BES-issues
On 10 October 2010 the constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands changed. The Netherlands Antilles was dissolved. Since then the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba (BES) form part of the Netherlands. Twice every year the Government Representative of the BES-islands draws up a report about the activities of the national government in the Dutch Caribbean. The latest report is dominated by the transition from the Antillean to the Dutch form of government.
New laws
Most laws applying to the Dutch Caribbean are based on Antillean national ordinances dating from before 10 October 2010. In some areas, however, such as tax legislation, social security and education, new legislation has come into force. The accumulation of new rules entailed by the new legislation adds to the administrative burden for citizens and enterprises. In his report the Government Representative mentions a number of policy areas where the implementation of new legislation does not run smoothly.
Tax regulations
The first area is the introduction of the taxation system in the Dutch Caribbean. There is strong resistance against the new tax regulations, particularly in the isles of Sint-Eustatius and Saba. These regulations came into force on 1 January 2011, but they had been enacted only two weeks before that, allowing citizens and enterprises no more than an extremely short preparatory period, at the cost of due care. Moreover, the people feel that the new tax regulations cause an increase in the cost of living. An example of this is the increase in fuel tax.
Health care insurance
A second area is the new health care insurance. The inhabitants of the three islands have to get accustomed to the new health insurance scheme. There are only few health care providers in the islands, which means that the inhabitants often have to go to another island for medical treatment. The rules for medical treatment elsewhere have changed with the introduction of the general health insurance scheme for all the inhabitants of the Dutch Caribbean. Especially in the initial phase the new rules were cause for complaint.
Lump sum
The third area the Government Representative calls attention to in his report is the so-called lump sum, a payment which is similar to the annual payment Dutch municipalities receive from the Municipalities Fund. The authorities of the BES-islands consider the lump sum to be insufficient to provide for the necessary maintenance of roads, buildings and harbours.
Read more on the website of the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations: a new start for the islands of the Netherlands Antilles.
