Surinam and the Antilles: should aid workers go?

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In this public debate a closer look is taken at the development cooperation between the Netherlands, Surinam and the Antilles. This phenomenon takes many different forms: governmental development cooperation, the help offered by Dutch, Surinam and Antillean private organisations, and the private help, such as money or goods, sent to family and friends overseas. Is there a question of addiction to this aid and if so, what is the best way to kick the habit?

Supporters and opponents face up to one another: Gilbert Wawoe, Joanna Werners, Erich Zielinski, John Jansen van Galen and Ronald Julen. The chairman of this debate is Ruben Severina (chairman of the Movimentu Antiano Arubano pa Participashon Politico). To start the discussion Gilbert Wawoe, member of the Council of State, will give a short introduction. On his initiative the private help organisations were convened recently in order to bring them up to date regarding the poverty and social development on the Antilles.The report about a new aid structure, made for the Kingdom of the Netherlands by the Jesserun committee, will also be discussed.

Dutch spoken

Information

Date and time Saturday 22 January 2005 from 15:30 to 17:30 hrs
Location Theater aan het Spui - kleine zaal

Line-up

Ruben Severina

(Curaçao, 1956) For years was the face of the Antillean community in the Netherlands. He came to the country in 1989 to study and wanted to return afterwards. However, he stayed because of his young family and found a new mission: taking care of the interests of Arubans and Antilleans in the Netherlands. With the Splika foundation he dedicated himself to the promotion of Papiamentu, the language that he also teaches. Subsequently he chaired MAAPP (Movimentu Antiano i Arubano pa Partisipashon Politiko), the platform for the social participation of Antilleans and Arubans in the Netherlands. When he resigned on 1 March 2009 he received the MAAPP award Mi ta yuda, a new medal which will be awarded on Severina's birthday to people who have dedicated themselves to the Antillean and Aruban communities. For some time Severina served on the town council for the Dutch Labour Party in the town of Zoetermeer and now chairs HAAB (The Hague Antillean Aruban Board).
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Ronald Julen

(Nieuw-Nickerie, Suriname, 1947)went to the Netherlands in 1970 to study German and Dutch at the School for Language and Literature in The Hague and at the Vrije Leergangen (an open teaching methodology) in Amsterdam. On completing his studies he began a career in the field of education. In 1979 he returned to Surinam, first working as a journalist and later for the government. During his work for the government he followed a course for journalism, and at the same time studied communication theory at the Academy for Fine Arts and Cultural education, and also studied Law at the Anton de Kom University. At present he is director at the Ministry of Defence. His poems have appeared in various anthologies, such as de Spiegel van de Surinaamse poëzie (Mirror of Surinam Poetry) (1995) en Mama Sranan (1999). In 2003 he published on his own the collection of poems Als de tijd stilstaat (When time stands still).
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Joanna Werners

(Paramaribo, 1953) came from Surinam to the Netherlands when she was eighteen years old. She studied physical education and law and is a economics lecturer. In 1987 she made her debut with the autobiographical novel Droomhuid (Dream skin), introducing the subject of female homosexuality for the first time in Surinam's literature. In her following novels other cultural differences between the Netherlands and Surinam were touched upon, for instance the handling of unwanted pregnancy and old age. In 2002 her fifth novel appeared entitled Schaamteloze warmte (Shameless warmth).
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John Jansen van Galen

(Velp) studied political and social science. From 1968 to 1990 he worked for the Haagse Post, the last five years as editor in chief. Nowadays Jansen van Galen until 2015 was one of the regular presenters of a NOS current affairs radio programme. In 1970 he came to Surinam for the first time to work as a radio journalist and he soon became acknowledged as the Netherlands' expert on Surinam. In 2000 his book Hetenachtsdroom (Hotnight's dream) was published. This is about the influence of Surinam's nationalism. In 2004 his book De toekomst van het koninkrijk (The future of the Kingdom) appeared, about the decolonisation of the Dutch Antilles and Aruba. Jansen van Galen also writes books about hiking. In 2016 his book De gouden jaren van het linkse levensgevoel: Het verhaal van Vrij Nederland, a history of the left wing weekly Vrij Nederland.
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Erich Zielinski

(Bonaire, 1942) in 2003 made a convincing debut with De Engelenbron (The Angel Well), a novel that takes place in the colourful old district of Otrabanda on Curaçao. Zielinski is the son of a German father and a Curaçaon mother and grew up on Curaçao. After studying in the Netherlands Zielinski returned to the Netherlands Antilles, working as a teacher. On Curaçao he finished his law studies and became a lawyer. He was founder and editor of the critical magazine Vitó , which, in the 1960s campaigned against the Netherlands Antillean establishment. In the earky 1970s he was for a short while chief editor of the former daily paper Beurs- en Nieuwsberichten.
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Gilbert Wawoe

(Curaçao, 1937) from 1994-2007 served as the Antillean representative on the Dutch Council of State. A chemical engineer, he held various top positions with Shell, but became particularly known for his dedication towards Antillean interests in the Netherlands and as an advisor to the Antillean government. He occupied a host of additional offices, including that of chair of the National Bureau to Combat Racial Discrimination and membership of the recommending committee for a national monument to commemorate slavery.
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