THE HAGUE – 

Former mayor of The Hague Ad Havermans died on Tuesday at the age of 87 after a period of illness, the municipality of The Hague reported on Thursday. Havermans was mayor of the royal city from 1985 to 1996, at a time when the city was struggling with major financial problems.

According to the municipality, Havermans was known as a “connection and administrator in heart and soul”, who championed solving the financial problems but “never came to the fore” himself. He committed himself to the Haaglanden Urban District, the predecessor of the Metropolitan Region, and had an important role in the establishment of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the ICTY ICTY at that time in the city.

Havermans was chairman of the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) from 1987 to 1994, after which he became honorary chairman. He was still active after his tenure. In 2010, for example, as chairman of the committee, he completed an investigation into the controversial sale of an Arnhem police station in 1998.

“He stood for a city where everyone is heard. And everyone feels at home. Ad Havermans is and remains an example for current and future administrators of The Hague,” said current mayor of The Hague Jan van Zanen about Havermans.

Melissa Galbraith

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