The deceased (front) with spouse and two sons
WILLEMSTAD--Ernest “Jacky” Voges passed away at the age of 92 in Curaçao on Tuesday morning. The owner/director of the Amigoe newspaper and publishing company leaves behind his wife Maytje, sons Robert and Michael, grandchildren Robert, Carola, Steven and Celia plus great-grandchildren Tanner and Jameson.
Jacky, whose family has roots in the Windward Islands, held several political functions including Island Council member and Commissioner of Curaçao, as well as Minister of Public Health, of Traffic & Transport and of Justice plus vice-prime minister of the former Netherlands Antilles. He was also advisor to the Executive Council, acting head of “Dienst Arbeidszorg, director of “Woningbouw” and of Social Affairs.
From 1982 to 1996 Voges served director of Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA) and the island’s first mega cruise pier was later named after him. He received the royal decoration Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion and a Silver Carnation from Prince Bernhard, mostly for his work as long-time chairman of the Monument Care Foundation.
Jacky had completed the Higher Technical School in the Netherlands and later obtained his law degree, became scientific collaborator of “Hogeschool van de Nederlandse Antillen” and subsequently dean and (extraordinary) professor at the Law Faculty of what had then grown into the University of the Netherlands Antilles (UNA). He served as member of the International Advisory Council of Florida International University (FIU) too.
Voges occupied several other functions over the years, like board member of Sababank Resources, president of business association VBC and the first chair of Unique Curaçao Foundation.
