St Maarten mourns passing of historian Alfonso Blijden
The Council of Ministers in St Maarten has extended condolences to the family and friends of historian Alfonso Blijden. He passed away on May 27.
The Government of St Maarten says Blijden was born in 1964 in Aruba before making St Maarten his home in 1985. He was a valued civil servant from 1987 to the present, making a difference in the lives of all who met and interacted with him.
The government says Blijden will always be remembered as hard-working, dedicated, and committed to learning and sharing the history of St Martin.
He began his career in government as an Archive Officer in 1987, under the leadership of the late Louis Duzanson, who ignited a passion for archiving and history in him.
Blijden continued to develop his career in government as a very knowledgeable and dedicated civil servant earning his bachelor's degree in Public Administration in 2007.
As an expert in his field, he transitioned towards Senior Archive Officer and Application Manager for the Department of Records and Information Management (DIV) in 2013, a position he had a passion for up to his passing.
Having developed a true passion for history, Blijden served the government of St Maarten for the past 35-plus years.
Colleagues of Blijden describe him as an outstanding civil servant with a passion for history and culture.
He became a member of the UNESCO Memory of the World Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean from 2015 to 2019. He was an active member of the National Monument Council, as well as many other local organisations until his passing.
“On behalf of the Government and people of St Maarten, we extend most profound condolences to his wife, Mrs Blijden, his two daughters, family and friends. The Department of Records and Information Management (DIV) and, by extension St Maarten has lost a master historian and researcher with a drive to know more about our history.
Mr Blijden laid the groundwork for most of our archives as he also discovered and recorded information. His contributions and legacy will continue to live for years," stated Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.
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