Ernesto Petronia

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.

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 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

Biography

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 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 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

See also

References
  1. "Ernesto Otilio Petronia: Van leerling-tekenaar tot hoogste gezagvoeder". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 9 December 1969. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  2. 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. "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. "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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