THE HAGUE - State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Alexandra van Huffelen must provide Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten with more clarity about repaying, refinancing and/or canceling the approximately 2 billion guilders in loans that the Netherlands has provided due to the corona crisis.

The Dutch Court of Audit makes this recommendation as part of its annual accountability audit. The term of the interest-free and interest-only loans was extended in April until the end of 2023. By that time, agreements will have to be re-negotiated with the Netherlands about a possible extension and any conditions. “We recommend the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations to create clear expectations about repayment, refinancing and/or cancellation of the loans,” according to the Court of Audit.

“In order to combat the adverse effects of the corona crisis, the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations lent more than €400 million in 2021 to the Caribbean countries of the Kingdom (Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten). In the first part of 2021, invoking the urgent importance of the emergency situation on these islands, the minister lent the money before the Dutch parliament had authorized this expenditure. That has changed since July. The additional expenditure on the loan for the fourth quarter of 2021 was included in a budget amendment that has been authorized in advance by the Dutch parliament as usual. We recommend the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations to create clear expectations about repayment, refinancing and/or cancellation of the loans,” says the Dutch Court of Audit in their report.