degrees
Calister established the Izaline
Calister Band and hereafter her
music career started growing by
leaps and bounds. As of 1995
she has built an impressive track
record performing all over Europe,
South East Asia, the USA and South
America. Her name is affiliated with
many international festivals such
as the Cape Town Jazz Festival,
the Rome Jazz Festival and the
North Sea Jazz Festival. She is
furthermore an esteemed guest
when it comes to performances
for the Dutch Royal House.
Calister reveals three highlights
in her career: In 2006, while on a
three-week tour in Mexico, the
BBC World News approached her
to do a mini-documentary on her
and her music.“It was an amazing
experience – I had just given a
performance for over 7000 people
and the chance of exposing my
country and language by means
of such a documentary appeared
as a godsend from heaven”.
In 2009, in the late stages of
her pregnancy and on the eve
of receiving an Edison Music
Award for her album Speransa in
the city of Eindhoven, Calister’s
membranes ruptured and she
eventually gave birth to a baby
girl, Victoria.“When recording this
album in Paris, I went through a
lot of adversities”, says Calister,“but
the outcome was a double treat!”.
In 2010, 3 years before the
official commemorations in the
Kingdom of the Netherlands in
the light of the abolition of slavery,
Calister was asked by the United
Nations to perform a song at
their headquarters in New York
in memory of the transatlantic
slave trade.“I am very proud of
my roots, however I belong to
that specific group that cherishes
the past while living the future”.
When asked whether singing in her
native language might limit her,
Calister answers in the negative.
She is proud to be an international
ambassador of her language.
“Wherever I go people are always
impressed by the sounds of my
mother tongue. Despite the fact
that they might be unable to
understand the words as such,
they are always highly moved
by the resonance. In that respect
feelings are a universal matter…”.
Feelings are a universal matter
W
hen growing up in Curaçao, Izaline Francisca Juanita Calister (1969) always dreamed of
becoming a schoolteacher and later on a medical doctor. Regardless of the fact that she was
born in a musical family, becoming a singer never crossed her mind. It wasn’t until she was
invited to join a student choir in the early 90s that she started taking her first tentative steps towards
becoming a vocalist. Almost two decades later, her music which is a unique blend of Afro-Caribbean
influences with a touch of Jazz, is internationally acclaimed. In addition to this, she is the recipient of an
Edison Music Award, the oldest music prize in the Netherlands.
“I was brought up with an
immense love for the Papiamentu
language but also for all Curaçaoan
traditional music: waltz, tumba
(musical form native to Curaçao)
and tambú (drum) – both my
parents were fervent music lovers”.
Calister’s biological mother passed
away when she was 3 years old,
but she claims that her stepmom,
a Papiamentu teacher, instilled
the love for music in her as well.
In 1990 Calister moved to the
Netherlands in order to pursue
a MSc. in Business Economics in
the city of Groningen. During her
studies she was convinced to joined
a student choir – at this particular
point she discovered that she had
a profound wish to deepen her
singing skills. While following an
internship, on the culmination of
her studies, she dared to take the
plunge and called the Prince Claus
Conservatory in order to do an
entrance examination.“I realized
that it was now or never…”. To her
surprise she was given the chance
to do an entrance test the very
next week.“I never informed my
parents and in one week time I
“I complete
everything I start”.
Picture: Brett Russel
Picture: Eric van Nieuwland

DIPLOMATIC SERVICES
advisory body in the Netherlands, established in
1531 by Charles V. The Statute of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands stipulates that the Curaçaoan government
may propose a candidate for appointment to the
Council. Vornis point out that:“When discussing
affairs of the Kingdom, it is my role to ensure that the
interests of Curaçao are weighed in the deliberations
by the Council in a balanced fashion”. Vornis, who was
appointed in 2011, goes on to stress the fact that the
Council and its members are independent. Even though
the role of protagonist for the interests of Curaçao was
bestowed on him in the final years of his career, this
certainly does not imply that in earlier years he might
have taken distance from his native island.
“I have never lost any physical or mental touch with my
island”, says Vornis. His utmost dream for Curaçao is for
the island to seriously consider its national identity.
