News item | 06-03-2024 | 19:52
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba will have permanent representation in The Hague and will be involved earlier in policy and legislation. The principle of ‘comply or explain’ remains the starting point for policy and there will be different levels of financial supervision for the islands. This makes customization per island possible. These are some of the most important agreements made during the WolBES and FinBES working conference. The island councils and executive councils of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba spent three days in De Bilt discussing the revision of the laws that regulate the administrative and financial relationships between the Netherlands and the three islands.
To better involve the islands in drawing up new laws, an official working group is being established consisting of representatives from Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. The working group is instructed to come up with proposals on how the involvement of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba in the various phases of the policy and legislative process can be improved.
Alexandra van Huffelen: “I am happy that we were able to have such constructive conversations with each other in a good atmosphere. I am convinced that the valuable input from the islands will make the bills better. It was a successful meeting in which we reached agreement on the content of both laws. We will work out our agreements together in the near future.”
Strengthening island councils and executive councils
One of the other points that was discussed is the remuneration of island council members, deputies and governors. This will be increased to a level comparable to that of decentralized office holders in the European Netherlands. The adjustment takes into account the weight of the islands’ tasks. Local factors, including cost of living, are also taken into account.
The position of island councilor remains a part-time position. The number of island council members will increase gradually from the next elections (2027). Initially for Bonaire from 9 to 11, for St. Eustatius from 5 to 7 and Saba from 5 to 7. It will be evaluated in the meantime whether an increase in the number of island council members is necessary in the next elections (2031 and 2035). The island councils receive support to carry out their work properly. For this purpose, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations makes a total of €350,000 available annually for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. It has been agreed on a range of 3 to 5 for Bonaire, 3 to 4 for Sint Eustatius and 3 for Saba.
Financial supervision
In the current law there is one heavy level of supervision. To increase local autonomy, there will be different levels of supervision of finances and the budget. The severity of supervision will depend on the state of the budget and financial management. This meets the islands’ wish to differentiate.
Remaining appointments
To enable the public bodies to perform their tasks properly, the basic principle is that Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba should receive structural money for structural tasks. This is in line with the advice of research agency IdeeVersa and the Council for Public Administration.
Follow-up process
The amendment of the WolBES and the FinBES is necessary to improve the administrative and financial relationships between the public bodies and the European Netherlands. The working conference was an additional step in the consultation process surrounding the change in the law. This gave the islands more time to respond to the bills. After the working conference, the islands will have three weeks to arrive at a final, formal response. The legal texts are then elaborated, partly with input from the islands, and the laws enter the next phase. After approval by the Council of Ministers, the bills are sent to the Council of State for advice and then go to the House of Representatives.
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