Lady Oddjob takes no responsibility

Ministerial culpability

My silence regarding about Lady Oddjob has been shattered to smithereens as news arrives about a situation to which she should have responded, but she has ended up being affected by her inaction.

Last November, an arsonist imprisoned illegal immigrant set fire to his confinements leading to a big fire which apparently the security staff ignored assuming a recurrent altercation leading to the deaths of 11 inmates.

Long before the inquiry had been launched both the Justice Minister (Donner) and the Minister for Integration and Immigration (Mrs Verdonk [Lady Oddjob]) commended the staff of the detention centre for having done all in their power to contain the situation and save life. Covered in Dancing on their warm graves.

At a point, the Major of the locality decided to revoke the certificate of safety and worthiness of that building in order to compel the Justice Minister to assign a safer building for the function of immigrant detention centre; he was overruled with an extraordinary constitutional stature invoked by the Justice Minister.

Ministerial inertia

When an independent inquiry and investigator was appointed, he extracted a promise out of Mrs Verdonk’s ministry to keep the survivors in the Netherlands for at least the duration of the inquiry, unfortunately, some of those witnesses were shipped out of the country before he had adequate access to them, this left the inquiry a bit hamstrung and the investigator quite miffed that he went to the press.

Eventually, in an act of unusual kindness, the remaining survivors were granted leave to stay in the country and the arsonist charged for fire-raising amongst other offences.

Now, another inquiry run by the Dutch Safety Council has released its report on this fateful event with a scathing indictment of the government for not adhering to planning and safety rules, rules which would have limited or prevented the deaths of 11 hapless illegal immigrants.

Ministerial responsibility

Somehow, after the report, the Justice and Housing Ministers felt their positions were untenable, took responsibility for the failings and resigned, so did the Mayor of the locality whose officials had issued the safety permits which he tried to revoke after the event.

Mrs Verdonk whose hard-line immigrant policies makes her the most popular Dutch politician who could be found in the middle of the most embarrassing, scandalous and inhumane policies on immigration exemplified in the revocation and reinstatement of Hirsi Ayaan Ali’s Dutch citizenship and the collapse of the Balkenende II government having refused to resign for her actions, takes the spoils by becoming the Minister for Justice for two months before the elections.

We can safely assume that Mrs Verdonk would never take responsibility for any actions that have taken place under her watch.

What makes this more concerning is that she as Minister of Justice might end up receiving the report that lead to the resignation of her boss, then presiding over the means to respond to its recommendations, a situation from which she must recuse herself having not had the honourable integrity to resign in the wake of a report that from my judgement embroils her in ministerial culpability.

In the end, it appears there is no amount of damage this woman can bring to Dutch politics that can make her responsible for anything such that she can honourably resign, if the polls or political cowardice on the part of Minister-President Jan-Pieter Balkenende are responsible for this; November should give us the fresh air of bolder initiatives from a new government.

No to Balkenende III

Balkenende III must not be conceived

The whole idea that the Queen of the Netherlands has assigned the task of reviving the dead duck government of Jan Pieter Balkenende in a reincarnation that would be known as Balkenende III fills me with uncomfortable dread.

The whole premise of the fall of this government seems to have been lost in some royal prerogative which one thinks should have better exercised in ridding the government of the bale of Mrs Verdonk rather than seeking a view to create a minority government.

If Ruud Lubbers, a former Prime Minister of the erstwhile ruling CDA party, whose most recent public showing was a resignation from a high profile UN posting on alleged charges of sexual harassment should succeed, I would expect the parliament to accede to a vote of no confidence in Balkenende III - We desperately need change, not a stitch-up.

Lacking in judgment and relevance

My primary concern surrounds the general belief in consensus politics in the Netherlands where it is difficult, if not impossible, for politicians who exact greater standards of their electorate to claim responsibility for their faults almost to the point of being unaccountable even though they are quick to earn accolades for “success”.

Mrs Verdonk has at least 6 times had to appear before parliament to explain her actions in the controversial and volatile portfolio of Minister of Integration and Immigration. She has allegedly abused her office and over-reached her remit in ways that have brought serious concerns though difficult to assess objectively because of the populist nature of some of those actions.

However, the simple case for consideration is that this Ms Ayaan Hirsi Ali was inadvertently removed from parliament by someone with ministerial powers but has never been validated by an electorate.

A travesty of Democracy

The government which also has an electoral mandate till May 2007 also allowed itself to fall on a consensus that does not a represent an equality of partnership. Mrs Verdonk is a junior non-elected minister in the Justice Department, no matter how high-profile immigration has become in Europe.

What Mr Jan Pieter Balkenende has allowed is a travesty of democracy by not selecting ministers that can have the magnanimity to assume responsibility and take the rap on the one hand, and by his not having enough leadership acumen and disposition to address the issue in the broader context of our electoral franchise and Mrs Verdonk's insignificance in that respect.