Whilst in no way relinquishing the current
relationship with the Netherlands, Vornis’personal
point of view on this particular matter is clear:
“I believe that Curaçao should embrace its
Caribbean and Latin American distinctiveness
– this would indeed require a reappraisal of our
current relationship with the Netherlands”
Curaçao should embrace its Caribbean and Latin American distinctiveness
B
orn, on the culmination of the Second World War, in the idyllic district of Otrabanda, Robert Vornis
(1945) had one childhood dream: becoming a physician. The amount of scholarships in this
particular field were, however, scarce and much in demand. Consequently, he ended up studying
International Law Economics in the 60s and eventually attended the foreign service course of the Dutch
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The latter has led him to become a pioneer in Curaçao in the area of
international diplomacy, over the course of a career spanning more than 40 years.
“Geographically I have worked on 5 continents and
in 10 countries”, says Vornis.“I started in the diplomatic
service in South America and ended in Asia”. Indeed
the career of Vornis extends itself over the following
countries: Chile, Venezuela, Mexico, the U.S.A., Kenya,
Mozambique, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Malaysia and
a stop-over-position in Norway. Vornis mentions three
highlights in his career: foremost, his start in Chile, in
1973, amidst of the coup against the then president
Salvador Allende. This was literally a baptism of fire for
the young diplomat, who had to face gunfire whilst
trying to help Chilean refugees.“Our embassy also
served as an imperative link in helping Dutch citizens
that were facing inconsistencies in Chile”, says Vornis.
His next peak was his appointment in Mozambique,
which also happened to be his first period as an
ambassador.“Many people are not aware of the crucial
role that Mozambique has played in support of the
struggle of the African National Congress (ANC) for the
abolition of apartheid.“To pay tribute, the first state
visit of Nelson Mandela was to Mozambique”. Finally,
Vornis considers his period of employment in Venezuela
a climax as well.“This was in the period that Shell
ended its operations in Curaçao. Our embassy played a
pivotal role in the negotiations that led to the current
Venezuelan refinery taking up residence in Curaçao”.
According to Vornis there has been serious and
sustained efforts made in the last decades by the
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that its
employees reflect the diversity of the population within
the Netherlands. In certain areas some benefits are
already being reaped. “The attempt made in the 80s
to balance the male/female representation in Dutch
diplomacy, were very successful. While stationed in
Manila, 95% of my staff happened to be female….”.
The proposed budget cuts affecting Foreign
Affairs in the Netherlands are according to Vornis
a‘cyclical movement’arising every decade.
“Eventually governments shall understand that,
in the long run, shutting down an embassy
will only cost the taxpayers more money”.
In the present day Vornis is a member of the Council of
State of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the highest
“Eventually governments shall understand
that, in the long term, shutting down an
embassy will only cost the taxpayer
more money”.
Picture: Caïnva Isenia

INSIDE CURAÇAO
I
n the unofficial diplomatic
quarter of The Hague,
adjacent to the famous beach
resort of Scheveningen, the
government of Curaçao owns
three premises. In two of these
buildings the offices of the
Cabinet of the Minister
Plenipotentiary of Curaçao are
located. The third building, an
early 20th century mansion, is
the official residence of the
minister.
Within these quarters a veritable
magnificent art collection, acquired
through more than half a century,
traces the development of art in the
former colony which for many years
bore the name of Curaçao en
onderhorige eilanden (‘Curacao and
the subordinate islands’).
How did this collection come to
be? In December 1954 the six
islands became autonomous and
the Netherlands Antilles became a
fact. The very first Minister
Plenipotentiary, Nicolaas (Colá)
Debrot, was a very artistic person.
He possessed several valuable works
and acquired some artworks for the
Cabinet of the Minister
Plenipotentiary.
At that time, the Foundation for
Cultural Cooperation between
Surinam (till 1975 part of the Dutch
Kingdom) and the Netherlands
Antilles (STICUSA) came into being.
The foundation was fully funded by
the Dutch government. STICUSA
immediately started out with a
program to buy artworks made by
Surinamese, Antillean and Dutch
artists as long as there was a
verifiable link with the overseas
territories. This policy lasted until the
discontinuation of STICUSA in 1989.
While the artworks were duly
returned to the islands of origin, the
then Antillean government opted to
keep the collection in the
Netherlands.
Recently, the current Minister
Plenipotentiary, Marvelyne Wiels,
mandated for the works to be listed
and catalogued. The collection
comprises a total of 360 visual art
artefacts. In this edition we bring
you a selection of some of the
exquisite pieces pertaining to the
“Kas di Kòrsou”collection.
