THE HAGUE - State Secretary for Kingdom Relations, Zsolt Szabó, has postponed his response to parliamentary questions concerning political instability and corruption in Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. The delay stems from Szabó's request for additional details about the activities of Transparency International, a global integrity watchdog, in the Caribbean territories of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 

Although the initial answers to the questions posed by Peter van Haasen, a Member of Parliament from the PVV party, were ready for submission, Szabó halted their release. In a briefing note, it was revealed that Szabó sought more comprehensive information on Transparency International’s involvement in the region since October 10, 2010. Szabó stated that a request for this information has been made, and consequently, the parliamentary questions could not be addressed within the three-week period usually allocated for such responses. 

The questions from Van Haasen emerged in the wake of multiple integrity violations involving politicians in the CAS countries (Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten). He expressed concern about the unstable political climate and widespread corruption in these autonomous regions, and he questioned whether these issues are hindering good governance. Furthermore, Van Haasen asked whether Szabó believes that effective governance, sound financial policy, and economic self-reliance are only achievable if corruption is entirely eradicated. He also questioned whether the Dutch government should adopt a more active role in overseeing corruption and integrity issues in the Caribbean territories, applying the same standards as those used by Transparency International. 

The decision to delay the response suggests that Szabó aims to ensure a thorough examination of the region’s governance challenges and Transparency International’s role before providing a formal answer to parliament.