YOUR EXCELLENCIES
MEMBERS OF THE ISLAND AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
ONE of the giants of the last century undoubtedly was Pope John Paul II. His message was “BE NOT AFRAID”, and that same message I have for the people of Saba today:”Be not afraid.” Change has come but we are accustomed to change and will take the new challenge on as we always have.
I have travelled long and far to reach this moment. On October 10th, 1960, today fifty years ago, I started working in the old Courthouse in Philipsburg for the Government of the Netherlands Antilles. I later worked on Curacao at the Tax Department and also for a short while on St. Eustatius in the Post Office .I have travelled the Caribbean from Trinidad to Cuba and back and most every island in between. I know the history of each of the islands of the Caribbean. In my own way I have tried to contribute to the history of the Dutch islands in the Caribbean.
The six Caribbean Dutch islands were brought together as a political unit in 1845. Before that time Saba functioned on her own and at times occupied by the French and the British, but always on our own here at home. After 1845 there was a Governor on Curacao with power over the other islands, but they were mainly left alone and run by their own people. In the period from 1870 to 1920 the Governor on Curacao only visited this island on three occasions. In those days Saba had close to 2500 people living here. In 1908 when my mother was born there were 78 births on the island, and the 156 parents were all born on Saba going back 11 or twelve generations.
“ Those were years of suspicion and guilt. Years of ferment. Years when hardship and scarcity, the common denominator, attempted to reweave the fabric of human decency through equality. On a small island this process is different from a large territory. New bonds were established through the mingling of blood. Deep wounds were soothed. Years when the “force” was withdrawn, suspended, waiting, with everyone simply struggling to survive.
These were the years when Saba was un-exploitable, unwanted and forgotten by all save those who stayed, or had left families behind while they sought work on the high seas and in the cane fields, or oil fields or construction sites in other lands. For those who remained on Saba this period here was peaceful, even though two world wars were fought across the ocean. The land produced according to scripture, by the sweat of our brows. This was the slow period when an island traps you, when its particularity subtly affects and moulds you; when the fugue of rippling sunlight and sea-surge transforms monotony into dreams of paradise. After one hundred years of solitude and waiting, the shock and surprise was astonishing as island eyes beheld the first airplane landing on the hand carved landing strip at Flat Point. The new force to dominate the West Indies had arrived here on Saba. And in that shattering moment the world, our small island world, changed….again.”
During the years 1951 to 1983 Saba was placed together with St. Maarten and St. Eustatius in one Island Territory. We fought for change and when change came it benefited the people of Saba even as this change will. There are those in the West Indies who refer to the Hong Kong, or the Singapore model as a formula for success. The secret of their success and that of the Netherlands is pure and simple. It is HARD WORK. If Sabans work hard they will succeed under any change whether it be under Holland or as an independent state in the future. Now that Saba once again stands alone with Holland, not as a Master but as a partner, we must continue to work hard if we are to survive here on our beloved little island sanctuary.
As for the Netherlands Antilles, let us now part in peace. History will judge those who failed to keep the islands together. When Tim Hector the opposition leader on Antigua was buried George Odlum of St. Lucia in his eloquent eulogy asked the people of Antigua: “Where were you when they burned down Tim Hector’s house? Where were you when they murdered his wife? Where were you when they sabotaged his newspaper?” George Odlum asked the people of Antigua to go to confession and ask “Where was I when they crucified Tim Hector?” I ask all of those who have held high office in the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands Antilles where were you when the small islands needed you? When you held high office in sacred trust for the people of the islands did you carry out your duty to be Minister of all the islands and not only for your voting district? That “all alone” feeling which our islanders must have had when in fifty years the Governor from Curacao only visited three times, I also had as an Executive for many years of this island. When Saba needed help I was always referred to the Netherlands. Well today the Netherlands is here with us and we are not alone. Let us move on with no remorse and no regret to our new status and embrace the change we are now experiencing. BE NOT AFRAID!
I cannot end without acknowledging the great work done by State Secretary Mrs. Ank Bijleveld Schouten. My friend Commissioner Julian Woodley declared her woman of the year. I wish to add a few years on to that and declare her Woman of the Decade and thank her for all the work done to bring about this change. As she moves on to her new position as Queens Commissioner we wish her strength and blessings. Today I too am without a job, but as in so many cases in the past when I TRIED to retire to a quiet life, the Dutch Government has called me back to service as one of the Members of the Governing Board of the New Pension Fund with a capital of 200 million dollars and 4000 members.
Dames en Heren,
Mijn oprechte dank aan iedereen die zo hard gewerkt hebben aan deze constitutionele veranderingen. Ook aan de Heer Henk Kamp, nu weer Minister Kamp. Zijn taak hier in de BES eilanden was niet gemakkelijk en hij heeft onnodig zwaar politieke weer moeten verduren. Ik wil een oprechte woord van dank aan Minister Kamp zeggen en Moge God hem en de bevolking van Nederland zegenen.
LONG LIVE HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
Thank you very much
Will Johnson
Saba 10-10-10
.
The Saba Islander 