KRALENDIJK – Saba Commissioner Bruce Zagers is questioning how the 30 million euros that the cabinet will structurally make available for basic income security in the Caribbean Netherlands from 2027 onwards will be spent. According to Zagers, a large portion of the money risks being used for energy and infrastructure, while it was intended to address poverty and high living costs.
In a letter to the House of Representatives, Zagers writes that in the 2027 budget, 15.3 million euros of the amount will go to energy measures. These include 6 million euros for solar energy and batteries on Saba and 6.1 million euros for Sint Eustatius.
Zagers says he welcomes the investments themselves, but questions why they are being paid from the basic income security budget. According to him, there is a risk that the money will primarily fund existing subsidies and essential services, without residents actually experiencing a structural reduction in their costs.
Infrastructure
The Saba administrator believes that The Hague must clarify what measurable reduction in the cost of living the extra 30 million euros will deliver. "Maintaining existing street lighting and reducing the cost of living are not the same thing," he writes.
The discussion also affects Bonaire. The cabinet announced on Budget Day that the package includes millions for investments in facilities on the BES islands. Bonaire too will receive funding for infrastructure that is ultimately meant to help lower costs for residents.
Zagers calls on the House of Representatives to no longer merely acknowledge the problems of the Caribbean Netherlands, but to come up with structural solutions. In addition to energy, he also points to the high costs of air connections and backlogs in essential infrastructure.
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