KRALENDIJK – The subsidy fund of 550,000 dollars for historic residential properties on Bonaire can honour at least five applications. The budget is fixed and no money has yet been set aside for a follow-up in 2027. That is what the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science says in response to questions from Bonaire.nu.
Owners can apply for a subsidy for the restoration and maintenance of a historic home until 30 September. A maximum of 100,000 dollars is available per property. In addition, up to 5,000 dollars can be granted for a preliminary structural survey.
Herson Martinus of the Public Entity Bonaire urges owners not to wait too long. “This pilot is active for a limited time. Make good use of it.”
Higher restoration costs
The scheme is primarily intended for people who live in their own historic home and lack the financial means to carry out necessary maintenance. Properties that are commercially rented out, for example via Airbnb, fall outside the target group.
According to Martinuz, traditional homes in particular are often badly in need of maintenance. “If you drive around, everyone can see it. It is mainly the traditional homes that require the most maintenance.”
Owners of listed buildings must also comply with certain rules when carrying out restoration work. This can make the work more expensive. “Restoring or maintaining those homes is much more expensive than a modern property,” says Martinuz. He attributes this in part to the materials used and traditional construction methods.
Survey strengthens application
Owners can receive a contribution of up to 5,000 dollars for a preliminary structural survey. This maps out what work is needed and what the restoration is likely to cost.
Martinuz advises applicants to include such a survey wherever possible. “You make your own case stronger if you send along in advance what you have had inventoried. That way you can show what the need is.”
The mandatory declaration from the Executive Council should not be confused with a permit, he says. “It works differently from a permit. With a permit you have to check far more documents.” The required form is completed together with the Department of Spatial Planning and Development and can, according to Martinuz, be processed more quickly.
‘It’s little, but it’s something’
A total of 1.1 million dollars is available for the Caribbean Netherlands. Half of that has been reserved for Bonaire. The other half is earmarked for Sint Eustatius and Saba. According to the ministry, that distribution is roughly based on the size of the islands.
Martinuz acknowledges that 550,000 dollars is limited. “It’s little, but it’s something. Right now we have nothing. So if you put 550,000 dollars up against nothing, then however little it may sound, it’s a start.”
If money is left over on Saba or Sint Eustatius, it can still be used for applications on Bonaire. However, the ministry will not increase the total budget if demand proves greater than the available funds.
Priority when applications exceed budget
If the total amount of valid applications exceeds 550,000 dollars, the applications will be divided into four categories. Monuments within the protected village conservation areas of Rincon and Kralendijk take priority. Within those areas, listed monuments registered with the Public Entity Bonaire go first.
When insufficient funds remain within a category, applications with lower costs take priority, according to the ministry.
“You want to help as many people as possible with this,” says Martinuz. “Suppose an application comes in costing half a million — that doesn’t mean it’s the only application that will be considered.”
No money reserved for a follow-up
The ministry does not know how many historic homes on Bonaire need maintenance or restoration. Nor is there an estimate of the total costs. The Public Entity Bonaire therefore wants to use the pilot to make the scale of the need more visible.
“Everyone can see that the need is there,” says Martinuz. “But if you ask how great that need is, no one can answer. With hard figures we can show that the need is also large in numerical terms.”
It is the first time that the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has directly provided subsidies to owners of listed monuments in the Caribbean Netherlands. The experiences from the pilot and the outcomes of the evaluation of the Monuments Act BES will be used in a decision on a possible follow-up.
Martinuz hopes that a permanent scheme will ultimately emerge. “Hopefully it won’t stop at a pilot, but we can really put something structural in place. Because ultimately you want something structural.”
When a decision on that will be made remains unknown. No money has been reserved for 2027 and the years beyond.
