Holiday Residence in Mozambique for the Prince of Orange and Family - '08/'09

[sneeuwklokje]

I totally agree. They have all the privacy they want at their home "Eikenhorst" and at their holiday home in Italy.

[giov]

Originally Posted by Vanesa

I agree. It's a quite extravagant having a holiday house in Mozambique.

I really can't understand why it is extravagant. Many rich Europeans are investing in tourist resorts in Mozambique ( also in Madagascar). The government of Mozambique encourages these investiments in many ways.
Mozambique is becoming a fashion destination! It is said to be very beautiful! I have a group of friends friends who are planning the same investiment (building a luxury resort), and obviously they will also spend their holidays there, and they are rich, but I wouldn't say they are millionaires and, above all, they are not extravagant people!
Maxima and Willem had a good idea, like many others. They are making a good investiment, they make money, employ poor local people and have a quiet holiday residence in a wonderful place.
I have read on a Spanish thread that Princess Cristina is in Mozambique now. My first thought was that she also could be interested in building a resort there.

Originally Posted by Alisa

When rich, wealthy, white, and titled Europeans want to set up a " luxury community" in one of the poorest countries in Africa, one doesn't have to be a sociology major to raise an eyebrow.

I respect your opinions, but Africa is full of luxury community and resorts run by Europeans. For many poor African countries, European tourism is their only chance, and is very encouraged by the local governments.
Kenya, for example, is full of resorts run by Europeans, mostly Italians. They employ thousands of local people.

[Empress]

Originally Posted by sneeuwklokje

I think it is quite extravagant to have a holiday home over there. With today's media and the internet, they will have little privacy, even over there. It's high time they adopt a more relaxed attitude toward the media. They are not "normal" people and will never be so, same goes for their children. It's better to let them get used to that at a young age.

The children are already learning that quite a bit with having people within the NL follow them around, and every day things, like going to school, are photographed. They needn't learn it every day of their life I think.

I think that their desire to have a private home for vacationing is their right entirely. Even public figures are entitled to some sort of privacy every once in a while.

We, as royalty watchers, certainly can't complain about the amount of access that we already enjoy with regards to the Dutch Royal Family, so I do not think that it is out of bounds for them to want to have a place to go to once a year or so that is private.

Yes, they have villa Eikenhorst, but that is home, and also part of the grounds are open to the public. yes, they have the house in Italy, but that is almost exclusively used for Family Vacations. Why shouldn't they have a place of their own?

[Marengo]

Some problems with the house in Mozambique. The former Mao-ist party (SP) with their member-of-parlament Mr. Wouter Irrgang want the government to clarify some things about the project. According to Irrgang there are stories circulating about bribes of local authorities in Mozambique.

ANother thing about the project: the holiday houses are said to be more expensive than previously said, according to the article the prices vary from 220.000 to 1 million euros. Anyway, it is said that the project developer has offered houses to local authorities like the head of a tribe, the chef of the police etc. a house of the project. Note that Irrgang does not say where these rumours come from or how reliable they are. From what i am reading in the article it is more that in general corruption happens in such projects in Africa, so why not with this one?


Read the article in Dutch here and here.

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Now, though bribes and such are not very admirable to say the least, I find it highly idiotic that members of parlament should be involved with such a minor (Dutch) issue, based on so very little real evidence. A waste of money and time at the moment.

[Maxie]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Now, though bribes and such are not very admirable to say the least, I find it highly idiotic that members of parlament should be involved with such a minor (Dutch) issue, based on so very little real evidence. A waste of money and time at the moment.

Oh well, you know... it's the cucumber season. I think of it as a member of parliament worrying about our dear royals and trying to save them from a stupid move. If there are bribes involved indeed (I need to see some evidence first, though) I think it's not that weird that someone keeps an eye on the whole situation. Bribes do run in the family, you know.

[Menarue]

I hope that the DRF take all precautions in Mozambique, that is with their health. We had to boil all our water remembering to boil the water used for ice in drinks as well.
I managed to get malaria. We had a house for our use while we there, it was absolutely beautiful with a large garden and some lovely garden furniture. When I first saw it I fell in love with it and decided that we would spend a lot of time in the garden......lol...... From behind the mosquito netting we would look at our beautiful cool garden and dream how nice it would be to sit out there in the evening.... Perhaps things have changed but I doubt it.

[Marengo]

Well, that was taking bribes..... the RF is known to be rather frugal so I don't think they will be very keen on giving them .
I agree that it is fine to keep an eye on the situation but to ask questions to the PM for each and every rumour as the SP has been doing lately is a bit too much. They could have waited for a statement by the RVD for example.

[Maxie]

Oh, yes. I agree completely. But you know, that's just the way the SP works. They consider themselves to be a bit of a watch dog. Sometimes quite unnecessary indeed. No need to jump people when there's no evidence, imo.

[sneeuwklokje]

What's the point of waiting for a statement of the RVD?? They usually only tell half the story.

[Odette]

The average worker in Mozambique earns $2 a month. With such poverty, those in power usually (ironically) are very rich since they are skimming from the top. The only way is to turn to outsiders who come in to either create a project or take advantage of the country's natural resources. Bribing is rampant and anyone who wishes to continue with their plans, they have to bribe local officials for permits and freedom to continue. It is the cost of doing business. I am sure the royals' presence there, can only inflate the demands. Hopefully they will not give up easily. (The royals I mean)

[Guido]

Has WA and Maxima's vacation house been built yet?