This government is supposed to have a major legislative agenda concerning Afghanistan and the budget, but all that paled into quagmire of the irresolute apology for governance that Balkenende I & Balkenende II have come to represent.

A centre-right government that is soporifically docile, every news item of importance sits in the realms of extremists - they were precariously aided the lurch to intolerance that was becoming evident in the Netherlands.

To imagine that the CDA/VVD partnership can go back to the electorate and be rewarded for this utter lack of sense of occasion and responsibility would be too hurtful to contemplate.

Only one thing would suffice a caretaker government till November when we can really reward these legless leaders with a worthy retirement.

The Dutch government collapses around Mrs Verdonk

Just How?

How can the machinations geared to win the leadership election of a coalition partner in a ruling government through the denying of one citizen her right to citizenship lead to the collapse of a government?

How can the row over the position of a junior minister in the Ministry of Justice bring down a governing coalition in just one day?

How does the unreasonable adherence to rules lead to the situation that we no more have people in rulership?

How can the inordinate desire to safe face override the greater desire to depart for the good of all at large?

A liability that is now liable

Only yesterday, I said that Mrs Verdonk was too much of a liability she had to go, and now rather than go, she has pulled down the government with her, they resign tomorrow, if the Queen accepts the decision.

The D66 Party, a junior member of the governing coalition in the Netherlands insisted yesterday after reviewing the results of the reprieve of Ayaan Hirsi Ali supported the motion of a vote of no confidence in Mrs Verdonk.

Once again the Second Chamber reached détente and did not muster enough votes to make the motion pass.

This is where D66 demanded that for the survival of the government, Mrs Verdonk be sacrificed through her resignation and she would still did not budge – besides, other members of the coalition put their stock behind Mrs Verdonk insisting they stand or fall together.

Whilst immigration arrests the attention of many in Europe it is a second-rank ministerial function in the Netherlands, regardless of the press and controversy it attracts.

She has done it

It is interesting that we feared that if Mrs Verdonk had won the leadership of the Liberal Party she would pull the party out of the governing coalition, well, she has inadvertently done it through her lack of sense of duty and recalcitrance.

This is not person who has the love of the fatherland at heart, rather, it is the unconscionable love of self, she and her supporters should be duly and harshly punished for it.

When the saga of Ayaan Hirsi Ali first arose, a commentator did surmise that Mrs Verdonk might just have ruined the political careers of two women, hers and that of Ms Hirsi Ali – well the ramifications have gone a lot further.

The concern now is, that elections might be called in three months and having been rejected by her party, she might align herself with one of the more right-wing groups or become the flag-bearer of Rita’s bandwagon and go to the people.

The unpredictability of the Dutch in the exercise of their suffrage might just see her emerge as a serious contender, a prospect that would make many weep when the deed is done.

A most welcome collapse anyhow

As for the collapse of this government, whilst the circumstances of the collapse are unfortunate, the collapse itself is very welcome.

Never have the Dutch been so governed by invisible, prickly, faceless, silent and boring people of whom the leader has been compared to a dour and strict Victorian-type gentleman lacking in charm and charisma.

Even more, lacking in leadership, direction, purpose, initiative, innovation or goals; whilst our economy does prosper, it is in autopilot, if they touched anything, things would collapse.

The same leader has now had two of his governments collapse before term because of internal discord that other visionary or lesser leaders might have found simple or maybe legendary solutions to.

Now, they have collapsed, here is to the hope that the Dutch can reclaim their national soul of freedom, tolerance, liberty and fairness – time to go back to the Dutch as we once knew them – we live in interesting times.

Good riddance to Lady Oddjob! Minister of Disintegration (The Government) and Emigration (Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Salomon Kalou) – Well Done!

References

Dutch coalition falls after resignation of D66 ministers

Row brings down Dutch government

The Mrs Verdonk archive

Other issues with the out-going Prime Minister

The Balkenende II government

Verdonk force fed humble pie

Facing a farcical loss of face

The suspense, needless the tension as we waited with bated breath for a result, a verdict, maybe call it a confirmation.

But, it was an about face without the face saving element she was given 6 weeks to conjure up.

Only six weeks ago Ayaan Hirsi Ali was given six weeks to explain why she should remain a Dutch citizen, a situation that lead to her immediate resignation from the Dutch parliament and serious concern amongst the expatriate and immigrant communities.

The Dutch Second Chamber convened an emergency session to debate that decision which was handed down by Mrs Rita Verdonk, the Minister of Immigration and Integration as well as then aspiring to the leadership pf the Liberal party.

The session ran till 3:00AM and Mrs Verdonk was given six weeks to ensure that every legal possibility was explored to ensure that Ms Hirsi Ali retained and remained a Dutch citizen without fail.

