BES Island Councils push for €30 million to actually lower cost of living

KRALENDIJK, Bonaire – The Island Councils of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba have jointly raised concerns over how €30 million in structural funding intended to improve livelihood security in the Caribbean Netherlands will be spent. Their concerns have since also surfaced in three motions presented in the Dutch House of Representatives.

The issue was discussed during the BES Summit on Bonaire on September 4. The councils questioned whether the €30 million, allocated by the Dutch government to address the high cost of living, will actually result in lower household expenses.

According to the councils, there is a risk that part of the funding will effectively be used to continue existing subsidies rather than finance additional measures that bring living costs down. They agreed to send a joint letter to the House of Representatives outlining their concerns and seeking clarification on the allocation of the funds.

Three motions have now been presented in Parliament addressing similar concerns. One calls for the €30 million to result in measurable reductions in the cost of living rather than simply replacing funding for existing subsidies. Another seeks to bring electricity prices in the Caribbean Netherlands in line with the average in the European Netherlands, while a third focuses on reducing fixed costs, increasing labour participation and strengthening the local economy.

Saba Island Council member Vito Charles welcomed the parliamentary initiative, saying it reflects concerns raised collectively by the three councils.

“The goal cannot simply be to prevent the cost of living from getting higher. We have to bring it down,” Charles said. The motions still have to be put to a vote.

EU status also discussed

The cost of living was one of several issues addressed during the 11th BES Summit. The councils also discussed a University of Curaçao study commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations on the islands’ current status as Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) and the possible alternative of becoming EU Outermost Regions (UPGs).

The councils agreed that no position should be taken on a possible change without further objective expert information and meaningful participation by residents.

The summit also reviewed cooperation on healthcare and education and progress towards establishing a BES Representative to represent shared interests. St. Eustatius currently chairs the BES Summit and will continue in that role until June 2027. The next summit is scheduled for December.