KRALENDIJK – The cabinet has included nothing in the draft budget for 2027 regarding the establishment of strategic stockpiles on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. This is noted by the Netherlands Court of Audit, while the House of Representatives had previously called for clarity on the implementation of earlier recommendations before the budget debate.
Research by the Court of Audit showed that no strategic stockpiles are present on the three islands. Regular supplies of food and drinking water are also limited. This makes Bonaire vulnerable in the event of prolonged disruptions to the supply of goods, for example due to extreme weather or geopolitical tensions.
The House of Representatives therefore passed a motion instructing the cabinet to work together with the island governments on implementing the recommendations. The focus was to be on ensuring sufficient supplies of food and drinking water.
According to the Court of Audit, however, the new budget contains nothing about the follow-up to this. The watchdog is calling on the House of Representatives to put the issue back on the agenda during the budget debate.
Read the full letter from the Netherlands Court of Audit here
