THE HAGUE--Bonaire tried to convince members of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday to include a special provision in the general WolBES law for BES islands Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba that would command respect for the outcome of Bonaire's referendum.

The political delegation comprised Bonaire's Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs Marugia Janga and advisors Jopie Abraham and Anthony Nicolaas, who both will become Commissioners in the near future. They met for 90 minutes with the Permanent Committee for Antillean and Aruban Affairs NAAZ of the Dutch Parliament's Second Chamber, to explain why the island wanted to hold a referendum, and why it was striving for the model of free association.

Abraham made a fervent case that the "bigger, richer and more powerful" Netherlands should have more understanding and show respect for Bonaire, with "only 15,000 souls." Even though Bonaire is a small island, it has a right to determine its own future, he pointed out. He warned that the people of Bonaire couldn't handle the pressure by the Netherlands, and that tension was rising on the island, with natives fearing a take-over by the Dutch.

Abraham said his government was not deterred by the decision of Lt. Governor Glenn Thodé to defer the decree approved by the Island Council to hold a referendum on March 25, a decision that was supported by Governor of the Netherlands Antilles Frits Goedgedrag. Bonaire will not appeal this decision, confirmed Abraham.

Referendum soon

"We will organise a referendum soon, very soon," said Abraham when asked by several members of NAAZ whether the referendum would still go ahead. He asked whether it was alright to ask the people whether they wanted integration or not. The Committee members answered "yes," but added that the referendum wasn't under their jurisdiction.

Bonaire would like to see the handling of the WolBES law – the general law that gives content to the BES islands as "public entities" – declared "controversial" by the Second Chamber. But because the island didn't want to stand in the way of the other two BES islands Saba and St. Eustatius becoming public entities, it was willing to accept the law, said Abraham.

However, Bonaire wants a special provision in the WolBES guaranteeing that the Netherlands will recognise and respect the outcome of the referendum. The WolBES is among the laws that the Second Chamber will handle in a plenary session this Thursday.

Abraham asked the NAAZ members why the Netherlands was forcing through a complete integration of Bonaire into the Dutch constellation. "Everyone is coming to Bonaire to help. We appreciate that," said the advisor, adding that there was a general lack of comprehension of Bonaire's local circumstances.

Hawks and doves

According to Abraham, there are "hawks and doves" among the civil servants, including the quartermasters that the Netherlands sends to Bonaire to help out. "Some, the doves, are friendly; they want to truly help. But some are hawks and they are set on doing things the way they are done in the Netherlands. We are not the Netherlands," said Abraham, who at times became so passionate that NAAZ Chairman Willibrord van Beek had to interrupt.

Abraham wanted to know from the NAAZ Committee why the Netherlands didn't want to hear about the 1993 free association model, drawn up by former Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers and Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin.

"Why was this model possible in 1993, and now, 17 years later, it is out of the question? I don't get it," said Abraham. He said the free association model was a "fantastic model" whereby key portfolios like justice, finance, education and public health would be taken to a Kingdom level, and it would allow Bonaire to gradually attain more self governance.

Financial weapon

Abraham criticised the Dutch Government for ceasing investments in Bonaire until after the referendum. He said The Hague was "using the financial weapon" against Bonaire, which left Government "disrupted," and the social structure without the needed investments.

Member of the Dutch Parliament (MP) Johan Remkes of the liberal democratic VVD party told the delegation that, as long as Bonaire's government didn't show up at the negotiation table, the money faucet would remain closed.

Advisor and current Island Council member Nicolaas, just like Abraham, was critical of the move by NAAZ to have same-sex marriage legalised on the BES islands. "I blame you for allowing same-sex marriage, just like in the Netherlands, but at the same time you don't want the people to have the same social rights, the same well-being as in the Netherlands," he said.

MP Ineke van Gent of the green left party GroenLinks made clear that she wasn't against the Bonaire people. "To the contrary, I have been fighting for a better standard of living. But in this process it is not swallowing, but settling. Nobody gets it 100 per cent his or her way in this process," she said.