King Willem-Alexander & Queen Máxima's Visit to the Caribbean: November 12-21, 2013


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JessRulz

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will visit the Caribbean islands which are a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in November, as part of the 'province visits' marking the inauguration.

***

November 12-13: St Maarten
November 14: Saba
November 15: St Eustatius
November 16: Bonaire
November 18-19: Curacao
November 20-21: Aruba

Koning en Koningin bezoeken Caribisch deel van het Koninkrijk - Het Koninklijk Huis
 
The king and Queen will arrive today at St. Maarten, coinsidently, yesterday Dutch children celebrated St. Maarten, and went from door to door to ask for candy.

The detailed programme:

Tuesday November 12 Sint Maarten
Afternoon: Arrival at Prinses Juliana Airport at St. Maarten (no press)

Wednesday November 13 Sint Maarten
Welcoming ceremony at the Clem Labega Square;
Conversation with the governor;
Meeting with chairman and members of the States;
Conversation with the prime minister, welcoming by the counsil of ministers;
Visit to Milton Peters college;
Visit to the Raoul Illidge sportcomplex, with among others the winners of the Kings Games;
Walk through the Frontstreet in Philipsburg with attention for the monuments;
Attending a festive evening at Festival Village.

Thursday, November 14 Saba
Official reception at J. E. Yrausquin Airport;
Short play by children at the airport due to the 50th anniversary of the airport;
Visit to the Spring Bay Heritage trail and explain the recently unearthed ancient sugar mills and sugar plantations of infrastructure ;
Visit the Organoponics Farm, organic farm and sheltered workshop (finalist of the crown apples of the Orange Fund );
Visit the Juliana Sports Field with attention to history of Saba and performances;
Lunch with the members of the Executive Council and the Island Counsil;
Visit to The Bottom with a flag parade of the 40 nationalities living on Saba;
Reception with social partners from nine sectors (no press facilities);
Visit to a social housing project (limited press facilities).

Thursday, November 14 Sint Maarten
Evening: reception of the governor.

Friday, November 15 St. Eustatius
Official reception on F. D. Roosevelt Airport;
Visit to the " science fair " with presentations by children from five schools;
Visit to Buzzy Bees, day care for children;
Lunch with the members of the Executive Council and the Island Counsil;
Visit to Hazels Plantation, promoting fruit and vegetable production on St. Eustatius;
Visit to Historical Foundation Museum and opening the exhibition 150 years of slavery abolition;
Cultural festival in the Wilhelmina parc.

Saturday, November 16 Bonaire
Official reception at Flamingo International Airport ;
Visit to the Wilhelmina Square with sports demonstrations the start of the ' bebe awa ' campaign (encouraging drinking water by young people) and presentations of activities of various foundations on Bonaire;
Visit to the Foundation and Addiction Psychiatry (SVPCN);
Lunch with the Governor and state representatives;
Visit to Cocari, day care for elderly people and organization in Rincon;
Visit to youth Jong Bonaire for opening of the photo exhibition 'Dare to Share' , young photographers from the BES islands;
Reception with the Governor and a meeting with the members of the Executive Council and the Island Counsil.

Sunday, November 17
private.

Monday November 18 Curacao
Welcome ceremony with honor guard at the Government Square;
Interview with the acting governor;
Interview with the Prime Minister and greeting by the Council of Ministers;
Welcome by the Chairman and members of the States;
Visit the Marnix College (VSBO lower Rio Canario) and Marnix FO-school (Primary and Secondary Education);
Walk through Otrobanda with attention to restoration of monuments ;
Visit the Techno Future School (pilot project SEDA women's organization, focusing on technical training for early school leavers;
Visit to the University of Curaçao;
Visit to Carmabi (Caribbean Research & Management of Biodiversity Foundation) and opening of the new building;
Attending a party at Brion square.

Tuesday, November 19 Curacao
Visit to Banda Abou ( western part of the island );
Visit to the fishing pier at West Point;
Visit to the museum house Tula Cut at Knip Estate, West Point, explaining slavery in Curaçao;
Meeting with residents of Banda Abou Soto with various activities;
Visit to Banda Ariba ( eastern part of the island ) ;
Meeting with residents of Banda Ariba in the Montagne district;
Visit the Fort Church in Fort Amsterdam in Punda with an exhibition of jewellors;
Reception of the acting governor.