We be not fools

Mrs Verdonk milked the whole six weeks of reflection, reconsideration and indecision, during which she also lost the race to lead the Liberal Party - thankfully.

For almost two weeks rumours have been trickling out that this issue would be resolved in Ms Hirsi Ali's favour, however, to pretend that this redress would undo the peripheral damage would be naïve.

It now appears, the face saving formula has included agreeing that Ms Hirsi Ali - using her grandfather's family name, who should have applied with Magan using her father's name was not really untruthful about using either.

Ms Hirsi Ali herself has also offered commentary to exonerate Mrs Verdonk for her faux pas, which has now been rectified by this so-called loophole. This is beginning to bore me.

She lost us the World Cup

This does not get Mrs Verdonk completely out of the hot water because we are still licking our wounds in the aftermath of that record card dealing World Cup match against Portugal.

One of the best football players ever besides Pele in the person of Johann Cruyff has said Mrs Verdonk cannot be completely blameless for our exit in refusing to allow the person of Salomon Kalou to become Dutch and depriving us the football talent that might have made a difference.

In the same vein, she also deprived the Ivory Coast the same football talent in not being decisive about the issue early enough.

Basically, one can argue that Mrs Verdonk is a liability whose brief to promote integration if not patriotic allegiance has only created bad press in the representation of the Dutch to the world at large.

Time to give her a title in appreciation and pension her off.

References

Dutch ex-MP retains citizenship

After all the fuss, Hirsi Ali to keep Dutch citizenship

Hirsi Ali exonerates Verdonk for passport gaffe

Pray for Mrs Verdonk

For all the brickbats Mrs Verdonk receives from all ends, the worst would be if Ivory Coast beats the Netherlands in the World Cup fixture this evening.

Having denied Salomon Kalou the opportunity to play for either the Netherlands or his home country Ivory Coast - we can only hope that she doesn't already have a red card from the god of football. Because then, all sympathy will depart her as the waters are separated from the land in the Netherlands.

Pray for Mrs Verdonk

Lady Oddjob - From Irrevelance to Assimilation

Replacement is not enough

Poor Mrs Verdonk must be wondering what hit her, as the headlines seem to have shifted to more important things than some female running for the leadership of a major coalition partner in the Dutch government.

For all the vituperation and brickbats she has received for the way she has run the Ministry of Integration and Immigration portfolio, one would think any detractor would ask for her to be replaced.

It now transpires that certain people are not so much concerned for the person of the minister but the office of the ministry itself.

In what might be called a laudable example of integrated thinking by an immigrant alderman in Amsterdam; he suggested that better-focused ministries could so easily provide for the services Mrs Verdonk’s ministry provides.

Lost twin of a pair of briefs

Basically, the observation is that Mrs Verdonk has focused so much on immigration to the detriment of integration that she might as well be a second Justice Minister.

This is quite insightful because she has been in cahoots with the Justice ministry on many occasions where immigrant rights have been abused, ignored or overruled or pilloried for populist sake.

It is arguable that the minister needs re-education as to what her brief entails or she has performed to the expectation of making her brief irrelevant to our Dutch polity.

Our Lady Oddjob is definitely now at odds with her brief.

No balance just sway

If the thrust of the ministry has grown lop-sided to favour broadly one side of an intended balance of integrating immigrants, it makes sense that the functions of integration should go to the education or social affairs ministry.

There might be a case for putting immigration in the care of internal affairs whilst the justice ministry provides effective guidance in handling those matters.

Assimilate! Assimilate! Exterminate!

I could not agree more, the lady has polarised the general tasks of her remit as to obviate the need for her ministry, which in some cases has been an influence peddling forum for beating on the unfortunate.

This, one must say is a classic case of total fulfilment – the day immigration and integration brought forth assimilation.

This is just what they want every immigrant to become – assimilated – where better to start than at the ministry itself?

No harsh tongue for Mrs Verdonk

Love Holland, hate Holland

I find that living in the Netherlands excites extreme emotions of love and hate as each day brings interesting review.

Nowhere is that exemplified better than in the antics of the government of the country where populist politicians hold sway as they tinker with the assumed norms of Dutch tolerance proposing incredible hiss-making ideas.

At times, one does wonder if it is worthwhile wasting copy on this stuff, but there comes a time that commentary is needed before the extreme becomes the common.

Pim Fortuyn the populist politician was murdered by another pure Dutch man in 2002 all because questioning tolerance intolerantly creates scope for some to become intolerant to the extent of tolerating themselves the acts of intolerant crime.

That could also be read backwards, where dealing with intolerance in an intolerant way rather than instructively and educationally helps foster more intolerance that shocks a nominally tolerant society.

