THE HAGUE – Starting in 2024, the government will allocate 8.6 million euros annually to Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius to enhance their roles as public entities. This stems from the Spring Memorandum 2024, in line with the advice of IdeeVersa and the Council for Public Administration.

Additionally, an annual allocation of 5 million euros will be provided to address the effects of the increase in the Statutory Minimum Wage and to better align the working conditions of employees with those of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Caribbean Region (RCN).

Also, starting in 2024, the GDP system will come into effect, providing an additional 4.5 million euros for the islands. State Secretary Alexandra van Huffelen emphasizes the significance of this financial step for the islands, providing them with structural resources for structural tasks.

Agreements

The additional resources align with the agreements made during the administrative WolBES and FinBES conferences to effectively and independently carry out the tasks of the islands.

With the extra budget, there is room for more personnel and for strengthening implementation capabilities, particularly for major tasks such as maintenance and replacement of vital infrastructure.