The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations is currently unable to access 80 million euros earmarked for the economic strengthening of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. These funds are intended for critical projects, including the construction of a new port for Saba (40 million euros), road improvements on Bonaire (16 million euros), and initiatives to stimulate food supply across all six islands.

The delay stems from the fact that the budget for Kingdom Relations and the BES fund has yet to be approved, despite it already being March. The initial holdup was caused by debates in the Second Chamber on unrelated matters. Now, the Senate faction of the Party for the Animals (PvdD) is demanding further clarification from Minister Judith Uitermark (BZK) before they can proceed with the vote.

At the heart of the issue is the 800,000 euros that were removed from the budget through the Eerdmans amendment (JA21), which was supported by a majority in the House of Representatives. This amount was originally allocated for the implementation costs of the slavery fund. In a previous round of questioning, Minister Uitermark assured that this reduction would not affect the subsidies previously made available by the government for slavery-related projects.

However, the PvdD faction in the Senate remains unconvinced and has called for an additional round of questions. This process is expected to delay the budget approval by several weeks. The ministry has warned that further delays could jeopardize the progress of critical projects on the islands.

To resolve the impasse, a compromise has been reached: a brief plenary debate will be held, allowing the minister to clarify the status of the 800,000 euros. The debate will be limited to one speaker and one question, to expedite the process. Efforts are being made to include this debate in next Tuesday’s Senate meeting agenda, after which the budget could finally be adopted.

The ministry has emphasized the urgency of resolving the issue, as prolonged delays could have significant consequences for the timely implementation of projects vital to the Caribbean islands’ economic development.

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