The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba

Sheer and Associates has performed background checks in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba for gaming industry suppliers seeking to do business there.  The Netherlands Antilles is a federation of five islands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  Curaçao and Bonaire are in the southern reaches of the Antilles chain of islands; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are in the northern part of the Antilles.  Aruba was part of this federation until 1986 when it gained status apart within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Sint Maarten shares its island with the French Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin.  The closest Netherlands Antilles island to the United States is Sint Maarten; it is about 186 miles from Puerto Rico.

Here’s how the US State Department describes the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba:  

Netherlands Antilles

• Area: 960 sq. km. (597 sq. mi.); more than five times the size of Washington, DC; five islands divided geographically into the Windward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Leeward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curaçao.)
• Cities:  Capital--Willemstad (metropolitan). 

• Islands: Curaçao (pop. 137,094) Sint Maarten (38,959), Bonaire (11,537), Sint Eustatius (2,699), Saba (1,491).  

• Terrain: Generally hilly, volcanic interiors.
 
• Climate: Tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds.

Aruba

• Area: 180 sq. km. (112 sq. mi.). 
• Cities: Capital--Oranjestad. 
• Terrain: Flat with a few hills; scant vegetation.
• Climate: Subtropical.

This is the State Department’s description of the islands’ political structure:

Netherlands Antilles

Since 1945, the federation of the Netherlands Antilles (Curacao, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten), which is a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has been semi-autonomous in most internal affairs.  The Kingdom retains authority over foreign affairs, defense, final judicial review, and "Kingdom matters" including human rights and good governance.  Current political relations between the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba stem from 1954 and are based on the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a voluntary arrangement between the Netherlands, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles.  At the time, the Charter represented an end to colonial relations and the acceptance of a new legal system in which each nation would look after their own interests independently, look after their common interests on the basis of equality and provide each other with mutual assistance.  In 1975, Suriname left the Kingdom's political alliance.   Since 1986, Aruba has had separate status within the Kingdom and is no longer part of the Netherlands Antilles.  The Netherlands Antilles enjoys semi-autonomy on most internal matters and defers to the Kingdom of the Netherlands in matters of defense, foreign policy, final judicial review, human rights, and good governance.
 
The Antilles is governed by a popularly elected unicameral "Staten" (parliament) of 22 members.  It chooses a prime minister (called minister president) and a Council of Ministers, consisting of six to eight other ministers. A governor, who serves a 6-year term, represents the monarch of the Netherlands. Local government is assigned authority independently on each island. Under the direction of a kingdom-appointed island governor, these local governments have a "Bestuurscollege" (administrative body) made up of commissioners who head the separate governmental departments.
 Voters in the Netherlands Antilles have opted to dismantle the Netherlands Antilles and create new structures between the various islands and the Kingdom.  St. Maarten and Curacao have opted for an autonomous country status within the Kingdom similar to Aruba's status.  Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Bonaire have opted for closer ties to the Netherlands.  The target date for implementing these changes is 2010-2011, but it is unclear if the target will be met.

Aruba

Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba has semi-autonomy on most internal affairs with the exception of defense, foreign affairs, final judicial review, and "Kingdom matters" including human rights and good governance. The constitution was enacted in January 1986. Executive power rests with a governor, while a prime minister heads an eight-member Cabinet. The governor is appointed for a 6-year term by the monarch and the prime minister and deputy prime minister are elected by the legislature, or Staten, for 4-year terms. The Staten is made up of 21 members elected by direct, popular vote to serve 4-year terms. Aruba's judicial system, mainly derived from the Dutch system, operates independently of the legislature and the executive. Jurisdiction, including appeal, lies with the Common Court of Justice of Aruba and the Kingdom-level Supreme Court of Justice in the Netherlands.

The political structures of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba present certain challenges for Americans seeking to do business there.  Sheer and Associates’ senior consultants for the Caribbean have years of experience there and are well situated to help our clients navigate the channels of government regulations there.  

The Principal US officials in the federation are Consul General Timothy Dunn and Vice Consul James Hogan.  The US Consulate for Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles is located at J.B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curaçao; tel. 599-9-461-3066, fax: 599-9-461-6489.  It is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm.  The email address is: acscuracao@state.gov


The State Department has issued no Travel Advisories or Warnings for Aruba or the Netherlands Antilles, but does warn about street crime, saying it could be a cause for concern for tourists.

For more on Aruba check http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/22491.htm and for the Netherlands Antilles check http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/22528.htm.