[Kelly]

It seems like an interesting and rather good project they are working on here, however it find it unusual royals partake in such things. Anybody know if any other royals have done this and has it worked? Of course it is good that the three little princesses will be learning and living among another different culture. If only for a brief vacation.

[Menarue]

Originally Posted by Kelly

It seems like an interesting and rather good project they are working on here, however it find it unusual royals partake in such things. Anybody know if any other royals have done this and has it worked? Of course it is good that the three little princesses will be learning and living among another different culture. If only for a brief vacation.

That sounds ideal but I doubt that the little princesses will meet any of the locals, these places are full of people of the same nationality and they just mix with each other. I suppose thanking a waiter or the luggage porter could be counted as mixing! I don´t want to sound cynical but I am afraid that is what I think happens and will happen.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Menarue

That sounds ideal but I doubt that the little princesses will meet any of the locals, these places are full of people of the same nationality and they just mix with each other. I suppose thanking a waiter or the luggage porter could be counted as mixing! I don´t want to sound cynical but I am afraid that is what I think happens and will happen.

Bom dia but I know you will be proven wrong here.They will mix and learn to know the locals,like Prince Claus did with his sons while in Africa and the Antilles,that is the general idea.Different from what portuguese ex-colonials would do,yes,but then we're talking Oranges.Not cynical,just to the point dear Menarue.

[Marengo]

According to Minister Bert Koenders the Dutch Ambassade in Mozambique did research after the allegations that there was corruption involved with the holiday houses etc. in Mozambique. According to him the allegations are unfounded and not the slightest evidence whatsoever has been found. The minister also denies that the project will be damaging for the environment, as some feared.

Source: royalblog.nl

[Carminha Stalker]

I hope that PC Willem and his wife and lovely children will be able to have their private home in Mozambique or wherever. I´ve never been to Africa, but being of Portuguese descent, I know many people who lived there when it was still a colony of Portugal. It is supposed to be beautiful and the local people sure need the extra money and jobs foreigners can bring. Good luck to this charming family.

[Menarue]

I always mixed, I loved my years in Mozambique and Guine-Bissau, my husband ex-colonial army still gets letters from people who were his "enemies" in the old days.
My daughter has just spent two years with family in Angola and both my sons in law were born there and we still all visit frequently. I am talking about a resort in Mozambique, Oranges or not, it is a bit different from the Antilles. But I hope I am proven wrong.

[Regina]

We all know that poor countries in Africa need strong investments like this one. Mozambique is not only beautiful... it is just one of the most beautiful places in the world! IMO, it's Africa's best secret

Originally Posted by lucien

The Princess said they didn't wish for another luxury resort with deeply impoverished locals surrounding it,but an attribution to develop the country,and hopefully others will follow their example.

The most horrible thing about a holiday is when you are visiting a beautiful country and poor locals walk around you asking you money... I hope this project can bring some of the splendor that Mozambique used to have.

Originally Posted by lucien

Bom dia but I know you will be proven wrong here.They will mix and learn to know the locals,like Prince Claus did with his sons while in Africa and the Antilles,that is the general idea.Different from what portuguese ex-colonials would do,yes,but then we're talking Oranges.Not cynical,just to the point dear Menarue.

With all the respect, if anyone is wrong it's you, lucien. I don't think you know much about Mozambique's history so I suggest you to study a bit more about it before you post.

Originally Posted by Alisa

I know nothing about van Bommel or what his true motives are but his question and comments are valid and sound reasonable.
When rich, wealthy, white, and titled Europeans want to set up a " luxury community" in one of the poorest countries in Africa, one doesn't have to be a sociology major to raise an eyebrow.

Well, obviously they are not into this project just to be kind with the people of Mozambique. I truly believe this will improve the life of some locals but no one believes that the royal couple would invest there if they were not going to earn a lot of money. IMO, the reasons for this investment are only 3: nice holiday+privacy+money. But if this will help someone (I hope it does), then good.

[carlota]

Originally Posted by Regina

Well, obviously they are not into this project just to be kind with the people of Mozambique. I truly believe this will improve the life of some locals but no one believes that the royal couple would invest there if they were not going to earn a lot of money. IMO, the reasons for this investment are only 3: nice holiday+privacy+money. But if this will help someone (I hope it does), then good.

you are mentioning 'investment' as if they were going to earn money from this or in the most lucrative sense of the word. they are obviously not earning money, just 'investing' themselves (their own money) into a family holiday house somewhere else. the only 'receipt' they get from it is a nice holiday and privacy, in your own words. what they get is, hopefully, money (from the crown princely couple) and hopefully the potential idea of marketing the place and in the future benefiting from other tourists looking for similar conditions.

yes, they don't do this to benefit the locals only - having a nice house abroad and privacy is also top of the list. however, their intentions (and what they receive from this) is nothing that can qualify as 'earning a lot of money' in my opinion.

[antonieta]

My father too, is a ex-colonial army who was at Mozambique, and he always says that he would like to go ther in vacations (for tree months at least) because Mozambique it´s very beatiful.