Today’s report about the continued problems St. Maarteners who fled to the Netherlands in the aftermath of monster Hurricane Irma face to become full-fledged residents is disconcerting, to say the least. Five of the group of 19 staying at a temporary shelter in Haarlem were finally allowed to register, only to be told they still couldn’t apply for social services.
The mayor’s office claims the two adults and three children were placed in the civil registry by accident but that does not automatically mean one qualifies for welfare. The spokesperson went as far as suggesting these persons should return to the island unless they can provide for themselves.
Four others were registered earlier, reportedly because they did the latter and arranged housing with friends or relatives. Also in Leiden there are similar issues, while that doesn’t seem to be the case for most other cities.
These apparent inconsistencies certainly raise questions, never mind the fact that it regards Dutch passport holders. While perhaps not refugees in the strict sense of the term, these are homeless nationals who were forced to evacuate due to the extremely catastrophic impact of a major natural disaster within the kingdom.
The National Ombudsman is now thankfully seeking answers from the Government in The Hague. It seems obvious from his statements that no such restrictions may be placed on Dutch Caribbean citizens wanting to reside in the Netherlands.
It’s high time the municipal authorities concerned are overruled in this matter once and for all.
