Ben Komproe
Encyclopedia
Benard Komproe was Minister of Justice for the Netherlands Antilles
. He also served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles for a few months in 2003.
Komproe was a member of the local party Frente Obrero Liberashon 30 di Mei (FOL), and was fifth on the ballot for the 5 May 2003 national elections. When party leader Anthony Godett was blocked from being appointed formateur (person responsible for forming the cabinet, see Elections in the Netherlands Antilles
) because of a police investigation, Komproe was appointed instead. For the same reason, Komproe was named Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles from 22 July until 11 August 2003. After that, he was replaced by Mirna Godett, and became Minister of Justice.
As Minister of Justice, Komproe attempted to order the local authorities to cease investigating his brother Hedwig Komproe. Additionally, he tried to have Attorney General Dick Piar fired. When word finally got out that he had abused his position to help keep fellow party member Nelson Monte out of prison, the Netherlands Antillean parliament forced Komproe to step down, leading to the fall of the Godett Cabinet.
After his resignation, a judicial investigation was started on Komproe's tenure as a minister. The investigation included what went on at an open-air brothel Campo Alegre
. Komproe was alleged to have given out signed letters, basically to allow dozens of prostitutes from Colombia
and the Dominican Republic
to reside on Curaçao
. He was said to have plans to process each prostitute's permit of residence personally, and to have ordered a special stamp just for this purpose. In July 2004, a judge determined that Komproe was not authorized to issue letters of that nature. Additionally, Komproe did favors for Giovanni van Ierland, the incarcerated owner of the brothel.
In September 2004, Komproe was to be on the Curaçao Island Council for the FOL. However, he was arrested on 6 September 2004, and charged with corruption
, fraud
, and membership of a criminal organisation. On 24 September his imprisonment was delayed, because he had had a severe stomach operation a few days before. He never regained consciousness after his operation and died at age 61.
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
. He also served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles for a few months in 2003.
Komproe was a member of the local party Frente Obrero Liberashon 30 di Mei (FOL), and was fifth on the ballot for the 5 May 2003 national elections. When party leader Anthony Godett was blocked from being appointed formateur (person responsible for forming the cabinet, see Elections in the Netherlands Antilles
Elections in the Netherlands Antilles
Elections in the Netherlands Antilles gives information on election and election results of the estates of the former Netherlands Antilles.The Netherlands Antilles had a multi-party system, with numerous parties in which no one party often had a chance of gaining power alone, and parties had to...
) because of a police investigation, Komproe was appointed instead. For the same reason, Komproe was named Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles from 22 July until 11 August 2003. After that, he was replaced by Mirna Godett, and became Minister of Justice.
As Minister of Justice, Komproe attempted to order the local authorities to cease investigating his brother Hedwig Komproe. Additionally, he tried to have Attorney General Dick Piar fired. When word finally got out that he had abused his position to help keep fellow party member Nelson Monte out of prison, the Netherlands Antillean parliament forced Komproe to step down, leading to the fall of the Godett Cabinet.
After his resignation, a judicial investigation was started on Komproe's tenure as a minister. The investigation included what went on at an open-air brothel Campo Alegre
Campo Alegre
Campo Alegre may refer to:*Campo Alegre, Oporto, a parish in Oporto, Portugal.*Campo Alegre, Alagoas, a Brazilian city in the state of Alagoas*Campo Alegre, Puerto Rico, a space for farmers' market in the District of Santurce...
. Komproe was alleged to have given out signed letters, basically to allow dozens of prostitutes from Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
to reside on Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. He was said to have plans to process each prostitute's permit of residence personally, and to have ordered a special stamp just for this purpose. In July 2004, a judge determined that Komproe was not authorized to issue letters of that nature. Additionally, Komproe did favors for Giovanni van Ierland, the incarcerated owner of the brothel.
In September 2004, Komproe was to be on the Curaçao Island Council for the FOL. However, he was arrested on 6 September 2004, and charged with corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
, fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
, and membership of a criminal organisation. On 24 September his imprisonment was delayed, because he had had a severe stomach operation a few days before. He never regained consciousness after his operation and died at age 61.