DEN HAAG – State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Eddie van Marum has openly acknowledged that residents in the Dutch Caribbean have, at times, had to wait too long for improvements, calling for a stronger people-centered approach in cooperation within the Kingdom. He made these remarks during his opening speech at the InterExpo conference “15 Years After 10-10-10,” held at the parliamentary press center Nieuwspoort in The Hague.
Van Marum reflected on his relatively recent appointment and drew parallels between his earlier work on recovery efforts in Groningen and the challenges faced by the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. According to the state secretary, strong communities, distance from The Hague, and the need for residents to work harder to have their voices heard are shared realities. Lessons learned from Groningen, he said, now guide his approach to Kingdom relations.
The state secretary stressed that policy should not be shaped from The Hague alone, but from the perspective of everyday life on the islands. While pointing to progress, he emphasized that more needs to be done to make government action tangibly improve people’s lives.
As an example, Van Marum cited a Curaçao-based entrepreneur who produces vegetables using hydroponic farming. Despite supplying local supermarkets, the entrepreneur had to sell his car to finance the startup. The story, Van Marum said, illustrates both resilience and the urgent need for better support for innovative local businesses. To that end, the Kingdom is investing €24 million in food security, targeting farmers, fishermen and entrepreneurs who produce food locally.
Economic support, he noted, extends beyond agriculture. Entrepreneurs across the islands now have access to the BMKB credit guarantee scheme, aligning opportunities more closely with those available in the European Netherlands. Van Marum described this as part of a broader vision of equal opportunity within a Kingdom made up of four countries and three public entities.
He also highlighted social measures, including the introduction of citizen service numbers (BSN) for residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, making it easier to apply for government services such as student finance and benefits. In addition, minimum wages and social benefits have been increased in the three public entities, measures Van Marum said directly improve financial security for vulnerable households.
At the same time, the state secretary acknowledged longstanding problems that were not addressed quickly enough. He referred to the Selibon landfill in Lagun, Bonaire, where residents have endured years of odor and smoke concerns. According to Van Marum, decisive steps are now being taken, with Dutch support, and the landfill is scheduled to close by 2028, alongside plans for safer waste processing.
Trust, he said, can only be restored when people see real action following promises. In that context, Van Marum referenced efforts to strengthen public financial management on Aruba through legislation aimed at sustainable government finances, emphasizing that the goal is to provide long-term security for residents rather than oversight for its own sake.
Van Marum pointed to tangible reconstruction and development projects across the Kingdom, including the construction of a hurricane-resistant harbor on Saba, continued post-hurricane reconstruction on Sint Maarten, and investments in affordable and reliable energy infrastructure on all islands.
Addressing regional security, the state secretary acknowledged widespread concern about geopolitical tensions in the Caribbean, particularly near Venezuela. While no immediate threat exists, he said security remains the top priority. He noted that the prime ministers of Aruba and Curaçao were absent from the conference due to these concerns and highlighted recent joint crisis-management exercises held during the Crisis Management Week in Curaçao.
Concluding his speech, Van Marum said the InterExpo conference underscores shared values rather than differences within the Kingdom. He emphasized the importance of listening—to each other and to residents—and called for continued cooperation built on connection, respect and mutual understanding to strengthen the Kingdom for the future.
