information
Information, guest lectures, presentations, and panel discussions
About Me and My Goal
After my time as a member of the House of Representatives, where I served as spokesperson for Kingdom Relations, I am glad to share my knowledge and experience.
My goal is to inform, inspire, and challenge young people, young adults, and adults through presentations, guest lectures, talks, and panel discussions that encourage people to learn, reflect, and join the debate. Naturally, this focuses on the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, the Charter, and the rich history of the Dutch Caribbean islands.
I have developed programs for various age groups, presented in a politically neutral manner.
Why This Is Important
In my experience, our shared history has received too little attention in the past. The primary goal is to foster greater mutual understanding and connection between the European Netherlands and the Caribbean islands within our Kingdom, including both the autonomous countries of Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, and the special municipalities of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius.
Contact
For inquiries, scheduling appointments, or further information, feel free to contact me by email.
My main objective is to share knowledge, not to generate additional income on top of my transition allowance. At the same time, I am required to earn an income to reduce those allowance costs. Therefore, I am sometimes required to charge a fee:
⁕ I aim to keep costs for educational institutions as low as possible, covering only travel or out-of-pocket expenses.
⁕ For commercial companies and other organizations, I am required to charge a standard fee.
Other Info
⁕ If you notice any errors or omissions on this site, please let me know.
⁕ Anyone wishing to help bring well-deserved attention to the Caribbean part of our Kingdom here in the Netherlands is more than welcome to contribute.
Update:
December 15 was Kingdom Day, one of the least known official observances in our Kingdom.
On this occasion, I was invited to participate in a panel discussion about the future of our Kingdom alongside former Member of Parliament Faith Bruyning, moderated by journalist René Zwart.
Rather than solely focusing on the technical details of the Charter ('het Statuut') or island history, the session centered on our perspective regarding the current state of Kingdom relations and our vision for how cooperation could be improved.
The engagement and interest from the audience, particularly from the students and Caribbean representatives present, made it a deeply rewarding experience. The event was warmly received by all participants, and I look forward to taking part in similar exchanges in the future.
