THE HAGUE - The advancement of reforms outlined in the Country Packages for Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten is experiencing sluggish progress, despite substantial support in terms of financial assistance and expertise provided by the Netherlands.
State Secretary Van Huffelen expressed concern about the slower-than-expected pace of the reforms in a communication to the Dutch House of Representatives. He noted that the change capacity of the countries is limited, legislative resources are scarce, and certain areas lack the necessary capacity to implement reforms alongside their regular responsibilities. Decision-making processes also face delays.
In his communication, State Secretary Van Huffelen emphasized the potential for the countries to enhance their use of the capacity and resources made available by the Netherlands. He suggested that increased collaboration among the countries themselves and with Caribbean Netherlands could yield more significant gains. To address the ongoing challenges and review cooperation efforts, the state secretary announced plans to visit each of the three Caribbean Countries in the coming month.
Stakeholders have expressed concerns about the perceived selectivity of the governments in Willemstad, Oranjestad, and Philipsburg in prioritizing and investing energy into specific reforms or accepting assistance from Dutch officials. The question of strategic decision-making in these countries regarding the reform agenda has become a topic of discussion amid the ongoing slow progress.