A language ban of sorts

Two issues excite my commentary, the first being the endorsement of policy that requires Dutch to be spoken in public places by the Minister of Integration and then the nomination of a ethnic minority politician for the Nobel Peace Prize. (topic for another outing).

The first can only be so instructive that one definitely feels utterly fortunate to live in the Netherlands as a full-fledged European citizen with very marketable skills.

I can only wonder how much sleep is lost by the government in trying to think up the next “smart” thing that makes people involuntarily pliant to a state that is looking like a lot worse is about to happen.

We have been getting used to laws in other lands that ban smoking in public places, which can be understandable for social and health issues. Where a law exists, the flaunting of it can exact due legal process leading to sanctions.

Even is the law to ensure that everyone carries a form of identification around on the premise that it stops terrorism; I would even try to research the logic behind that.

Every now and then the police obstruct bicycle paths at night to nab riders who ride without lights at night; they exact fines and cautions which is understandable for safety reasons to protect riders and the public.

Spreek je Nederlands? (Do you speak Dutch?)

The speaking of Dutch in public places is an interesting development in the debate of trying to retain Dutchness in a country overcome with the paranoia of losing their identity to that of immigrants of North African ancestry.

This is followed on with the concept that speaking Dutch automatically confers a congenital infestation of knowing everything Dutch in manner, comportment, societal values and integration.

It makes one wonder where indigenous Dutch criminals and social misfits got it wrong since they probably cannot speak any other language than Dutch.

Language as part of culture

Language does help foster an identity, along with traditions, customs and accepted values of the people. However, I am of the opinion that the Dutch would always be caught up in this paranoia until they have learnt to be glowingly proud of their heritage.

For instance, every summer, I am dressed up in traditional Africa attire for work and it excites interest from everyone as to the origin of the clothes, what they are made of, what occasions warrant the wearing of the clothes and many other points of costume trivia.

I cannot say that I have ever seen any Dutch person in anything typically Dutch, and where that is mentioned, it elicits derisive commentary.

It is therefore no surprise that people adhere to their cultures in Diaspora than adopt host cultures when the host citizens cannot find enough to celebrate of their heritage, history and culture.

Introducing the speech police

Most interestingly, the thought that fills all with trepidation is how to enact a law that forces people to use a particular language in public and how it is enforced through the use of the police when the law is broken.

With the promise of a reward everyone can inform and spy on one another and report on the Openbaar Taal Misbruik Aangifte (Public misuse of language reporting) Internet site – www.Op-ta-mis-an.nl for short.

Better still, declare a war on all other languages and put the country in a state of emergency as a threat to the survival of the Dutch requires every means to call all patriots to arms against the onslaught of other insignificant and culture-busting tongues.

Using your mobile phone you can record the event and MMS it to a toll free number, the national crime-watch television programme can then air the footage to nab the offenders.

It might be that someone speaks out loud in their home in another language and because it is heard on the streets that infringement can bring an unsavoury sanction.

I did not live in either the Nazi times or the McCarthy times of the 1950s in America, but one can only begin to see how this once rather tolerant country is unconscionably being lead down a path of unspeakable restraint in the quest for maintaining their identity.

It probably would mean that no other language can be taught in schools just as the black South Africans only had Afrikaans as their language of instruction in the Apartheid times.

So widely spoken, indeed …

Language can be used as a tool to prevent people from being relevant in any other place than their locality.

As Dutch is so widely spoken in the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles and partly in Indonesia and France with South Africa speaking a variant that is not considered Dutch; it is so tumultuous a requirement for a language spoken by a grand total of 24 million people, with two-thirds in the Netherlands.

If only the language were more forgiving to those who strive to learn it through imperfections and inadequacies, it might probably be more widely spoken. That difficulty probably informs why the only one known pidgin Dutch is Papiamento and that only consists of 25% Dutch.

A seriously difficult tongue

That is most enlightening; but I lament my grasp of the language after almost 6 years of sojourn, and it contrasts sharply with how much I picked up of German in three months of evening lessons in the United Kingdom.

As it happens, this idea which is promoted as a “code of conduct” in Rotterdam by the party gave birth to the likes of Pim Fortuyn is heralded as bastion for the protection of the Dutch psyche.

Innocuous as it seems, it is probably the most sinister abuse of premise and purpose this century.

Pioneers of another misery

We should not forget that the Dutch pioneered the profiteering in slave trade having taken over from the Swedes and left it long before it became popular with other Europeans as the East Indian Company brought cleaner profits from trading in spices.

Pioneering another dastardly set of repugnant ideas which on the surface would make even right-thinking people acquiescent should not come as a surprise of Dutch ingenuity embedded in their heritage.

Mastery of the language is a commendable goal, trying incentive through expressed pride would probably do it better than the coercion that is really aimed at immigrants of no particular means.

If only I could find a harsh tongue for this “code of conduct”, I would not have half expressed myself with greater indignation.