Moises da Costa Gomez
Da Costa Gomez in 1960
1st Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles
In office
18 April 1951 – 15 December 1954 (1951-04-18 – 1954-12-15)
MonarchJuliana
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byEfraïn Jonckheer
Personal details
Born(1907-10-27)27 October 1907
Otrobanda, Curaçao, Curaçao and Dependencies
Died22 November 1966(1966-11-22) (aged 59)
Willemstad, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles
Political partyNational People's Party
SpouseLucina da Costa Gomez

Moises Frumencio da Costa Gomez (27 October 1907 – 22 November 1966) was the president of the first Governing Council of the Netherlands Antilles and the first Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles.[1][2][3]

Biography

Da Costa Gomez was born on 27 October 1907 in Curaçao. At the age of 15, he was given a scholarship to the Netherlands. In 1932, he graduated his law studies at the Radboud University Nijmegen. In 1935, he received his doctorate at the University of Amsterdam.[4]: 194 

Da Costa Gomez was like John Horris Sprockel a member of the Roman Catholic Party. He founded the National People's Party in the 1940s.[5] Da Costa Gomez was president of the first Governing Council (Regeringsraad) at the head of a coalition government with the Aruban People's Party (AVP) from 1951 to 1954,[4]: 196  and is often referred to as the first Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles.[6][7]

His party negotiated full autonomy at the 1954 Roundtable Conference, involving the Netherlands and Suriname.[8] Following the 1954 elections, the Democratic Party took over governing the Netherlands Antilles.[5] Da Costa Gomez remained the leader of the National People's Party; he was succeeded in leadership by Juan Evertsz after his death in 1966.[5]

Da Costa Gomez's doctoral thesis called for self-government and universal suffrage and inspired his followers as well as the Roman Catholic Party.[8] Reforms led by Gomez led to legalization of tambú music parties in 1952.[9] In 1973 a statue of the statesman was unveiled in the center of the Curaçao capital Willemstad.[2]

He is buried in a monument at the Morada Santa in Bottelier.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Amigoe di Curacao : weekblad voor de Curacaosche eilanden". www.delpher.nl (in Dutch). 22 November 1966. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b Caribbean monthly bulletin: Volumes 7-9, 1973
  3. ^ "Staatkundige geschiedenis periode 1". www.nationaalarchief.cw. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  4. ^ a b Gert Oostindie; Emy Maduro (1986). "In het land der overheerser II" (PDF). Verhandelingen van het Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde (in Dutch). Dordrecht: Foris Publications. 100.
  5. ^ a b c Anderson, William A; Russell R Dynes (1975). Social movements, violence, and change: The May Movement in Curaçao. Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press. pp. 50–52. ISBN 0-8142-0240-3.
  6. ^ "Lezing over Mr. Dr. Moises Frumencio Da Costa Gomez". Werkgroep Caraibische Letteren (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Vandaag 55 jaar geleden overleed Doktor". Curacao.nu (in Dutch). 22 November 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  8. ^ a b Modern political culture in the Caribbean by Holger Henke, Fred Reńo, page 386
  9. ^ The 'air of liberty': narratives of the South Atlantic past by Ineke Phaf-Rheinberger, page 124
  10. ^ "Morada Santa - Bottelier". Curacao Cemetery. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
Political offices Preceded byOffice established Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles 1951–1954 Succeeded byEfraïn F. Jonckheer
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