THE HAGUE – Aukje de Vries, a Member of Parliament from the VVD party, has submitted a motion urging State Secretary Zsolt Szabó to implement stronger measures to combat integrity violations in the public administration of Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten.
Citing recent high-profile cases, De Vries stated:
“Unfortunately, we have seen several unacceptable incidents recently. A minister in Aruba was arrested over suspected fraud involving residence and work permits. A former Member of Parliament in Sint Maarten was sentenced to 18 months in prison for vote-buying during elections. Additionally, a former minister in Aruba faces a three-year prison sentence for bribery, fraud, and abuse of power. Meanwhile, one of the party leaders running in the upcoming elections in Curaçao is in jail on money laundering charges. This cannot be allowed in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.”
The Motion
De Vries' motion emphasizes the urgency of tackling corruption, abuse of power, and organized crime in the Dutch Caribbean. It reads:
“The House, having heard the deliberations, considering that recent incidents have involved politicians and officials in Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten being suspected or convicted of corruption, abuse of power, money laundering, etc.; considering that measures have been implemented to counteract criminal undermining, corruption, and nepotism but have yielded insufficient results; believing that strengthening law enforcement, the rule of law, and integrity in governance on these islands must be a higher priority; believing that all islanders deserve good governance that serves them rather than serving itself; requests the government to prioritize a stronger approach in the new good governance strategy by mid-2025, with measures focused on fraud prevention, combating criminal undermining, and promoting integrity, ensuring these actions yield effective results, and if they do not, attaching concrete consequences; and proceeds to the order of the day.”
Response from State Secretary Szabó
Szabó welcomed the motion as support for his current policies, stating:
“I strive for this robust approach. Thanks to investments in the RST (Special Police Task Force) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, recent arrests and convictions were possible. I agree with Ms. De Vries that there are opportunities to further strengthen this approach. In consultation with the Minister of Justice and Security and the islands, I will present a stronger strategy against undermining by March 1. Additionally, I am working on a good governance agenda, which you will receive this spring, with integrity as a key component. Effective policy will remain my primary focus. I therefore give this motion my approval.”
Concerns Over Public Safety
During the debate, GroenLinks-PvdA MP Raoul White highlighted concerns about public safety and organized crime on the islands, referencing incidents of armed criminal activity.
“There is great concern on the islands about these risks, and we share that concern,” White said. He requested feedback on the outcomes of the Justice and Security Minister’s visit to the islands. Szabó assured that his colleague Van Weel would provide a detailed response.
The motion underlines the pressing need for reforms to ensure transparency, integrity, and accountability in governance across the Dutch Caribbean, aiming to foster trust and stability in the region.