Philipsburg: --- Some 46 persons mostly children were given their decree of the Dutch nationality on Tuesday at the 5th naturalization ceremony held this year. Presenting the decrees was Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards who urged the new Dutch citizens to join the other Dutch citizens in building country St. Maarten.
The 46 persons who received their Dutch nationality on Kingdom Day came from 11 different countries, namely the Dominican Republic, Haiti, China, Guyana, Dominica, St. Kitts, Jamaica, India, Suriname, Venezuela, and the United States of America.
Of the 46 persons, three of them opted to use the declaration of solidarity process.
Richards said 26 of the recipients were born on St. Maarten and are under the age of 10-years.
Richards in his address to the recipients said that since last year it became mandatory procedure before anyone can obtain the Dutch Nationality. He said that as of December 2008 some 249 persons obtained their Dutch nationality during the naturalization ceremonies held on St. Maarten. Richards said the naturalization process and the laws have been amended to make the naturalization ceremony mandatory.