Philipsburg:---Elisabeth Fredericks, who is seeking to be recognized as a Dutch citizen and St. Maartener, met with Mr. Gert Jan Stortelers, Representative of the Netherlands in the Netherlands Antilles (VNP) on Monday, December 22, 2008. The goal of the meeting was to give Ms. Frederick an opportunity to share her story with the Dutch government as well as to make another appeal for full citizenship for herself and her children. The meeting was a very fruitful one. Mr. Stortelers was very gracious, sympathetic and understanding. He sat with us for an hour and a half sifting through a pile of various documents which we presented to him. Among the documents presented were: a copy of the Besluit van February 7, 2003, no. 109 signed by the Representative of the Queen, the Lieutenant Governor of St. Maarten, Franklyn Richards, indicating that Elisabeth was born on St. Maarten on 6 May, 1964 and that her nationality is Nederlandse; a copy of a letter dated February 10, 2003 signed by the Representative of the Queen, the Lieutenant Governor of St. Maarten, Franklyn Richards stating that she was born on St. Maarten on May 6, 1964 and that she has the Dutch Nationality; a copy of a letter dated May 20, 2002 from the Island Council of St. Maarten to the Lieutenant Governor of St. Maarten describing Elisabeth's health condition as critical and asking him to look into the matter with urgency; a copy of a Job letter from the Head of Personnel of the Government of the Island Territory of St. Maarten indicating that she was a civil servant; a copy of a letter from the Anguilla Civil Registry stating that she is not British or Anguillan; copies of her tax declarations at the Inspectorate of Taxes with her crib number; copies of her salary statements as a civil servant; and copies of doctors' letters about her condition and letters from the Voogdijraad/Court of Guardianship of St. Maarten; and several other official documents.
Mr. Stortelers appeared very interested in Elisabeth's case. He agreed that she had a good case which deserved special attention because of her health situation. He wondered how is it the crown could declare one a Dutch Citizen in 2003 and then stateless or unknown in 2oo8, or how it was it possible for a stateless or unknown person to have a crib number? Mr. Stortelers then promised to do everything possible to expedite a resolution to Ms. Fredericks situation. During the meeting he even telephoned the office of the Governor General of the Netherlands Antilles and pledged to consult with the Lieutenant Governor of St. Maarten at the earliest opportunity. He also referred to the "International Treaty on Stateless Persons" of which the Netherlands is a signatory to. He noted that the treaty provides for the granting of travel documents for stateless persons in cases of emergency and special situations.
Elizabeth is very grateful for the opportunity to speak to Mr. Stortelers and she remains very hopeful that she and her children will have an identity by Queen's birthday 2009, if not by Christmas.
