Ernesto Petronia

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Ernesto Petronia
Petronia (1970)
Minister of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles
In office
12 February 1971 – 20 December 1973
Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles
In office
12 December 1969 – 12 February 1971
MonarchQueen Juliana
Preceded byGerald Sprockel [nl] a.i.
Succeeded byRonchi Isa
Personal details
Born
Ernesto Otilio Petronia

(1916-12-14)14 December 1916
Santa Lucia, Willemstad, Curaçao
Died29 December 1993(1993-12-29) (aged 77)
Oranjestad, Aruba
Political partyAruban Patriotic Party (PPA)
Occupationbusinessman and politician

Ernesto Otilio "Netto" Petronia (14 December 1916 – 29 December 1993) was an Curaçao-born Aruban businessman and politician. He served many times as a minister with multiple portfolios, and was Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles from 1969 until 1971.

Biography[edit]

Petronia was born on 14 December 1916 on plantation Santa Lucia near Plantersrust in Curaçao[1][2] which is nowadays part of Willemstad.[3] After elementary school, he became a draughtsman for the civil service, and attended a course in technical drawing.[1] In 1932, he published the novel Venganza di un amigo written in Papiamentu.[2] In 1933, he was transferred to Aruba where he would remain for the rest of his life. On 1 February 1940, he resigned and founded the construction company Petronia & Croes together with his business partner Bonifacio Croes.[1]

In 1951, Petronia was first elected to the island council of Aruba for the Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA).[4] In June 1961, he was appointed Minister of Traffic and Communications in the Netherlands Antilles which had been vacant since 1959.[5] In June 1962, he became Minister with three portfolios: Education, Traffic, and Culture. For a brief period, Petronia had five portfolios when Oscar Henriquez [nl] was appointed lieutenant governor of Aruba.[6] In 1967, he served with a single portfolio as Minister of Education.[1] Even though Petronia had been a Papiamentu author, he would encourage the use of Dutch as Minister of Education in order to increase opportunities for the Antilles.[7]

The 1969 Curaçao uprising resulted in a collapse of the government, and the formation of an ad interim government led by Gerald Sprockel [nl] which would be a place holder until the 1969 elections.[8][6] In November 1969, the Accords of Kralendijk resulted in a coalition government of five parties headed by Petronia.[9] On 12 December 1969, Petronia was installed as Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles.[10] Petronia was the first prime minister of the Antilles of African descent.[6][1]

The Netherlands Antilles faced a high rate of unemployment and a large deficit. Petronia was of the opinion that the islands needed several years of stability, however he doubted whether it could be achieved during his term.[11] In December 1970, a tax increase failed to pass the Estates, and Petronia handed in his resignation.[12] On 12 February 1971, the Isa-Beaujon cabinet was formed,[13] in which Petronia served as Minister of Justice until 20 December 1973.[14][15]

Petronia died on 29 December 1993 in Oranjestad, Aruba, at the age of 77.[16]

Honours and legacy[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Ernesto Otilio Petronia: Van leerling-tekenaar tot hoogste gezagvoeder". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 9 December 1969. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b Aart G. Broek. "Ernesto Petronia: Papiamentstalig prozaïst van het eerste uur". Klasse Oplossingen (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Weg naar Welgelegen z.n., Plantersrust". Curacao Monuments. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Hoeveel zetels en wie zitten er op". Amigoe di Curacao (in Dutch). 5 June 1951. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Willemstad". Nieuw Suriname (in Dutch). 20 May 1961. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "Politieke partijen en verkiezingen". Historia di Aruba (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  7. ^ Wim Rutgers (1996). Beneden en boven de wind (in Dutch). Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij. p. 148. ISBN 90 234 3530 3.
  8. ^ "Sprockel aanvaardt formatie-opdracht". Het Parool (in Dutch). 25 June 1969. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  9. ^ G.J. Cijntje (1999). Electorale instabiliteit op Curaçao (PDF). University of Amsterdam (Thesis) (in Dutch). p. 14.
  10. ^ "Het Koninkrijk heeft twee nieuwe premiers". Het vrije volk (in Dutch). 11 December 1969. Retrieved 13 February 2022. Newspaper is of Thursday, instalment on Friday
  11. ^ "Wij hebben nu een paar jaar rust nodig". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 25 April 1970. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Kabinetscrisis op de Antillen". Trouw (in Dutch). 31 December 1970. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Weer harde lijn op Antillen?". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 9 February 1971. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Ministers in the regering Isa". Amigoe di Curacao (in Dutch). 11 February 1971. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Ministers gaan en ministers komen". Amigoe di Curacao (in Dutch). 20 December 1973. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Ex-premier Ernesto Petronia overleden". Amigoe di Curacao (in Dutch). 30 December 1993. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Curaçao in het jaar 1970". Amigoe di Curacao (in Dutch). 31 December 1970. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Ernesto Petronia". Amigoe (in Dutch). 23 July 1994. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
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