New website and logo Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba

August 16, 2010 12:41 PM

The Honorable Madam Judge mrs. Lisbeth Hoefdraad, president of the Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, on August 13, 2010 presented not only a new judge to her Court, but the website and new logo of the Court as well.

The scoop was reserved to the Court House in Sint Maarten, where the Court was in solemn session for the presentation of mr. drs. Cornelis (Koen) Luijks as new member of the Court.

President mme.mr. Hoefdraad in her usual sermon referred to the fact that on July 3, 2010 the Rijkswet Gemeenschappelijk Hof van Justitie was adopted by the Senate of the States-General in the Netherlands. It is to be expected that the law will take effect on October 10, 2010, and as such will mark the realization of the ‘new Court’.

Mme.Mr. Hoefdraad pointed out two major developments, being the institution of an executive board for the Court of Justice, as well as the institution of a management board, the so called ‘Beheerraad’. She also recounted of the many efforts endeavored by the staff to effectuate a modern organization.

The President in her speech proudly presented the most recent accomplishments of the Court, namely the website of the Court of Justice, registered under domain name www.gemhofvanjustitie.org , and the new logo of the Court. The classic stationary with the escutcheons of both the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba has been replaced by a new logo, in which the countries and islands that will be served by this Court are represented in an innovative way. In lieu of the two escutcheons, the logo comprises six light blue colored squares, each containing one of the six islands that are part of the Kingdom. The squares are organized in two rows of three: on the top row the windward islands, and beneath, on the bottom row, the leeward islands. This logo expresses the fact that the Court of Justice is entrusted with the jurisdiction in the Caribbean territory of the Kingdom.

The Honorable Madam President mr. Hoefdraad in her final words quoted the text on the autonomy memorial in Curaçao bearing the words: Steunend op eigen kracht, doch met de wil elkander bij te staan. As the countries will become more autonomous, these words will yet not expire. She emphasized that, as a matter of fact, they will become of fundamental importance: the want and need to support one another will remain, and are the fundaments of the communality of our jurisdiction.

16 August, 2010