Willemstad:--The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba will get 8 million euros for the restoration of monuments and historic buildings. The Aruban Minister of Labor, Culture and Sports, Mr. Ramon Lee, Lieutenant-Governor of Curaçao, Mrs. Lizanne Dindial, Commissioner of Bonaire, Ms. Marugia Janga and the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Mr. Ronald Plasterk, signed the protocols that regulate this in the presence of the Chairman of the National Restoration Fund, Prof. Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven. St. Maarten and St. Eustatius already signed a protocol earlier.
The monumental buildings of olden days remind the inhabitants of the islands as well as tourists from the Netherlands and other parts of the world of the way the rich and complex culture came about. It also helps people understand their origins, who they are and, therefore, also how to continue together.
The Islands are going to designate monuments and historic buildings for protection and the money is intended to help private owners and foundations with the financing of often expensive restorations of monuments and historic buildings. To that end, they can get a loan with low interest with which the financial burden of the restoration can be mitigated. The redemption of the loans will be used again to provide other owners with loans, due to which a continuous flow of money for the preservation of monuments and historic buildings in the Antilles gets into stride.
The Islands can ask for support from the National Agency for Cultural Heritage and the National Restoration Fund. Although by no means all monuments and historic buildings can be restored with this money, it is an important step in giving the preservation of monuments and historic buildings in the Antilles and Aruba a strong stimulus.
