Monday, May 05, 2008

Bonaire’s Captain Don Stewart Receives Award as Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau

The Order of Orange-Nassau (Dutch: Orde van Oranje-Nassau) is a military and civil order of merit created in 1892 on behalf of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. Today, the Orange-Nassau is still the most active military and civil decoration of the Netherlands. The Order is typically awarded each year on the Queen’s official birthday when appointments to the Order are made public.

Recently, Captain Don Stewart was given the title of Knight (Dutch:  Ridder) within the Order.  Bestowing this honor upon Don was Bonaire’s Lt. Governor, Herbert Domacasse.  The badge of the Order is a blue-enameled and white enamel-bordered Maltese Cross in silver for knights and members. The central disc has the lion from the Dutch coat of arms of the Netherlands in gold and blue enamel, surrounded by a white enamel ring bearing the Dutch national motto:  I will stand fast (Dutch:  Ik zal handhaven).  A crown tops the badge. The civil insignia has a wreath of laurel between the arms of the cross. The badge is attached to a ribbon, which is orange with white and blue border stripes.

At the same time, four other prominent persons from Bonaire received membership (Dutch:  Lid) within the Order:  Sara Ann Matera, Ignacia Monica Bernabela (Sur Virginia), Margaritha Flora Martis-Frans, and Rignaldo Timp.  (Source:  Bonaire Insider)