BES islands get commitment
on level of standard of living
THE HAGUE--A big hurdle was taken on Thursday when the Netherlands and the BES islands Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba reached agreements on the standard of living. The members of the three islands’ delegations were satisfied with the result, showing signs of relief and congratulating each other on it.
The meeting held at the “Diligentia Theater” on De Lange Voorhout in The Hague finished with loud applause. However, there was no time for press briefings after the meeting, as the delegations of the BES island had to hurry for a photo session with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter-Balkenende.
Battling stiff cold winds and rainfall the delegation members walked on foot from the Diligentia Theater to the Prime Minister’s office, popularly known as “Het Torentje.” After the photo session the delegation walked on foot to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations to be present at the farewell reception of Secretary General Jan Willem Holtslag.
In the list of decisions agreed to during yesterday’s meeting it was stated that the Dutch Government would take on responsibilities for health care, pubic safety, education and social security. The purpose of the BES islands during this so called BES week has been achieved.
The political consultation last year failed because Saba and Bonaire wanted to discuss the standard of living, but the Netherlands refused to add the matter to the agenda. The standard of living was discussed on Thursday, the day Queen Beatrix celebrated her 70th birthday, and the BES islands believe they took an important step towards attaining new constitutional status.
The point of departure for the new standard of living for the BES islands will be that norms will be established for a standard of living for the BES islands acceptable within the Netherlands, mainly in the areas of education, public health, social security and safety.
The Netherlands will be responsible for the legislation on these four areas, while the execution can be in hands of the islands. Means will follow the tasks. The small populations of the islands, great distance from the Netherlands, small scale of the islands and undesirable administrative and social economic effects will be taken into consideration while establishing the standard of living.
The draft points of departure for the legal framework regulating the status of the BES islands as public entities of the Netherlands, the so-called WolBES, will be sent to the Dutch Second Chamber and the Island Councils of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. Within the WolBES it has been agreed as well that the Dutch voting law will be changed in such a way that the islands will have the right to vote in the Dutch Second Chamber election.
Pertaining to education it has been established that all children of the three islands will have an equal opportunity for education. A proposal will be worked out for a scholarship programme for the Caribbean region. The possibility for free preparatory and advanced education will be studied, while compulsory education will be maintained and special attention will be paid to students who need special care.
Also a new public health care insurance will be worked on and list of priority investments will be made for health supplies such as buildings and inventory.
Furthermore the Dutch Health Ministry will finance the drafting of a long term housing plan for the BES Islands.
The social security system of the BES islands also will be changed from the Antillean model to a Dutch model. A clear description of the current social security model for the BES islands should be finalised in February. The new model will be evaluated on its effects on the local labour markets. A sudden increase in the minimum wage, for example, can have serious consequences for the economic sector and the labour market.
The effect of separate measures in the area of the tax, social benefits and insurance schemes, including health care insurance and pensions, on spending power and the burden will be evaluated before the summer of 2008.
In the area of safety the Dutch Government will take responsibility for the basic police tasks on the BES islands. The police will be reorganised and upgraded. Disaster management, youth detention and cell capacity will have priority.
Regarding finances it was agreed that the BES islands should have balanced budgets by 2011. Until then the Dutch Government will finance budgetary deficits. However, agreements have to be made on “extra” debts encountered in the accumulated debt and debts created during 2006 and 2007