Wednesday, November 20 Aruba
Welcome ceremony with honor guard at the L. G. Smith Boulevard;
Conversation with the governor;
Welcome by the Chairman and members of the States;
Interview with the Prime Minister and greeting by the Council of Ministers;
Attending a youth discussion on the future of Aruba in San Nicolas;
Attending a party at Bushiribana (ruins of gold - smelting furnace at the north coast).

Thursday, November 21 Aruba
Attending a sporting event for children of all primary schools in Aruba in the stadium Guillermo Trinidad;
Attending a ' best player lunch';
Attending the launch of the project "Youth Opportunities in the Caribbean' (Orange Fund);
Reception of the governor.

http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/nieuws...zoeken-caribisch-deel-van-het-koninkrijk-(2)/
 
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Is there a reasons why no press is at the airport while they arrive?
 
Oh but there will be press,the odd photographer that is.Reason for no more fuzz then that is because the Official Welcome will be tomorrow,wednesday.TM have till then to recuperate.:)

Meanwhile the Island is dressing up for the occasion!!

http://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?eventid=1677474&flush=1

courtesy ANP
 
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Oh but there will be press,the odd photographer that is.Reason for no more fuzz then that is because the Official Welcome will be tomorrow,wednesday.TM have till then to recuperate.:)

Meanwhile the Island is dressing up for the occasion!!

http://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?eventid=1677474&flush=1

courtesy ANP

TM have just arrived at Sint Maarten,here you see their scheduled KLM flight landing over the beach!It's Always so low that people get blown into the ocean with starts and landings,spectacular!!:lol:

http://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?eventid=1678008

And they were transported to their residence right away:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=12-11-2013%20Antillen



:flowers:
 
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On his first visit to the Dutch Antilles,as a boy,the then Prince Willem-Alexander and his siblings and their parents were taken to a farm on St.Eustatius,or Statia in short,where,ao,they grew sweet patatoes.Prince Claus,son of the earth,explained his sons what sweet patatoe was.And more so,he got some and cooked it himself for the boys that evening.....I hope someone will remember and serve it for him again one of these days...
 
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On his first visit to the Dutch Antilles,as a boy,the then Prince Willem-Alexander and his siblings and their parents were taken to a farm on St.Eustatius,or Statia in short,where,ao,they grew sweet patatoes.Prince Claus,son of the earth,explained his sons what sweet patatoe was.And more so,he got some and cooked it himself for the boys that evening.....I hope someone will remember and serve it for him again one of these days...
I can garantie Maxima grow up eating sweet potatoes, so I guess Maxima prepeare for him at home!:flowers: or has the cook making it for them!:whistling:
 
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There were protestors on Bonaire, protesting against the change of the status of the Island: it has become a Dutch municipality a few years ago. This change also brought more control from The Hague. The Netherlands paid a lot of the Bonairan debts, but in return wanted more control over the finances. This led to upheaval, as many were not used to the state actually collecting taxes for real.

So a small group of protestors was protesting during the kings visit. The king and queen were about to leave in a bus, when the queen pointed them out to her husband. The king and queen stepped out of the bus and talked & listened to the protesters. According to one protestor: 'Queen Beatrix was like a mother, we want to se her son as a brother'.

The king invited two of the protestors to join him in the evening at the reception of the governor. He spoke them for 20 minutes.

Koning toont hart voor Caribische eilanden - Nieuws | Altijd op de hoogte van het laatste nieuws met Telegraaf.nl [Feed]
 
There were protestors on Bonaire, protesting against the change of the status of the Island: it has become a Dutch municipality a few years ago. This change also brought more control from The Hague. The Netherlands paid a lot of the Bonairan debts, but in return wanted more control over the finances. This led to upheaval, as many were not used to the state actually collecting taxes for real.

So a small group of protestors was protesting during the kings visit. The king and queen were about to leave in a bus, when the queen pointed them out to her husband. The king and queen stepped out of the bus and talked & listened to the protesters. According to one protestor: 'Queen Beatrix was like a mother, we want to se her son as a brother'.

