State Secretary of Interior and Kingdom Relations, Eric van der Burg, may send his proposed amendment to the Acts ‘Wet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba (WolBES)’ and the ‘Wet financiën openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba (FinBES)’ to the Council of State for advice. This was decided today. The WolBES and the FinBES govern the administration and finances of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, and set out their relationship with the Kingdom. The laws are being amended to improve and strengthen the administrative relationship between the three public entities and the Kingdom, and to provide better services to residents.
Do what is needed
The amendments to the Acts should help the island governments and the central government do what is right and necessary for the islands and their residents. The WolBES and the FinBES help local government carry out its duties properly and provide the necessary democratic oversight. This should lead to better services to the residents, businesses and civil society organizations. Examples include stronger oversight by the Island Council, setting up a local audit chamber and keeping the Kingdom Representative.
Kingdom Representative alongside the administration and residents
This legislative proposal retains the position of Kingdom Representative, though the role is being restructured. The Kingdom Representative focuses on good governance and is responsible for inter-administrative oversight. They can also raise issues in The Hague that are receiving insufficient attention from the central government. In doing so, the Kingdom Representative stands alongside the island’s residents and administrators.
Tiered supervision and loans
To better align financial supervision with the unique characteristics and development of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, a system of tiered supervision is being introduced. This allows for a tailored approach for each island, ensuring supervision is light where possible and rigorous where necessary. Loan options for the island administrations are also being expanded to better enable Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba to effectively carry out their duties. Like municipalities in the Netherlands, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will be permitted to take out loans from banks. For instance, such borrowing is restricted to the execution of island-level tasks, like improving roads and energy infrastructure. Conditions will be attached to this borrowing, and the island’s borrowing activities will be subject to oversight, thereby limiting financial risks.
Strengthening administrative capacity and democracy
In addition to this legislative proposal, supporting policies and other initiatives are being deployed to promote good governance and strengthen administrative capacity. For instance, the ‘bijzondere uitkering’ to the islands is being increased to strengthen the capacity of the offices of the Island Governor and the island registrar. The multi-year support program for the island administrations is also being continued. Through this program, people holding political office have been offered coaching, training and educational courses since the autumn of 2024. Finally, citizenship education and democratic awareness among the population are being strengthened in collaboration with ProDemos and the NIMD.