The new college of B&W introduces itself
In March, Kerkrade residents went to the polls for a new council. At the council meeting on May 25, a new municipal council was appointed. The new council is formed by politicians from four coalition parties and Mayor Petra Dassen-Housen. A team of six aldermen and the mayor will be at the helm of the municipality in the coming years. Together they will continue to build a vital and challenging Kerkrade. In the coming weeks, the members of the board will introduce themselves to you one by one.
'I hate purple crocodile behavior!'
Passport John Roland
Political party: Ons Kerkrade
Born on: November 5, 1954
Lives in: Eygelshoven
Portfolio: Social Affairs and Employment, Euregional Labor Market, Social Health, Citizen Participation and District Alderman West.
Experience: I did a technical education after elementary school, namely the Naval Academy. After working in the technical field for a while, I studied management. First middle management, then higher management and finally executive management. After graduation, I worked for several national and international companies. For the last 25 years I have had my own import and export business in graphic machinery. I was also a council member for 20 years.
Which person would you still like to meet and why?
I have no special desire to meet people. I believe it is predestined which people you meet in your life. In my life, I have met a lot of people. Those have either contributed something to my life in a positive or negative way. It has had to be that way. The people you meet are like a university of life.
What achievement are you most proud of?
I am, of course, very proud of my children and grandchildren. I am also proud of everything I have accomplished in my life. I am the son of a simple miner, and I am proud that I have been able to accomplish a lot together with my family, but also with the employees of my company. And that I have always been able to achieve my goals.
What do Kerkrade residents not yet know about you?
What people may not know is that I am a certified diving instructor. I specialize in training children. Although I'm not active now. I got into diving when my own two children learned to dive.
What were the first two months as Alderman like?
Those first two months were very intense. I come from a commercial background. There I was used to making decisions independently and quickly. I had to get used to all the consultations we have now. Decisions are made on more than one level. That required some adaptability, but I'm already finding my way around.
What can citizens expect from you? What will you stand up for in the coming years?
I hate purple crocodile behavior with excessive regulations and bureaucracy. So I want to make our way of working a little more efficient. As Alderman Citizen Participation, I want to create a change in behavior together with citizens. From 'no' to 'yes if'. This requires a change in behavior on the part of both citizens and the government. In the areas of social affairs and employment and the Euregional labor market, I want to commit one hundred percent to the process a citizen has to go through when he wants to regulate something. The same change is also taking place here. We are going to look much more at the possibilities we have for people, but also ask an effort from our citizen. As District Councilor West, I would like to be visible in all corners of the district. I will listen to people as much as possible, so that everyone can live comfortably in Kerkrade. We have already scheduled consultation hours for this, each time at a different location in the district.
What drove you to become politically active?
You have three options when you disagree with something. You can leave it at that. You can voice your opinion, but that attitude doesn't solve anything. You can also do something about it yourself. I didn't always agree with what was happening in government, so I decided to go into politics myself. So that I could do something about it. I enjoy working for the citizen.