THE HAGUE - Peter van Haasen, a member of the Dutch Parliament from the PVV (Party for Freedom), has voiced his opinion that the millions of euros reserved by the previous government for slavery-related projects would be better spent on alleviating poverty in the Caribbean Netherlands.
"There is hardly any financial room in this budget. Many obligations from the past consume the available funds, including a staggering €27.8 million for addressing the legacy of slavery. One-third of the population in the Caribbean Netherlands lives below the poverty line. That money would be far better spent on helping these people put food on the table than on cultural projects about slavery," Van Haasen argued.
He emphasized that while he does not deny the history of slavery ("a dark chapter in our shared history"), he finds it problematic that “woke terms like ‘enslaved’ are not even taken seriously there." According to Van Haasen, parents in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom are more focused on securing a better future for their children, which includes access to good healthcare, safety, and education.
He concluded by asking the State Secretary whether it would be possible to "use the funds allocated for the legacy of slavery in a more creative way, so that the people can actually benefit from them."