The king invited two of the protestors to join him in the evening at the reception of the governor. He spoke them for 20 minutes.

Koning toont hart voor Caribische eilanden - Nieuws | Altijd op de hoogte van het laatste nieuws met Telegraaf.nl [Feed]

The Bonairians thought that by voting for being a Dutch Municipality they would instantly be at the same standard of living as we are here in The Netherlands.They counted themselves rich before there was a reason too....Like the Bucks drop from heaven like manna used to do...Like you said,they are not used for a government to actually collect taxes...They hated that when "Curacao" was still in charge,and they hate it now...They're like little kids...really they are...And,when they say the medical circumstances and conditions on the Island have improved,...yeah,partially true.A friend of mine,actually two of 'm taking turns...work on the Island as doctors.The population is absolutely far off in terms of modern medicine and believe the first chico doctor from whatever south american country over the Dutch and their state of the art meds and equipment...Ignorance and superstition is still rife there...But they do know and prefer to be corrupt to the core over well managed official systems.

Two years ago the then Prince promised the protesters he would be back and talk with them to see if there had actually been changes.He kept that promiss with them.They think the world of the Dutch RF,like they are actually instrumental in changing anything or at once for them.Ofcourse that is not the case,all the King can do is to listen to them,and to make 'm feel they're taken serious,give 'm hope.

Another thing about two years ago...The then Prince said then that he would be back as soon as possible....As HM The King stated yesterday;" We,Máxima and I,already knew two years ago while visiting the islands with then Queen Beatrix,that my mother was to abdicate soon.We knew,but you didn't"...he added with a big grin...

Today TM have a well earned day off,tomorrow they'll be on Korsou!
 
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The Bonairians thought that by voting for being a Dutch Municipality they would instantly be at the same standard of living as we are here in The Netherlands.They counted themselves rich before there was a reason too....Like the Bucks drop from heaven like manna used to do...Like you said,they are not used for a government to actually collect taxes...They hated that when "Curacao" was still in charge,and they hate it now...They're like little kids...really they are...And,when they say the medical circumstances and conditions on the Island have improved,...yeah,partially true.A friend of mine,actually two of 'm taking turns...work on the Island as doctors.The population is absolutely far off in terms of modern medicine and believe the first chico doctor from whatever south american country over the Dutch and their state of the art meds and equipment...Ignorance and superstition is still rife there...But they do know and prefer to be corrupt to the core over well managed official systems.

Two years ago the then Prince promised the protesters he would be back and talk with them to see if there had actually been changes.He kept that promiss with them.They think the world of the Dutch RF,like they are actually instrumental in changing anything or at once for them.Ofcourse that is not the case,all the King can do is to listen to them,and to make 'm feel they're taken serious,give 'm hope.

Another thing about two years ago...The then Prince said then that he would be back as soon as possible....As HM The King stated yesterday;" We,Máxima and I,already knew two years ago while visiting the islands with then Queen Beatrix,that my mother was to abdicate soon.We knew,but you didn't"...he added with a big grin...

Today TM have a well earned day off,tomorrow they'll be on Korsou!

One likes to think that a word from the King in the ear of the correct official can and will make a change but this is something that can never by actually demonstrated. :bang:On another note, I am sure the then Prince of Orange knew his mother would abdicate at some point in the future, just as Queen Juliana abdicated. However, one wonders when and how Queen Beatrix decided on the time line.:whistling:
 
Thanks, Marengo and Lucien for the insight over Bonaire's situation. These relationships of certain regions with the main land always fascinate me.

When Queen Beatrix announced her abdication and it became clear that the various visits she had undertaken with W-A and Maxima were to prepare them for their future role, I immediately remembered their visit to the Dutch Caribbean and thought "Yeah, it was a farewell from her". But I wondered if W-A and Máxima knew as well or only Beatrix was aware of it. Now, it's interesting to see that the 3 of them knew.
 
ANP gallery

Maxima looks great! Classic look IMO.It's great seeing how many people are out to see them and how the royal couple are greeting them, very warmly.
 
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