Former Dutch Caribbean Rep Hato: "Empathy and Equity are missing from the relationship"

NETHERLANDS--In a wide-ranging interview on The Night of Caribbean Network with host Guilliano Payne in the Netherlands, Edson Hato, who served as the Representative of the Netherlands for Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten, offered a personal reflection on his time in office, the challenges of post-colonial governance, and the untapped potential of the Dutch Caribbean islands.

Describing his former role as a kind of ambassador within the Kingdom, Hato explained that the position required him to act as the eyes and ears of the Dutch Cabinet on the three autonomous islands. The representative’s job includes not only relaying relevant developments but also working closely with local governments to find common ground on key issues and policy areas.

“The Kingdom Charter, or Statuut, is essentially the constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,” Hato said. “It takes precedence over local laws and defines the division of responsibilities, foreign affairs, defense, and certain other matters are managed by the Netherlands, while domestic governance is in the hands of the countries themselves.” He added that many people are unaware that citizens of the islands carry Dutch passports and are full Dutch nationals.

Hato’s appointment followed years of experience in the commercial and banking sectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia. Having left Curaçao at 19 to study abroad, he returned after 32 years with the intention of using his skills to contribute to the development of the region. He viewed the role as an opportunity to help drive change, especially given the existence of a national growth fund that the Netherlands had established to invest in its Caribbean territories.

However, Hato quickly came to see that the islands’ economic challenges were deeper and more structural than investment alone could solve. He raised concerns about the overreliance on tourism, particularly in Curaçao, and the lack of economic diversification. “Tourism is important, but it is a fragile sector,” he said. “It is highly vulnerable to global shocks. A single eruption, whether economic, environmental, or political, can devastate the entire industry.”

He also pointed out that while tourism has been booming, Curaçao alone reportedly needs 7,000 new workers in the sector, the local population is not always the one benefiting. “Wages remain low, and in many places, like popular tourist areas, you often see mostly European Dutch staff. There’s a sense that local people are being left out. It’s not about discrimination, it’s about ensuring that opportunities are created for the people who live here.”

Hato emphasized that a real shift in mindset is needed among both investors and policymakers. “We need to invest in local capacity. Entrepreneurs must be willing to train and employ locals. That may come with risk and cost, but it’s necessary if we want long-term, inclusive growth.”

He also criticized the narrow focus of the tourism product, which he believes caters too heavily to Dutch visitors, alienating tourists from other key markets like the United States, Germany, Brazil, and Colombia. “If we want to grow, we have to diversify, not just economically, but culturally. Different tourists expect different things, and we have to be ready to meet them.”

Curaçao, Hato argued, has immense untapped potential, especially in sectors like renewable energy and telecommunications. He highlighted the island’s history as a communications hub and its geographic position for wind energy development. “There are great opportunities here,” he said, “but they must benefit the communities who live and work on the islands, not just foreign investors.”

Throughout the interview, Hato returned to the theme of partnership, and the need to rethink the current dynamics between the Caribbean countries and the Netherlands. “The Charter should be a foundation for the relationship, not a constraint. We, the countries, should be shaping how this relationship functions. If the Netherlands doesn’t truly understand the legacy of slavery, colonization, and what that means for these communities, it’s very hard to build mutual respect.”

He expressed concern that, too often, governance and aid are driven by algorithms, agreements, and legal technicalities, with little space for empathy or historical awareness. “If those in The Hague don’t engage with where we come from, then no matter how many conferences or signed accords we have, we’ll still be speaking past each other.”

After 19 months in the role, Hato made the decision to step down, citing limited ability to create real impact. “If you find that your vision is not achievable in the structure you’re in, then you have to take responsibility and step back. For me, that moment came.”

Despite the challenges, he described the experience as deeply valuable and reaffirmed his belief that the islands have everything they need to succeed, if given the trust and freedom to lead. “We’re small, but we’ve always had the capacity to be great. We just need to believe it again, and be allowed to act on it.”

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