THE HAGUE - In the Dutch House of Representatives, there is little enthusiasm for the establishment of a regional development agency for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.
Member of Parliament Mpanzu Bamenga (D66) has called on the Secretary of State for Kingdom Relations, Zsolt Szabó, to share the findings of a study on the feasibility of such an institution before the upcoming budget discussions. However, Bamenga's proposal has received support only from the Socialist Party (SP), with the other ten parliamentary factions remaining silent. As a result, no formal request will be made to the Secretary of State.
The idea of creating a regional development agency for the Caribbean islands dates back to October 2023, when then-MP Jorien Wuite (D66) successfully passed a motion asking for a study into its feasibility. The motion requested that the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) present the study's findings to Parliament before the summer of 2024. However, the ministry has done little beyond forwarding the motion to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, after which no further action has been taken.
Since the November 2023 elections, the political landscape in the Dutch Parliament has shifted, particularly among coalition parties like PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB, which appear less inclined to support "extra" initiatives for the Caribbean islands. This sentiment was underscored on Budget Day (Prinsjesdag) when the previously promised €130 million donation from the National Growth Fund to the islands was canceled.
The lack of enthusiasm signals a cooling of relations between the Dutch Caribbean territories and the mainland, raising concerns about future development initiatives in the region.