A compendium of 60 years Dutch Caribbean art
➃
➅
➄
➁
➂
➀
“Den kurá di Soraya”
A.E. Bennebroek-Gravenhorst.
“Van Dijksteeg”
H.A. Isenia.
“Rifwaterstraat”
M. Cats.
“Antilliaans Landschap”
R. Schotborg.
“Floating Fruit Market”
V. Marchena.
“Knip”
D. Fentmart.
➃
➅
➄
➁
➂
➀

INSIDE CURAÇAOINSIDE CURAÇAO
Ann Philipps was born in
Curaçao on March 13th
1962.
At the tender age of nine she
already knew that she wanted
to be a historian. After
completing her A-levels in
1980 in Curaçao she travelled
to the Netherlands to study
history at the State University
of Leiden.
After obtaining her Master’s
Degree in 1988 Philipps
returned to her native island.
She held numerous posts,
amongst some Chief Analyst
at the Intelligence Agency,
Policy Advisor on Youth and
Women’s Affairs and Minister
Plenipotentiary of the now
dissolved Netherlands Antilles
in Washington, DC.
Prior to assuming the position
of Chief of Staff of the Cabinet
of the Minister Plenipotentiary
of Curaçao in the Hague,
Philipps was Deputy Director
at the Directorate of Foreign
Affairs of Curaçao. She is
married to Herman Groot –
the couple has two sons. In
her spare time, Ann Philipps is
an avid reader on history, law,
spirituality and diplomatic
relations.
New director Cabinet of the
Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao
Carnival!
I
n the early days the wealthy
plantation owners, traders and
business people of the Car-
ibbean region held fancy balls
after the example of the high
society in their motherlands.
They would dress up stately,
wear wigs and put on masks.
The slaves and their descend-
ants would hold their own
little carnivals in their back-
yards using their own rituals,
costumes and folklore.
In Curaçao there was a very
unique development of Carnival for
the Dutch colonists who had their
own characteristic way of cele-
brating carnival. The immigrants of
Asiatic lands had theirs, the Creole
middle class in the city held private
balls within their social societies and
the people from the Eastern Carib-
bean islands, who had immigrated
here to work in the oil refinery,
brought with them their form of
Carnival parties and street parades.
In the late 20th century all these
influences started to merge togeth-
er and melted down into one huge
national cultural expression on an
island that features people from
almost fifty different nationalities.
With the insertion of Tumba (the
island’s typical music style) as the
official music for almost every
important related event, Carni-
val has undoubtedly become
the biggest and most important
cultural manifestation of Curaçao.
Curaçao Carnival is a celebration
that takes full possession of the
whole community through sev-
eral competitions: Tumba music,
Calypso festivals, beauty pag-
eants, private and public parties
and also street parades. These
events take place during the
first weeks of the year climaxing
on the weekend and Tuesday
preceding the Ash Wednesday.
More information:
http://www.curacaocarnival.info
O
n March 1st 2014, the Government of Curaçao appointed
Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Philipps as Chief of Staff of the Cabinet of the Minister
Plenipotentiary of Curaçao in the Hague.

LANGUAGE LITERATURE
Papiamentu is the foremost determining factor in the cultural identity of any Curaçaoan
A
vernacular that was born long after the discovery of the New World, has become a full-fledged
language. A quarter of a million people living on the islands of Curaçao, Aruba (where the
variant Papiamento is spoken) and Bonaire call it their mother tongue. Another 100.000 souls,
the vast majority residing in the Netherlands, use Papiamentu as a bonding agent to communicate and
to express kinship with their roots.
Two individuals who spent a great part of their professional lives studying, researching, disseminating
and above all loving this unique Portuguese-based creole language are undoubtedly drs. Igma van
Putte-de Windt and her husband, dr. Florimon van Putte. As a matter of fact, one of the most
comprehensive dictionaries of the Papiamentu language was compiled almost a decade ago by this
couple.
Igma van Putte-de Windt (1938) was born in
Curaçao. She studied Spanish, French and Norwegian
Language and Literature at the University of
Amsterdam. She worked during many years as a teacher
in secondary and higher education and as interpreter
and translator. Dr. Florimon van Putte (1934) was born
in the Netherlands. He studied Spanish, Portuguese and
Dutch at the University of Amsterdam and obtained
a PhD in linguistics at the University of Leiden where
he specialized in Caribbean Spanish Linguistics.
