ORANJESTAD – The Special Municipality of the Netherlands, Statia, celebrated Statia Day last Friday. How do locals feel about the holiday since the Netherlands took over governing the island at the beginning of the year?
By Tim van Dijk (English subtitles)
The Netherlands took over the governing of Statia back in January due to a disastrous research report. The report noted that there was major financial mismanagement, nepotism, threats, tyranny, discrimination, intimidation, and arbitrariness all happening on the island.
Statia Day
The national holiday is celebrated every year on the 16th of November with different cultural activities on the island. On this day in 1776, a ship sailing un the flag of the United States of America was saluted. Statia thus became the first country in the world to recognize the newly independent United States of America.