Multi-annual cooperation for improvement of living environment on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba
Establish a multi-annual cooperation programme to improve the physical living environment on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba and ensure that sufficient resources are made available for the construction, maintenance and replacement of the island infrastructure. With this mandate, the next Cabinet must set to work to improve the physical infrastructure on the three Caribbean islands. This is the essence of the Cabinet's response to the three recommendations issued by the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli), the Council for Public Administration (ROB) and consultancy firm Andersson Elffers Felix (AEF). The Cabinet's response was adopted today in the Council of Ministers.
State Secretary Eddie van Marum emphasises the need for a multi-annual approach:
“The Cabinet is continuing to work resolutely on the promotion of the quality of the physical living environment of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. For example, we made additional funds available for the improvement of the roads on Bonaire, the construction of a harbour on Saba, and we are offering support to assist with the implementation. However, eliminating backlogs requires a long-term approach. It is up to the new Cabinet to build on what has been started over the past year and to take new measures. The Cabinet can assist the Public Entities with money and knowledge, but the islands must also take action themselves.”
The Cabinet's response sets out the steps that the outgoing Cabinet can already take to follow up on the recommendations and what the new Cabinet should address. Four lines of action are mentioned: a multi-annual cooperation programme, strengthening of implementation capacity, better safeguarding of “comply or explain” and sustainable funding.
Thus, there is a need to draw up a multi-annual cooperation programme, in collaboration with the Public Entities. These so-called “physical agendas”, which are due to be delivered at a later date, set out what needs to be done for the construction of homes, better roads and accessibility. It should also explain the relationship between projects and how these projects can be implemented step by step. It is important that sustainable funding is also made available to carry out the tasks. The report of AEF and the opinion of the ROB show that funding for making investments, performing maintenance and ensuring timely replacement in the physical infrastructure are still insufficient. Both reports emphasise the need for structural funding. It is up to a new Cabinet to investigate how this should be arranged.
It is also important that there are enough people to do the work. That is why the Caribbean Netherlands Project Office is being expanded with staff who have experience with projects in the physical living environment. In order to better implement the ‘comply or explain’ principle, consideration is being given to which existing legislation for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba needs to be further implemented or revised.