The couple did never realize that one day they would
play such a pivotal role in the usage of Papiamentu.“At
the outset we only aimed at fulfilling a need we were
confronted with. We started by writing a textbook
for Dutch people who wanted to learn Papiamentu.
In the late eighties, there was no communicative
Papiamentu course, so we decided to write one
ourselves. It was rather fun and it took us a year
and a half to write”. As people started to see them
as experts on the language, they decided to start
studying and researching texts in Papiamentu.
The Van Puttes are convinced that Papiamentu
is the foremost determining factor in the cultural
identity of any Curaçaoan.“Contrary to colour, religion
or social class, language unites and makes people
feel they form part of a community”. According to
them there are four factors influencing the good
use of language in all segments of society.“To begin
with, politicians and anchormen should realise that
they are the ones people look up to and imitate.
Consequently they should be careful about how they
use Papiamentu”. Secondly, the role of the written
press should not be underestimated.“On the island
there are many newspapers in Papiamentu but,
unfortunately, the quality of the language used is often
to be criticised”. The couple is also of the opinion that
the work of Curaçaoan writers should be discussed
more frequently in school. Finally, they believe that
extensive research of the language, carried out by
native speakers of Papiamentu, is also absolutely
necessary in order to produce good textbooks.

The couple finds it difficult to predict what the future
will bring for the language as such – largely because
this has a political connotation.“If Curaçao remains
a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands,
Papiamentu might well continue being one of the
official languages. But in the event of the island
obtaining its independence, Papiamentu will become
the most important language on the
island because, as a relatively isolated
entity, the Papiamentu speaking
community is not in direct contact
with other linguistic communities”.
Even though having Papiamentu as the
official main language would probably
result in a morale booster for the
speakers of the language, the outcome
will all depend on the importance
attached to language education.“It
is a question of language policy. To
begin with, a permanent, active and
official standardization committee of
the language should be installed to
inform the language users about the
official standard. The present situation
of the language with many variants
is not beneficial to good education”.
With the publication of the Walburg
Pers’Large Papiamentu Dictionary back
in 2005 and 2006, Igma and Florimon
van Putte have most certainly earned a
position amongst the influential‘men
of letters’ in the field of Papiamentu. In
2014 they intend to publish a grammar
book of modern Papiamentu, provided
they receive the required subsidy. This
textbook describes the forms and their
communicative usage of spoken and
written Papiamentu. With examples
taken from star writers, their book shows
how these authors use Papiamentu
consistently.“We think that in the end
the most important thing for us is that
society considers our contribution to
the study and usage of Papiamentu
to be of relevance and value”...
“Contrary to colour, religion or social
class, language unites and makes people
feel they form part of a community”.

One should possess the impulse
to supply information for beneficial purposes
B
etween the age of 5 and 10, Milouska Meulens (1973)
attended a total of 14 primary schools in her native
Curaçao and in the Netherlands. Her parents could not
decide where to get settled – her father missed his native island
whilst her mother wanted to be in Europe for health reasons.
As a child she was an avid reader – more than once she bumped
into street-lamps while reading books. She familiarized herself with
the Dutch language by recording and imitating news bulletins of
the General Netherlands Press Office (ANP). Her passion for diction
and languages and her sense of perseverance have contributed
to her becoming the first and, to date, only Curaçaoan news
anchor of the Youth News (‘Jeugdjournaal’) on Dutch television.
While finalizing her primary
school at the tender age of 12,
Meulens found herself faced
with a dilemma. From the result
of the Dutch national primary
school assessment test (Cito) it
was apparent that she belonged
in a school for domestic science.
“My father was not amused to say
the least and went to my school
to seek redress”. Meulens says that
even though she was embarrassed
by this action she agreed with her
father.“I was a good pupil, and the
national assessment test was a
reflection of 6 years of traveling up
and down and navigating between
two different educational systems”.
Since back in those days the results
of the national assessment test
were even more binding than
today, the management of Meulens’
primary school indicated that they
did not want to get involved in
this dispute. As a result, Meulens
and her father started approaching
secondary schools on their own
initiative. At the Rietlanden school
in the city of Lelystad fortune
smiled on them and Meulens came
into contact with a teacher she
is greatly indebted to: Geert Slot.
