Moises Frumencio da Costa Gomez
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]
References