Etienne Ys

(Curacao, 1962) was born and raised on the island of Curaçao. As former prime minister of the then Netherlands Antilles, he played an important role in shaping the new constitutional relations within the Kingdom. He considers himself fortunate to have been present at the birth of Curaçao as an autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. His political mantra ‘formashon, formashon i mas formashon’ (‘education, education and more education’) still resonates in his work and life. He made his debut as a novelist in 2024 with De barmhartige staat (The Merciful State) in which a king implements reforms in a world dominated by an ancient empire. A battle for an island's future ensues as traditional power and progress collide.