Earlier this year, the Executive Councils of Bonaire and St. Eustatius applied for the Public Housing Fund, which is intended to encourage municipalities to improve the private housing stock and thus the quality of life and safety in neighborhoods.

However, the Public Housing Fund is too focused on the European Netherlands to open it up to the Caribbean Netherlands. But to accommodate Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Hugo de Jonge is withdrawing 5 million from the pot for municipalities in the European Netherlands to make it available to the BES islands.

“But the existing scheme, in its current form, does not formally lend itself to providing contributions to the Caribbean Netherlands. Moreover, the assessment methodology in the PHF is strongly focused on the Dutch situation (e.g. sustainability requirements, key figures, but also links with housing visions and housing deals). In addition, it will not be easy to develop a methodology that does justice to the situation on the BES islands, and to create a level playing field,” De Jonge writes to the Second Chamber.

In his letter, the minister states that he has reduced the amount for the fourth tranche of the VHF. “The tranche amount amounts to €114 million. This is slightly lower than the previously announced €119 million. This is because I intend to make € 5 million available for the BES islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba) to address the private housing stock there to improve the quality of life and safety. The amount of € 5 million will be made available to the BES islands in a separate (yet to be worked out) manner.”

DossierKoninkrijksrelaties