THE HAGUE - The countries in the Dutch Kingdom have had their fair share of quarrels. But the quarrel that now exists between the government in The Hague and the governments of Aruba, Sint Maarten and Curaçao is serious. The three countries are outraged by the conditions that The Hague has set for financial support for the countries affected by corona.

Despite the corona crisis, the Netherlands is asking the islands for structural reforms. Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath of Curaçao is clear about it. “We are grateful for the help and the intentions for financing. However, the pace at which we must implement reforms is not appropriate. That will take months. The financing conditions are also going too far.”

Prime Minister Rhuggenaath during his interview on Dutch television

The support from the Netherlands concerns a third tranche of aid money. “We, all three countries, had to submit a reform package, which has happened. But the Netherlands has its own idea of ​​what the reforms should look like. An entity outside the government will have powers to decide on our policy. Without the intervention of our parliament and without control.”

One of the conditions imposed by The Hague is the establishment of an independent institute that oversees the distribution of aid money. This institute is staffed by “three European-Dutch experts”.

Rhuggenaath now sees the Netherlands as a banker. “We get a loan that we have to repay, with conditions. But we also must agree to a package of requirements, without consultation with our parliament.”

Consultation between Curaçao and The Hague is said to have already taken place on May 12. The conditions were then discussed. "That was about the second tranche," says Rhuggenaath. “Now we are expected to agree quickly or there will be no money. Consent in four days. That is really too fast.”

Rhuggenaath will personally participate in the Council of Ministers tomorrow. “I do not want the third tranche of financing to be part of this. No entity controlling. We need to negotiate first and receive permission from parliament. We need space to borrow on the Dutch market,” Rhuggenaath says. The prime minister does see opportunities to reach an agreement.

The Prime Minister of Aruba, Evelyn Wever-Croes, also disagrees with the requirements. She wrote in a letter to Mark Rutte: “It seems as if Aruba has become the land version of the American George Floyd (and our own Mitch Henriquez). Mark, we can't breathe like that.”

Undersecretary Raymond Knops of Kingdom Relations informed the governments of the three countries about the conditions last weekend.

Curaçao has gone through weeks of riots. The population is looking forward to a deal with the Netherlands, according to inquiries on the street.