Let’s do the math

The recent announcement that St. Martin (South) has been “awarded US$5,351,132” as a grant by the Kingdom of the Netherlands to execute its so-called “National Action Agenda on the Slavery past” has been met with quite some hoopla by some and derision by others. Those who are elated about it focus on the amount being a grant (read “free money”) and that it is “substantial”. On the other hand, those who consider it a pittance and therefore an insult are yet to indicate how much will be “reasonable.”

Obviously, the Dutch government did not pluck the figure out of the sky. It was based on proposals submitted by St. Martin, prompted by the so-called Dutch National Action Agenda

In 2022, in the build up to the 160th Anniversary of the Dutch Emancipation Proclamation, Prime Minister Mark Rutte offered an official “apology” on behalf of the Dutch government for its participation in the evil system of Slavery and acknowledged that it is a “crime against humanity.” He announced a fund of €200 million destined for the following purposes:

1. Increasing knowledge and raising awareness about the role of the Netherlands in the history of Slavery and its effects on society today.

2. Acknowledging and commemorating the history of Slavery

3. Modern-day effects of the history of Slavery and coming to terms with the past.

According to the official website of the Dutch government, half of the €200 million fund is reserved for financing research, facilitating name changes, preserving cultural heritage and increasing efforts to combat discrimination and racism, which reports indicate are systemic in the Netherlands.

The other half of the fund “will be used to provide grants for community-based initiatives so that people can make a contribution individually and collectively to learning about, acknowledging and coming to terms with the past.”

All of this in the context of the official apology not only of the government but also of the monarchy with King Willem-Alexander himself offering the apology.

However, the Dutch apology clearly rejected the idea of Reparations. The €200 million fund could therefore be seen not as part of any Reparatory Justice but more like a “hush money” to keep us from clamoring for Reparations.

The Dutch government position not to entertain any discussion about Reparations makes its apology ring false. It is highly inconceivable today that one would acknowledge committing a crime against humanity and refuse to even discuss repairing the damage done. The whole apology becomes rather fake if we were to consider that around the same time it was made, official internal communication in the Dutch Foreign Ministry referred to African nations as “monkey countries.”

Clearly, therefore, the “apology” and the fund were calculated maneuvers to forestall any serious attempt at tabling the issue of Reparations. Why? Simply because the Dutch have done the math and know that the bill for Reparations would run into trillions of euros.

Contrary to what some anti-Reparations politicians and their surrogates may want us to believe, the calculation is not that difficult. We know, for instance, how much each slave-owner was paid at Emancipation for the loss of each of their “property”. In Surinam it was 300 guilders for each enslaved person who was still alive on July 1, 1863. In Curacao, it was 200 guilders and in St. Martin (South) it was 100 guilders. The value of 100 guilders in today’s money has been put at US$6,000.

That amount paid out to the slave owners by the state is obviously a compensation that can be likened to an insurance claim, never mind the fact that the state was not an insurance company!

Now fast forward to 2025 and the “grant” of US$5,351,132 our government is expected to receive for nine projects that include: the development of a national curriculum for the teaching of the “history of Sint Maarten,” monument remapping with digital infrastructure, the restoration and enhancement of historical sites, and measures to ensure the preservation of key monuments.

In addition, the grant will be used for the transformation of the Philipsburg Cultural and Community Center, the launch of a Heritage Scholarship Program and genealogical research.

The grant will be disbursed over a four year period starting from this year. A similar amount has been allocated to non-governmental organizations or NGOs.

These projects are obviously needed and laudable but the amount allocated for them is at best laughable. Considering that eight years after Hurricane Irma, we still have not rebuilt the Library; we still do not have a Museum to speak of, and we still have at least two schools that are yet to be reconstructed, US$5.3 million over four years for nine projects doesn’t sound like anything but a cheap way to appease Dutch conscience over their active and very profitable involvement in the evil and barbaric system of chattel Slavery.

The amount also pales in comparison with the US$26.8 million the NRPB has approved from the Trust Fund to rebuild the Library and two schools. Besides, the Dutch have set aside €27 million for the construction of a Slavery museum in The Netherlands where, by the way, there was no Slavery at all as it was illegal there.

But then, some people would argue, why not take the money, after all it’s free?

It is an argument that resonates with our cash-strapped government which has declared that it is not concerned with Reparations or Reparatory Justice. Why then send a delegation to CARIFESTA where one of the main discussions will be centered on this issue? But, that’s a different conversation.

It gets even more questionable seeing that Aruba and Surinam reportedly declined the Dutch offer. Wouldn’t it have been more effective if ALL the former islands of the Netherlands Antilles had teamed up with Surinam to reject this “indecent proposal” not only as a sign of unity and solidarity but also as an expression of historical consciousness?

The question now is, have we sold out the global Reparations Movement for such few pieces of silver? Are we OK with accepting this “hush money” and forever remain silent about Reparatory Justice as outlined in CARICOM’s Reparations Commission’s Ten Point Plan?

I’m looking forward to your answers.

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