Today Newspaper St. Maarten

Emerencia considers legal action against Brinkman

KRALENDIJK, Bonaire — The Lieutenant Governor of public entity Bonaire, Lydia Emerencia, considers taking legal action against Dutch MP Hero Brinkman for the criticism he directed at her. Brinkman, currently an independent MP and leader of the newly formed DPK-party said the collection of support declarations for the party on Bonaire was not to his satisfaction. He told the Volkskrant that the politicians on the islands are corrupt and accused Emerencia of abuse of power. Brinkman also claimed that local civil servants did not understand the procedures for the elections and that they had not taken the matter seriously..

Ron de Haan from Netherlands Local and Anand Soekhoe from the Anti Europe Party also collected a list of candidates and support declarations on Bonaire; they attended the session of the Central Polling Station for the validity of the submitted lists of candidates on Bonaire. Both publicly distanced themselves from Brinkman’s statements. De Haan even thanked Emerencia for the state of affairs within Constituency 20.

People also query how Brinkman’s party obtained signatures on Bonaire. Contrary to expectations that the majority of the signatures would come from European Dutch citizens residing on the island, this does not appear to be the case. Many locals had placed their signature. Many appeared uninformed as to why they were called to sign for the party.

According to Silvain Jonkergouw, the number five candidate on Brinkman’s list said this is not necessary because they don’t have to vote for the party. Jonkergouw was threatened when he left Bonaire and later misbehaved on the KLM-flight to Schiphol.