The Dutch government has requested more time to respond to parliamentary questions regarding child abuse on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES islands), citing delays in gathering the nec­essary information.

The same delay applies to questions about crimi­nal cases involving minors across the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, including the autonomous countries Aruba, Curacao, and St. Maarten.

The initial questions, sub­mitted by right-wing Chris­tian Union (ChristenUnie) Members of Parliament (MPs) Don Ceder and Mir­iam Bikker, focused on the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse.

Since 2013, serious offenc­es such as child rape arc no longer subject to a statute of limitations in European Netherlands. This change allows survivors to report abuse whenever they are ready, ensuring suspects can be prosecuted regard­less of how long ago the of­fence occurred.

However, in the Caribbe­an Netherlands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba). a 12-year statute of limita­tions still applies. Ceder and Bikker questioned whether such a disparity is acceptable.

“Do you share the view that children’s rights arc universal and should not depend on geographic loca­tion within the Kingdom? Are you willing to urgently work toward aligning the statute of limitations in the BES islands with those in European Netherlands, so that serious sexual crimes against minors can no lon­ger expire there either?” they asked, adding that a special fast-track proce­dure could be appropriate. The MPs also raised con­cerns about inconsistencies in how minor suspects are treated in court. In Euro­pean Netherlands, criminal proceedings involving indi­viduals under 18 are always held behind closed doors. In the Caribbean Nether­lands and the autonomous countries, this protection applies only to suspects un­der 16. This difference, ac­cording to Ceder, conflicts with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“Do you consider it acceptable that 16- and 17-year-olds — who are still legally minors and often in critical stages of develop­ment — can face public trial in parts of the Kingdom, while they are protected by closed hearings in Euro­pean Netherlands?” Ceder asked. He called on the State Secretaries for Justice and for Kingdom Relations to raise the issue with the autonomous countries.

No response has yet been provided to these ques­tions, with the government citing a lack of complete in­formation as the reason for the delay.

The Daily Herald.