THE HAGUE - If the Rutte IV cabinet succeeds in realizing the ambitions laid down in the coalition agreement “Looking after each other, looking forward to the future” regarding the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, the quality of life on Bonaire, St. and Saba will be a lot better in 4 years and Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten will be governed more properly.
It is striking that the passages about the Caribbean are not hidden somewhere at the back of the almost 50-page agreement, but is part of the first chapter and, moreover, is longer and above all more concrete than in 2017. But the most remarkable thing is the intention to reduce the democratic deficit in the decision-making by the Dutch Parliament on proposals for Kingdom Acts.
One of the first reactions came from the Undersecretary: “A Kingdom Day with good news! Welcomed by the coalition agreement with ample attention and investments for the Kingdom," the undersecretary tweeted. It should become clear in the coming weeks who will be responsible for the Kingdom Relations portfolio in the new cabinet. That could be Knops, but it is more likely that the job will go to D66 party.
A brighter future for the whole Kingdom
In the Kingdom we share a past and a future. A future that we shape together. After ten years of economic stagnation and the blows of a hurricane and a pandemic, the Netherlands wants to support the three Caribbean countries in embarking on a path to sustainable growth. We do this as intended in the Charter: on the basis of equality, reciprocity and on the basis of a fair exploration of wishes for possible amendments to the Charter. In the Caribbean Netherlands, we will continue to make efforts to ensure that Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius are an equal part of the Netherlands.
Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius
We are strengthening the labor market in the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius), with special attention to the position of young people, and tackling poverty. The Kralendijk Agreement is the starting point for Bonaire. We encourage social dialogue on Saba and St. Eustatius.
We make clear agreements with the special municipalities to ensure that the financing of basic facilities is structurally in order.
We invest in the economy of the Caribbean Netherlands and take measures to make life more affordable. We are implementing the reassessment of the social minimum. This was achieved by, among other things, increasing social security, keeping utilities affordable and an accelerated switch to fully sustainable energy, sewerage, and a better drinking water supply so that the fixed costs for utilities can decrease. We support projects for more local agriculture so that less food imports are needed, and we take advantage of the enormous opportunities for more ecotourism.
We are going to better protect the unique culture and nature of Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius, both above and below water.
We are investing a total of 30 million euros on a structural basis.
Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten
Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, the three other countries in the Kingdom, are politically autonomous and have their own responsibility for good governance and sound government finances. The relations between the three countries and the Netherlands are partly based on reciprocity. There is an urgent need, partly due to the corona pandemic and its consequences, to strengthen and improve the soundness of governance and public finances in the three countries.
We will continue to make efforts from the Netherlands to work together with Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten on good governance, tackling corruption and sustainable strengthening of the economies and education on the basis of sustainable agreements.
We want to eliminate the democratic deficit in the decision-making by the Lower House on proposals for kingdom laws by giving room for a proportional vote of the Caribbean countries.
We are making it just as accessible for vote-oriented residents of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten to vote in elections to the European Parliament as in the European Netherlands.
We will contribute profitably to the economic development of the Caribbean countries by opening guarantee schemes from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the National Growth Fund and schemes for sustainable energy production to applications from all over the Kingdom.