{{Short description|Curaçaoan politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Irene Dick | image = Irene Dick (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = | office = Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport | term_start = 23 December 2013 | term_end = 23 December 2016 | predecessor = Rubia Bitorina <br> Ivar Asjes <small>(acting)</small> | successor = | prime_minister = Ivar Asjes <br> Ben Whiteman | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1949|11|28|df=y}} | birth_place = Willemstad, Curaçao | death_date = | death_place = | party = Sovereign People | alma_mater = | website = }} '''Irene Dick''' (born 28 November 1949) is a Curaçaoan politician. A member of the Sovereign People, she was Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport from 23 December 2013 until 23 December 2016. Dick replaced Ivar Asjes, who held the office while concurrently Prime Minister since the resignation of Rubia Bitorina.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://curacaochronicle.com/politics/irene-dick-sworn-in-today/ |title=Irene Dick Sworn In Today |language=Dutch |publisher= |date=27 December 2013 |accessdate=21 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=govt>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.gobiernu.cw/web/site.nsf/web/A0FFB84870131F6E04257C4A0058CFDD?opendocument |title=Konseho di minister a bai di akuerdo pa nombra sra. Irene Dick komo e minister di enseñansa nobo |language=Papiamento |publisher=Government of Curaçao |date= |accessdate=21 December 2015}}</ref>
==Career== Dick was born on 28 November 1949, in Willemstad.<ref name=govt/> Before her term as Minister she had a career in education and was director of the Fundashon Material pa Skol (FMS).<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.kkc-curacao.com/irene-dick-nieuwe-minister-van-onderwijs/ |title=Irene Dick nieuwe minister van Onderwijs |language=Dutch |publisher=Knipselkrant Curaçao |date=23 December 2013 |accessdate=21 December 2015 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222095934/http://www.kkc-curacao.com/irene-dick-nieuwe-minister-van-onderwijs/ |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
In June 2015, Dick faced criticism from high school students and their parents after raising the possibility of deviating Curaçaoan exam standards from those in the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web|author=Dick Drayer |url=http://nos.nl/artikel/2044534-curacao-wil-nederlandse-exameneisen-loslaten.html |title=Curaçao wil Nederlandse exameneisen loslaten |language=Dutch |publisher=Nederlandse Omroep Stichting |date=1 July 2015 |accessdate=21 December 2015}}</ref> Dick later retracted a letter she had sent to school boards and argued for a national dialogue on education.<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.de-surinaamse-krant.com/2015/07/minister-dick-trekt-haar-omstreden.html |title=Minister Dick trekt haar omstreden brief van 19 juni aan schoolbesturen op Curaçao terug |language=Dutch |publisher=De Surinaamse Krant |date=3 July 2015 |accessdate=21 December 2015 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222154452/http://www.de-surinaamse-krant.com/2015/07/minister-dick-trekt-haar-omstreden.html |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
After the resignation of Asjes, Dick stayed on as Minister during the first two cabinets of Ben Whiteman.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://antilliaansdagblad.com/index.php/nieuws-menu/12548-kabinet-whiteman-ii-beedigd |title=Kabinet Whiteman II beëdigd |language=Dutch |publisher=Antilliaans Dagblad |date= 30 November 2015|accessdate=21 December 2015}}</ref>
Dick was replaced by Elsa Rozendal in the Hensley Koeiman cabinet which was installed on 23 December 2016.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.kkc-curacao.com/pfm-vandaag-benoeming-kabinet-koeiman/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223180248/http://www.kkc-curacao.com/pfm-vandaag-benoeming-kabinet-koeiman/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=23 December 2016 |title=Vandaag benoeming kabinet Koeiman |publisher=Knipselkrant Curaçao |date=23 December 2016 |accessdate=29 December 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dick, Irene}} Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:Government ministers of Curaçao Category:People from Willemstad Category:Sovereign People politicians Category:21st-century Dutch women politicians Category:21st-century Dutch politicians Category:Women government ministers of Curaçao
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