By Perro de Jong
HILVERSUM, The Netherlands (Radio Netherlands Worldwide), March 4, 2008:
To paraphrase Woody Allen, I would like to tell the Dutch Minister for Youth and Family, André Rouvoet, to go forth and multiply. Only not in those exact words.
The reason is that Mr Rouvoet had some harsh things to say recently about Dutch couples. He reproached them for having an average of one point seven child, while the minister won't settle for anything less than two point one children per couple.
Two point one! After a year in which the prospect of fatherhood has seemed more remote to me at times than my chances of winning an Olympic medal in Beijing, that's what I call rubbing it in! I'd be ecstatically happy at this stage with just one point nought child. Heck, I'd even settle for the remaining nought point seven if there weren't too many vital organs missing...
Netherlands Youth and Family Minister André Rouvoet So here's the minister, adding insult to injury by holding me responsible for the end of Dutch life as we know it. Because if we don't have more children, Mr Rouvoet suggests, the growing number of elderly people will soon bring the Netherlands to its knees.
Read on
Copyright Radio Netherlands Worldwide 2008
