THE HAGUE – The CDA has asked the Dutch government to examine what it can do to help Bonaire gain greater control over migration as concerns grow about what has been described as “explosive” population growth on the island.
CDA Member of Parliament Tijs van den Brink raised the issue during the House of Representatives debate on the Kingdom Relations budget and the BES Fund.
Van den Brink referred to concerns highlighted in connection with the Dutch Court of Audit’s High-Risk List and specifically pointed to population growth in the Caribbean Netherlands, particularly Bonaire.
He cited Vishon Boneiru 2050, which proposes substantially slowing the island’s population growth. According to Van den Brink, Bonaire wants policies that provide greater control over migration and sees a role for the Dutch government in determining how the island can better manage who is permitted to settle there.
The CDA parliamentarian asked State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Eric van der Burg for his position on the long-term vision and whether the government is prepared to identify ways in which the Netherlands could assist Bonaire.
Population growth was not the only concern raised by Van den Brink. He also said Island Councils in the Caribbean Netherlands frequently experience an information disadvantage in their dealings with the Dutch government.
Van den Brink suggested that the government could improve communication by ensuring the islands receive relevant letters and information sent by the Cabinet to the Dutch Parliament.
The CDA also raised concerns about gambling on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. Van den Brink asked the government to investigate the scale and nature of gambling opportunities and participation on the islands, particularly in connection with debt assistance and addiction treatment.
He further asked whether measures used to combat gambling-related problems in the European Netherlands could also be introduced in the Caribbean Netherlands.
In a separate proposal aimed at strengthening awareness of the Kingdom, Van den Brink suggested that maps displayed in Dutch geography classrooms should routinely include the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, noting that the islands are currently often absent from maps of the Netherlands used in schools.