The Netherlands Antilles was a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The country consisted of several island territories located in the Caribbean Sea. The islands were also informally known as the Dutch Antilles. The country came into being in 1954 as the autonomous successor of the Dutch colony of Curaçao and Dependencies. The Antilles were dissolved in 2010. The Dutch colony of Surinam,although it was relatively close by on the continent of South America,did not become part of the Netherlands Antilles but became a separate autonomous country in 1954. All the island territories that belonged to the Netherlands Antilles remain part of the kingdom today,although the legal status of each differs. As a group they are still commonly called the Dutch Caribbean,regardless of their legal status. People from this former territory continue to be called Antilleans in the Netherlands.
Saint Martin is an island in the northeast Caribbean,approximately 300 km (190 mi) east of Puerto Rico. The 87-square-kilometre (34 sq mi) island is divided roughly 60:40 between the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands,but the Dutch part is more populated than the French part. The division dates to 1648. The northern French part comprises the Collectivity of Saint Martin and is an overseas collectivity of the French Republic. The southern Dutch part comprises Sint Maarten and is one of four constituent countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands. As an overseas possession of two European Union member states,only the French part of the island is part of the EU.
The 'National Alliance' is a political alliance in Sint Maarten,formed by the Sint Maarten Patriotic Alliance (SPA) and the National Progressive Party (NPP). It is one of main political parties within Sint Maarten. At the legislative elections in the Netherlands Antilles,18 January 2002,the alliance won 4.8% of the popular vote of Sint Maarten and 1 out of 22 seats. At the elections in the Netherlands Antilles of 27 January 2006,it won one extra seat.
Frits M. de los Santos Goedgedrag is a Dutch Antillean politician who was the first governor of Curaçao following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. During his tenure,he oversaw the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles and Curaçao becoming a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Same-sex marriages are not performed in Aruba,Curaçao,or Sint Maarten,which are constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The islands were obliged after several court rulings to register any marriage registered in the Kingdom,but this primarily considers residency rights,and they do not have to give same-sex marriages the same legal effect as opposite-sex marriages. Marriage in the European territory of the Netherlands,as well as in the Caribbean municipalities of Bonaire,Sint Eustatius and Saba,is open to any two people irrespective of sex.
Sint Maarten is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. With a population of 41,486 as of January 2019 on an area of 34 km2 (13 sq mi),it encompasses the southern 44% of the divided island of Saint Martin,while the northern 56% of the island constitutes the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin. Sint Maarten's capital is Philipsburg. Collectively,Sint Maarten and the other Dutch islands in the Caribbean are often called the Dutch Caribbean.
The Netherlands Antilles was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was dissolved on 10 October 2010.
The flag of Sint Maarten consists of a white triangle situated at the hoist charged with the constituent country's coat of arms,along with two horizontal bands of red and blue. Adopted in 1985 shortly after the territory was granted a coat of arms,it has been the flag of Sint Maarten since 13 June of that year. Since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010,it has been the sole flag used in the constituent country.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands,commonly known simply as the Netherlands,is a sovereign state consisting of a collection of constituent territories united under the monarch of the Netherlands,who functions as head of state. The realm is not a federation;it is a unitary monarchy with its largest subdivision,the eponymous Netherlands,predominantly located in Western Europe and with several smaller island territories located in the Caribbean.
The Caribbean Netherlands is a part of the Netherlands located outside of Europe,in the Caribbean,consisting of three so-called special municipalities. These are the islands of Bonaire,Sint Eustatius and Saba,as they are also known in legislation,or the BES islands for short. The islands are officially classified as public bodies in the Netherlands and as overseas territories of the European Union;as such,European Union law does not automatically apply to them.
A common visa exists since the end of 2010 for the territories of Aruba,Curaçao,Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands which form together the territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. The visa is not valid for the European part of the Netherlands,which is part of the Schengen Area.
The governor of Curaçao is the representative on Curaçao of the Dutch head of state. The governor's duties are twofold:representing and guarding the general interests of the Kingdom and heading the government of Curaçao. The governor is accountable to the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. As the head of the government,the governor is immune. The governor exercises the executive power under the responsibility of the ministers,who are responsible to the Estates of Curaçao. The governor does not have political responsibilities and is not part of the cabinet. During the formation of a cabinet the governor plays an important role. The governor is appointed by the monarch for a period of six years. This period can be prolonged for one more term of six years. The governor is supported by his secretariat the cabinet of the governor,and is advised by the Council of Advice,consisting of at least five members,appointed by the governor,who advise on the drafts of state ordinances,state decrees,kingdom acts and general administrative orders.
The governor of Sint Maarten is the representative on Sint Maarten of the Dutch head of state. The governor's duties are twofold:he represents and guards the general interests of the kingdom and is head of the government of Sint Maarten. He is accountable to the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. As the head of the government,the governor is immune. The governor exercises the executive power under the responsibility of the ministers,who are responsible to the Estates of Sint Maarten. The governor does not have political responsibilities and is not part of the cabinet. During the formation of a cabinet the governor plays an important role. The governor is appointed by the monarch for a period of six years. This period can be prolonged for one more term of six years. The governor is supported by his secretariat the cabinet of the governor,and is advised by the Council of Advice,consisting of at least five members,appointed by the governor,advising him on the drafts of state ordinances,state decrees,kingdom acts and general administrative orders.
The Dutch Caribbean are the territories,colonies,and countries,former and current,of the Dutch Empire and the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean Sea. They are in the north and south-west of the Lesser Antilles archipelago.
Keacy Uydess Carty is a Sint Maarten cricketer who represents the Leeward Islands in West Indian domestic cricket. He is a right-handed middle-order batsman. He made his international debut for the West Indies cricket team in May 2022.
Juan Alfonso Boekhoudt is an Aruban politician serving as the governor of Aruba since 1 January 2017. He previously served as minister plenipotentiary from 14 November 2013 to 17 November 2016.
The Second Marlin cabinet was the sixth Cabinet of Sint Maarten installed following the achievement of constituent country status of Sint Maarten within the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 10 October 2010. The cabinet was a coalition between the National Alliance,the United St. Maarten Party and the Democratic Party.
Jaime Mercelino Saleh is a Dutch Antillean politician and former judge. He was a judge on the Joint Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles from 1974 to 1990 and was its president from 1979. Saleh subsequently served as Governor of the Netherlands Antilles between 1990 and 2002.
Rafael A. Boasman was Prime Minister of Sint Maarten from 24 November 2017 to 15 January 2018. From 20 December 2016 to 15 January 2018,Boasman was also the Minister of Justice. He was also Minister of Healthcare,Social Development,and Labor from 7 September 2015 to 19 November 2015 and Minister of Tourism,Economic Affairs,Transport and Telecommunications from 20 December 2016 to 4 April 2017.
Ajamu Baly is a former Sint Maarten politician currently serving as the second governor of Sint Maarten since 10 October 2022.
