« Rijk does not do enough to improve the quality of living environment in the Caribbean Netherlands, » says Adviscollege

« It is as if the municipalities in the European Netherlands should still do with the road infrastructure and the associated money from 1950 ». Very aptly, the chairman of the State Committee for Demographic Developments said it against the House of Representatives in October. The Council for the Living Environment and Infrastructure (LRI) is continuing that critical line in a report published Friday.

A central problem in the Caribbean Netherlands calls the council the overdue basic infrastructure for homes and roads. On Bonaire this dates from before 2010. At that time, Bonaire had more than 10,000 inhabitants, now 25,000. Given that the government financing has not been adequately adjusted, there are large backlogs. Also in the field of « connectivity between the islands, climate protection and (the) guarantee for a healthy living environment ».

In addition to financing, according to LRI member Jantine Kriens, who was involved in the realization of the advice, another structural issue also plays. « The big problem is the limited implementation power. » In the Caribbean Netherlands there is a large shortage of professionals, also for the sea and airports for which the islands are responsible. The Council argues for more cooperation with municipalities or authorities in the European Netherlands to get infrastructure projects done. « For waste processing, which is a problem on Bonaire, for example, The Hague can involve municipalities in the European Netherlands that have expertise in this, » said Kriens.

In the advice Together to better the Council, an advisory board for the government and the parliament, in short « striking and undesirable differences » in national policy deployment and the financial room for the living environments on the three islands. There are also « big backlogs in policy practice » and there is a « strong challenge » for the government to restore this in the coming years.

The council’s advice was offered to the outgoing cabinet and the executive colleges of the islands.

‘Contrast’

The Council unambiguously notes that the central government shows too little commitment for the Caribbean Netherlands. Another example of this is water transport. « The limited involvement of the central government at the feathers in the Caribbean Netherlands is clear in the strong policy deployment of the government for (…) various islands in the European Netherlands, » said the advice. Where fifteen -year concessions are concluded with shipping companies for the Wadden, the subsidy for the ferry between Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten was halved in 2025, and continuation is uncertain.

The Council also sees a lack of mutual trust and ambition to tackle the backlogs. In the Caribbean Netherlands, but also in The Hague. « We see differences in the working methods of the ministries involved. We have encountered civil servants who are running out of his legs in front of the islands. But there must also be a political will to get things done. It is larger at one cabinet than in the other, » says Jantine Kriens.

15-year-old concessions are concluded with shipping companies, but the subsidy for the ferry between Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten has been halved

Alexandra van Huffelen (D66), who was in the last Rutte State Secretary for Kingdom Relations, was appreciated on the islands because she showed a lot of involvement. This was less the case with her successor Zolt Szabó (PVV). He mainly insisted on ‘self -reliance’, cut back on the Caribbean budget and crashed with island drivers several times. Szabó is also succeeded by Eddie van Marum (BBB).

The recent fall of the cabinet calls councilor Jantine Kriens « sad for the islands » in an explanation of the report, because urgent policy is now stopping. The advice argues that the central government and the Caribbean islands « formulate new ambition goals together » for housing, infrastructure and climate policy for the period up to 2050. The administrative reform of 10-10-10, when the Netherlands Antilles were also canceled and split into three special municipalities and three countries, to be « .

Careless

Even though the three Caribbean islands are an integral part of the Netherlands, « they do not offer comparable qualities with regard to the living environment, » says Kriens. According to the Council, The Hague is sloppy with the implementation of municipal policy for the European Netherlands on the Caribbean islands.

An example is the Environment Act (2024) for sustainable development and improvement of the environment. This law does not apply to the Caribbean municipalities, while these topics regulates such as building, environment, water, infrastructure, drinking water and internet – both are duration on the Caribbean islands, where a third of the population lives below the poverty line.

According to Kriens, those backlogs arise from administrative indifference and sometimes unwillingness in The Hague. « There should be a joint conversation table to discuss the backlogs and formulate ambitions. It is also about the question: what kind of country do we want to be and with what joint values? »

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