WILLEMSTAD – Yvonne Wolthuis-Olf, chair of the environmental association Hende-i-Medio-Ambiente, has written a formal letter to the new Dutch Minister of the Interior, Frank Rijkaart, raising concerns over the political involvement of a Dutch civil servant stationed in Curaçao.

The letter questions how it is possible that Shanna Schilder, who works for the Ministry of Governance, Planning and Service (BPD) on Curaçao, is listed as candidate number three for the Partij voor de Vrijheid (PVV) in the Netherlands. Wolthuis-Olf emphasized that the PVV has “expressed itself in very explicit, hateful, and polarizing ways toward immigrants and non-Western foreigners.”

“Understandably, we in Curaçao feel directly affected by this,” Wolthuis-Olf wrote. She explained that in recent weeks she has consulted extensively with her organization’s membership, after which the board decided to formally request clarification from The Hague.

In her letter, Wolthuis-Olf posed three direct questions to Minister Rijkaart:

Is this individual indeed employed by the Dutch government?

If so, how can this be justified?

If not, does this not amount to an irregularity in the democratic process?

The issue touches on both political integrity and the sensitive relationship between Dutch civil servants and local governance in Curaçao, particularly when those officials are linked to parties known for controversial stances on migration and diversity.

The Ministry of the Interior has not yet issued a public response to the letter.