Moises Frumencio da Costa Gomez
| Statue of Doctor Moises Frumencio da Costa Gomez, Willemstad, Curaçao | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 1st Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles | |
| Monarch | Juliana |
| Succeeded by | Efraïn F. Jonckheer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 October 1907 |
| Died | 22 November 1966 (aged 59)[1] |
| Political party | Founder of the National People's Party (PNP/NVP) |
Dr. Moises Frumencio da Costa Gomez (1907–1966) was the first Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles. Da Costa Gomez, a lawyer by training, was a member of the Roman Catholic Party before founding the National People's Party in the 1940s.[2] Da Costa Gomez was Prime Minister at the head of a coalition government with the Aruban People's Party (AVP) from 1951 to 1954. His party negotiated full autonomy at the 1954 Roundtable Conference, involving the Netherlands and Suriname.[3] Following the 1954 elections, the Democratic Party took over governing the Netherlands Antilles.[2] 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.[2]
Da Costa Gomez's doctoral thesis called for self-government and universal suffrage and inspired his followers as well as the Roman Catholic Party.[3] Reforms led by Gomez led to legalization of tambú music parties in 1952.[4] In 1973 a statue of the statesman was unveiled in the center of the Curaçao capital Willemstad.[1]
He is buried in a monument at the Morada Santa (cemetery) in Bottelier.
References
- 1 2 Caribbean monthly bulletin: Volumes 7-9, 1973
- 1 2 3 Anderson, William A; Russell R Dynes (1975). Social movements, violence, and change: The May Movement in Curasao (PDF). Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press. pp. 50–52. ISBN 0-8142-0240-3.
- 1 2 Modern political culture in the Caribbean by Holger Henke, Fred Reńo, page 386
- ↑ The 'air of liberty': narratives of the South Atlantic past by Ineke Phaf-Rheinberger, page 124