THE HAGUE – The free allowance that Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba receive annually from the Netherlands has been structurally increased in recent years. The increase was particularly significant on Saba: there, the free allowance has doubled in three years’ time. This is evident from the Comprehensive Overview of Finances for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba 2025 that State Secretary Eddie van Marum has sent to the House of Representatives.
The increases largely come from the so-called Caribbean Netherlands envelope and from the Spring Memorandum 2024. This means Caribbean Netherlands receives structurally more money for carrying out island tasks.
The cabinet states that the additional funds are necessary to better execute tasks in areas including infrastructure, education, social services and public health.
Saba in particular benefits significantly from the adjustments. In 2021, the free allowance there was still approximately thirteen million dollars, while in 2024 this has risen to over 26 million dollars. Bonaire and Sint Eustatius also saw their free allowances increase substantially in the same period.
According to the state secretary, the structural increase ensures that the islands become less dependent on incidental special allowances. The free allowance can be spent freely and therefore provides more room for independent policy choices and longer-term planning.
With this approach, the government aims to strengthen the financial foundation of the three public bodies and prevent structural tasks from remaining dependent on temporary project subsidies any longer.
