THE HAGUE - State Secretary Zsolt Szabó is waiting for a response from Transparency International before proceeding with an investigation into integrity and corruption in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
During an online press meeting, Szabó shared that he has held discussions with representatives from Transparency International to explore options for monitoring corruption in the Caribbean regions. These talks were prompted by parliamentary inquiries from Peter van Haasen of the Party for Freedom (PVV).
Szabó noted that the discussions centered on the criteria Transparency International uses in its investigations. He stressed that he is awaiting an official response from the organization to clarify how such an investigation could be carried out in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, taking into account each island’s local laws and responsibilities.
Without this official response, Szabó stated he would refrain from taking further action or initiating discussions with the governments of Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten on the matter. “Good governance deserves more attention,” he said, emphasizing that it is up to the islands to decide how they wish to approach these issues. Although the Netherlands continues to provide support to the “temporary working organization,” Szabó noted that the Netherlands cannot always intervene when there is a lack of local capacity.
Szabó highlighted that Transparency International rates the Kingdom of the Netherlands highly in terms of integrity but does not currently include the Caribbean islands in this assessment. He indicated that this is an issue he plans to discuss with the organization to consider incorporating the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
Van Haasen submitted his questions to Szabó on September 11, raising concerns about political instability and widespread corruption in the Kingdom’s autonomous countries. The PVV politician also asked whether Szabó envisions a role for the Dutch government in monitoring corruption and integrity in these regions according to Transparency International’s standards.