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Below you will find the fifth progress report of the Kingdom Representative for the public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. This report discusses the developments and investments that were made on the three islands in 2015 by the Ministries involved. Again, steps were set out for improving the service of the Central Government for the Island Governments and the people of the Caribbean Netherlands. The further acquaintance with the islands, the visits of MPs and ministers, the election of new Island Councils on the three islands, the preparations of the CN Week in June, signing of the Multi-Annual programs with Bonaire and Saba, setting greater administrative supervision on St. Eustatius, drafting an Plan of Action to improve the civil service and administrative organization on St. Eustatius, the presentation of the findings of the evaluation committee Caribbean Netherlands (Committee Spies) and the referendum on Bonaire created a busy and eventful year 2015.
All those involved, from both the European Netherlands and from the Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland and the public entities, have done a lot of work to help the people and to provide as reliable and fast service as possible to the citizens. This report discusses only the efforts made from the perspective of the Central Government. It is being investigated if in the future this report can be structured differently and an insight can also be given into the efforts of the public entitiest. This would allow highlighting and balancing the intended cooperation and mutual effort.
The Kingdom Representative has used 2015 to redefine the role of the Kingdom Representative as an administrative link between The Hague and the Executive Councils of public entities on the basis of the review of the National Coordination in the Caribbean Netherlands, the ISB Report and the Commission’s small evaluation of the Caribbean Netherlands. However, in 2015, it became even more apparent that the direction and coordination from the Kingdom Representative on the three islands should be toughened. It became explicitly clear while implementing greater administrative supervision on St. Eustatius. Both at island level as within the ministries involved, the basis of voluntary willingness to cooperate is insufficient for allowing the necessary direction and coordination from the Kingdom Representative. This has impact on the relations both in The Hague and in the Caribbean Netherlands, but also on the islanders. Also the report of the Committee Spies addresses this issue.