The site DossierKoninkrijksrelaties observed that families in the Caribbean Netherlands with lower incomes are set to lose their energy allowance starting January 1.
During Wednesday evening’s debate on the budget for Kingdom Relations and the BES Fund, Member of Parliament Don Ceder (ChristenUnie) proposed an amendment to prevent this, but it was discouraged by State Secretary Szabó.
A frustrated Ceder argued, “Life on the BES islands is much more expensive than in the European Netherlands. While we are taking measures to support European Dutch citizens, Caribbean Dutch citizens are being left to suffocate. The cost to maintain these subsidies is negligible—a drop in the ocean of the entire budget.”
The funds needed to continue the energy allowance and other subsidies, such as for internet services, are already included in the budget. However, the government plans to decide how they will be allocated only in the spring. Ceder insisted this would be too late, as poor households would face significant financial strain starting January 1. His frustration grew when the Secretary of State failed or refused to answer his questions. Despite this, Ceder stood firm, and after pressure from House Speaker Kamminga, Szabo promised to address Ceder’s concerns in a letter before the amendment vote.
This clash was not an isolated incident. Throughout the debate, Szabo’s struggles became evident, as he repeatedly failed to provide substantive responses beyond reading pre-prepared answers. This inability to engage meaningfully provoked frustration from MPs across the political spectrum.
DossierKoninkrijksrelaties