Questions posed by Members of the Dutch Second Chamber of Parliament (MPs) demon­strate support for the gov­ernment’s efforts aimed at improving livelihood secu­rity in the Caribbean Neth­erlands. This not only in­cludes increasing incomes on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, but also improv­ing the social security sys­tem.

This was stated by State Secretary of Participation and Integration Jurgen No­bel in response to questions submitted by MPs on a law amendment regarding so­cial affairs and employment in the Caribbean Nether­lands, which includes new forms of leave, child benefit extensions and pregnancy benefits.

“Working on subsistence security not only includes increasing incomes and balancing income with the relatively high cost of liv­ing of citizens in Caribbean Netherlands, but also ex­plicitly includes improving the social security system,” he writes. Whereas the first element is part of the ef­forts aimed at achieving the social minimum, the law amendment’s main focus is the social security system, Nobel explains.

In June 2018, it was al­ready asserted that the Dutch government aims to modernise the social security legislation in the Caribbean Netherlands ­one that “provides for a balanced system of entitle­ments, rights, obligations and income guarantees that is both tailored to the specific situation in the Ca­ribbean Netherlands and to contemporary insights regarding social security,” Nobel writes. Additionally, it was announced that the leave management system would be reviewed to im­prove the position of work­ers.

The law amendment, ar­gues Nobel, gives substance to these intentions — and brings us one step closer to more equality.

“This bill is a step towards a more equal social secu­rity system. There are and remain, for the time be­ing, substantial differences in legislation between the European part of the Neth­erlands and the Caribbean Netherlands, which cannot be eliminated in the short term. A cautious approach is needed, with a focus on local absorptive capacity, but also to accurately as­sess the appropriateness in the special context of the islands. This takes time, but every step that contributes to improving livelihood security in the Caribbean Netherlands counts.”

Nobel can count on sup­port from various Dutch MPs. Members of the Groenlinks-PvdA faction state that they support the law amendment, par­ticularly because it would strengthen the rights of working people.

Members of Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC) party also support the amendment. “These members whole­heartedly endorse the aim of this bill to improve the livelihood security in the Caribbean Netherlands.
This is much needed, as a large number of residents live in poverty,” they write. NSC therefore urges the government to make haste with measures that aim to improve the livelihood se­curity of the residents on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.

The Daily Herald.