The Hague- Chairman of the Kingdom Relations Committe, Prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven, State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops and the ministers plenipotentiary of Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten Anthony Begina, Eddy Paris (plv) and René Volenius were the first ones to receive the book ‘Kingdom on eggshells’.

The simultaneous dissolution of the country of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010, the founding of the new countries of Curaçao and St. Maarten and the incorporation of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba as special municipalities in the Netherlands was a unique operation. But did it also bring what was hoped? Has the Kingdom of the Netherlands really started to function better? Have citizens – especially those in the Caribbean parts – improved? And have the new relationships had a positive effect on the atmosphere between the administrators?

Fifty leading figures – including eight current and former prime ministers – representatives of the people and professional followers of the Kingdom on both sides of the ocean have answered these questions on the occasion of 10 years 10-10-10. They jave done so at the invitation of emeritus professor Prof. Joop van den Berg and former parliamentary reporter René Zwart who bundled the contributions under the title ‘Kingdom on eggshells’. The foreword is by the chairman of the Kingdom Relations Committee Prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven.

The persons interviewed tell how they personally experienced the process, why they -whether or not disappointed with the result- continue to believe in the kingdom ties or why they think it is time for the Kingdom to be overhauled again.

If, after reading all contributions, one conclusion rises above the rest, it is that the inhabitants of Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba deserve a better Kingdom.

More than just a look back at 10 years 10-10-10, ‘Kingdom on eggshells’ is primarily a lesson from which those who have an influence on the relationships in the Kingdom.

The book (in Dutch) can be downloaded for free through the following link:

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