“He listened carefully to my father
but looked and spoke to me”….
Eventually Geert Slot decided to
give Milouska a chance to start in
the first year of the grammar school
on the condition that if she didn’t
perform well within a year’s time,
she would still be asked to leave
the institution. The latter was never
necessary as Meulens passed her
first year with flying colors. Says
Meulens:“If I was never allowed this
chance, I would have still reached
my goal via an indirect route. I
truly believe that I am a go-getter,
a perseverant person…”. In 1992,
on the eve of graduating from
high school, Meulens experienced
test anxiety. As a result, she
applied for an exemption of the
schooling obligation and after a
year of hard work and persistent
saving, traveled for three months
through Thailand and Turkey.
“Once back in the Netherlands
I returned to my part-time job
and attended evening school to
acquired my high school diploma”.
Once awarded with her diploma,
Meulens decided to exploit her
flair for languages and the fact that
she was still devouring books to
pursue a degree in journalism at
the University of Applied Sciences
in Utrecht.“Throughout my studies
I was already working as an editor
for different networks such as
VARA and I was also presenting
at Kindernet”. Freshly graduated
in 1997, Meulens returned to her
native Curaçao to work for the
now dissolved newspaper‘Beurs
en Nieuwsberichten’. In 2000 she
started working for the Netherlands
Broadcasting Foundation (NOS),
specifically for the Youth News
editorial. She started as an editor
but soon after a new challenge
presented itself.“I told my boss that
it wasn’t fair that commentators
of the regular news division were
often asked to stand in for our
commentators – after all colleagues
of the Youth News are strictly
selected to appeal to a young
target group. My boss agreed with
me and offered me the chance
to become a stand-in myself”…
Meulens accepted this proposal
and started performing as a steady
reserve – in 2004 she became a
fixed commentator. She claims that
in the very beginning she coped
with insecurity not only because
of the sudden media attention
she started receiving but also
because she wasn’t convinced
of her presentation skills – for a
moment she even considered to
stop presenting at all.“I’m very
meticulous and don’t like to make
mistakes”. Her boss realized the she
clearly needed more practice and
started scheduling Meulens more
often to present the news. Shortly
afterwards when approached
again by her boss, she had entirely
fallen in love with anchoring – a
task that she has been fulfilling
successfully ever since.
Meulens recognizes that she
sometimes gets irritated when
asked if her next career step is
to start presenting‘more serious’
daytime or evening news.“The
Youth News is a form of idealism
and a goal in itself. It’s a way to
inform and shape children and to
give them a platform”, she points
out.“Commentators of the Youth
News personally assemble and
edit their news items. This proves
that we are actively involved
in every aspect of the job”.
Meulens acknowledges the fact
that her studies in journalism
have come in handy in her actual
job but dispels the myth that
good reporters should have
studied journalism. “In order
to be a good journalist, one
should possess the impulse to
supply information for beneficial
purposes. Love for the business
and respect for the well-being one
operates in, work hand in hand”.
Curaçao Precious
MEDIA TELEVISION
“I’m very meticulous
and don’t like to
make mistakes”.

POLITICS
There is always something crossing my path connecting me with Curaçao
H
is parents met in the late 50s in the city of
Zeist, the birthplace of his mother. At the
time, his Curaçaoan father was pursuing an
automotive degree in the adjacent city of
Driebergen. Gilbert Isabella (1961) came into the
world in the district of Mundu Nobo in Curaçao.
After a failed marriage, his mother migrated back
in 1963 to the Netherlands with her four children.
He grew up in a poor environment where
discrimination and exclusion were the order of
the day. According to him his sense of social
conscience and his affinity with the Dutch Labour
Party find their roots in the hardships he endured
in his younger years. At the same time, these
adversities also fueled a strong sense of
perseverance within him – this feeling of
determination has undeniably contributed to him
becoming the second alderman of Curaçaoan
origin in the Netherlands.
