THE HAGUE - "Strict" requirements are imposed on loans to Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten. This is perhaps the most noteworthy statement in the brief kingdom section of the election program 'Time for Recovery,' presented today by Pieter Omtzigt, the leader of the New Social Contract party, which is performing well in the polls.
The party aims to strengthen the conditions for good governance in the islands and "hasten" the measures proposed by the Thodé Commission for social security in the Caribbean Netherlands.
Omtzigt notes that they feel a special connection with the autonomous countries Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as well as with the islands Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Bonaire, forming Caribbean Netherlands.
The government must share responsibility for these regions, which are more severely affected by inflation and climate change than elsewhere. This entails not only providing financial assistance but also reinforcing the conditions for good governance and offering support in creating a sustainable economic model. Strict requirements are imposed on borrowing money.
A special responsibility applies to the islands of Caribbean Netherlands. A large number of residents live in poverty. In line with the conclusions of the National Ombudsman and the Thodé Commission, measures for social security in Saba, Bonaire, and St. Eustatius should be expedited.
"We want to assist the islands with their 'security of existence' by proactively addressing climate change. Special attention is given to the spatial domain and the protection of the unique underwater world. According to the NSC, travel from the Netherlands to the Caribbean will become significantly more expensive because the party wants VAT on plane tickets, excise tax on aviation fuel, and a distance-dependent air travel tax for intercontinental flights," says Omtzigt.