Holland and the Antilles Sign Agreement to Restructure the Antilles

The Dutch government and the Netherlands Antilles have signed a long-awaited agreement granting the Caribbean territories of Curacao and St. Maarten autonomy, and giving smaller islands in the group the status of Dutch municipalities, officials said Friday.

The Netherlands Antilles — which includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten — has been a self-governing territory since 1954, deferring only the issues of foreign policy and defense to the Netherlands.  However, the smaller territories have complained they are underfunded and overlooked by the Antillean government, based in Curacao’s capital of Willemstad. The larger territories argue they are economically viable to stand alone.  For more information, click here.  (Source:  International Herald Tribune/Europe)

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