Isabella claims that his life has unfolded positively
based on a display of events in which, at particular
points in his life, he was lucky to meet people who
believed in him. “Everyone deserves a chance and my
first opportunity was awarded to me when I was very
young”. Isabella thereby makes a reference to his foster
parents. Growing up as mixed-raced child in an
impoverished neighborhood in Zeist wasn’t easy until
he met with the Van Dijk* family that housed him in a
safe and loving environment.“They gave me a sense of
belonging – even though people regularly questioned
me on my skin color, I was positively encouraged by
my foster parents during a crucial time in my life”,
Isabella says. Without incurring the upbringing he
received from his biological mother, Isabella attributes
the fact of obtaining a higher general secondary school
degree, as the only one in his immediate surroundings,
as the result of the constant support he received from
the Van Dijk’s.
Brought up in an environment where social values were
instilled in him, it was a rational choice for Isabella
choosing social work as a discipline in 1978.
“Understanding the needs of my fellow man was
instilled into me at a very young age”, the former
alderman says.
Freshly graduated in 1982, Isabella decided to pursue a
master degree in Pedagogy at the University of Utrecht.
Despite the fact that he did not graduate, his master
thesis entitled:“The protective factors in the upbringing
of Moroccan youngsters”, addresses a social issue in the
Netherlands which is still very actual to this date.
Hereafter commenced a professional pathway
where the‘social imprint’is traced back everywhere.
Isabella mentions three highlights in his career: firstly,
his start as a social worker affiliated with the Police
Department of Utrecht in 1989.“In this function I
acquired the tricks of the trade. It was a broad social
function – in this capacity I worked with addicts,
homeless people but also many youngsters. I am still in
contact with some of these youngsters and it is heart-
warming indeed to establish that
they are still doing well…”
Secondly, Isabella mentions his
career move to the private sector
in 2001.“Curiosity made me apply
for the post of Manager Consul
tant Social Welfare and Reinte
gration at KPMG”. Soon enough
Isabella found out the handsome
salary and the additional benefits
did not cater his to his social
needs.
Finally, Isabella discuses his job as a
Programme Manager Antillean
Policy at the municipality of
Dordrecht – a function he held
between 2002 and 2006.“This was
perhaps one of the most
rewarding jobs I have ever had and
a pleasant opportunity to get back
to my roots”. As the municipality of
Dordrecht served as a landmark in
the Netherlands when it came
Antillean policy, Isabella was
constantly in contact with the
national government. He
specifically points out the many
times he was called upon to
mediate in challenges involving
Curaçaoan people.“The key is to
always approach people with
respect. I have never experience
problems because I’m clear, but I
always accept people the way they
are”. As one of the highlights in this
occupation, Isabella mentions the
first Kingdom Concert organized in
2005 -in part by him- at the
request of Princess Beatrix of the
Netherlands, who acted as Queen
regnant of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands in those days.
In 2006 Isabella was
considering to take up his
graduate studies in Pedagogy.
Nevertheless, a new professional
challenge was just around the
corner: local politics…
“Politics did always have my
attention but I never expected it to
go this fast”. In March of that year
Isabella was appointed councilor
and chairman of the Labour Party
in the municipality of Utrecht. In
representation of the same
political party, he was also
simultaneously elected as
spokesperson assigned to the
cultural portfolio in the municipal
council of Utrecht.
5 Years later, in November 2011,
Isabella was appointed alderman
accountable for the following
portfolios: Spatial Planning, Real
Estate, Leidsche Rijn (the largest
building site in the Netherlands),
Renewal of Utrecht,
Neighborhoods and Living.
The former alderman has never
lost his touch with Curaçao.
“Having been raised in the
Netherlands has made me an
authentic Dutch person, but I
never repudiate my origins”. He
claims furthermore that in the
event of his death he would like
his ashes to be disseminated in
Curaçao.“This is what Curaçao
does to me”.
He refrains of making com
ments on the political situation of
Curaçao. “The island is faced with
major and difficult tasks as many
other nations – however I do not
believe that it is fair to make
judgments at a distance”.
At the age of 53 he has put
discrimination into perspective:
“Discrimination is of all times and
all places and it will probably
always exist. However, life remains
an interplay of how people look at
you and how you respond to
this”…
*) Name altered due to privacy
reasons
“I do not believe that it is
fair to make judgments
at a distance”.

Cabinet Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao
Wagenaar 13 • 2597 LM The Hague • Tel. +31 (0)70 3066111 • Mail: info@kgmc.nl
The most precious jewels are
not made of stone, but of flesh.
- Robert Ludlum -

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