THE HAGUE – The expansion of the number of island council members and commissioners on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba risks being delayed by four years if the Senate does not process the bill by October at the latest. State Secretary Eric van der Burg of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations has therefore urged the Senate to complete its deliberations as a matter of urgency.
The House of Representatives voted in favour of the bill on 9 June. The legislation is designed to gradually increase the size of the island and executive councils on the three BES islands. According to Van der Burg, it would be preferable for the Senate to deal with the proposal as early as September, so that it is clear well before the island council elections of March 2027 how many seats will be available.
Major Consequences
The State Secretary warns that a delay would have significant consequences. If the law cannot enter into force in time, he argues that the expansion could only be implemented after the subsequent elections in 2031. This would mean that the strengthening of representation and administrative capacity on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba would be set back by four years.
Van der Burg points out that implementing the law is already a lengthy process in itself, as the increase in the number of island council members and island commissioners will take place in stages. It is therefore important, he argues, that the public entities, political parties and prospective candidates know where they stand well ahead of the elections.
Should a September debate prove unfeasible, the State Secretary is asking the Senate to complete its consideration no later than 27 October 2026. Only then will there still be a possibility of bringing the legislative amendment into force before the March 2027 elections.
