State Secretary deflects to Bonaire on questions about long-awaited bus line

KRALENDIJK – The introduction of a bus line on Bonaire remains on the political agenda. During the Kingdom Relations committee debate on May 27, GroenLinks-PvdA asked about the progress of the project and what steps have been taken so far towards public transport on the island.

State Secretary Eric van der Burg emphasized in his response that public transport is primarily the responsibility of Bonaire’s local government. At the same time, he acknowledged that the Netherlands has made financial resources available to enable the development of the bus connection.

The State Secretary noted that questions about the concrete implementation of the bus line should primarily be directed at the public entity of Bonaire. "A question about the bus line is really a question for the local government of Bonaire," said Van der Burg during the debate.

Plans remain vague

No new details were announced during the debate about the implementation of the project, the routes, or the vehicles to be deployed.

According to previously stated ambitions of the MPB, the governing party hopes to have the bus service running between Rincon and Belnem in the first quarter of 2027. Before that is possible, the road from Rincon to Belnem will first need to be improved, according to the party.

This raises the question of how quickly the necessary infrastructure can actually be realized. No tender has yet been published for the road works, and no formal application has been submitted either. Bonaire’s road construction company (BWM) indicates that on average between one and one and a half kilometers of asphalt road can be laid per week.

Considerable distance

That means large stretches require considerable time. For comparison: the distance between Belnem and Rincon is approximately 25 kilometers. Even at a steady pace, improving or renewing such a route would take several months, not counting preparation time, permits, and any tender procedures.

In addition, no discussions have yet taken place regarding operating licenses for carriers. Such procedures typically take considerable time on Bonaire, meaning several more steps will need to be taken before residents can actually make use of public transport.