Heera Dijk (D66) questions the cabinet about the insecurity of BES citizens

Koninkrijksrelaties.nl reported the following:

What concrete steps has the government taken or planned to better protect residents of the Caribbean Netherlands from crime, among other things? Member of Parliament Heera Dijk (D66) wants to know this from State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Eric van der Burg and Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel.

An urgent letter from the governors of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba (which this website reported on Tuesday) concerning the worrying effects of the structural understaffing of the police and Customs on the BES islands has prompted Dijk to question the responsible ministers through a series of written questions.

-Are you aware of the call from the BES islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba) for structural strengthening of the justice system in the Caribbean Netherlands?

-Do you recognize the situation as outlined by the governors of Saba, Bonaire, and Sint Eustatius, and what is your response to the three specific appeals contained in the message to both Houses of Parliament and to the cabinet?

-What is the most recent status regarding the staffing of police, judicial, and security personnel on the BES islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba), expressed in full-time equivalents (FTEs), occupied versus open positions, and the relationship to the policy objective?

-What concrete steps have you taken or planned to address the structural staff shortage at the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force and Customs on the BES islands?

-What information do you have about the extent and nature of the weapons problem on the BES islands, and what measures are being considered?

• Considering that the authorities state that Customs currently focuses primarily on collecting excise duties and taxes and less on security issues, can you explain how Customs’ task allocation and priorities are aligned with security risks and what measures are needed to close any gaps in border control and crime prevention?

• Considering that the authorities indicate that the desired and acceptable level of legal protection in the Caribbean Netherlands is under pressure, what concrete steps is the government taking to guarantee legal protection and access to justice for residents of the Caribbean Netherlands at a level equivalent to that in the European Netherlands?

• What follow-up has been given to date to the report “State of Law Enforcement in the Caribbean Netherlands 2024” from the Law Enforcement Council?

Koninkrijksrelaties