Every now and then, a politician emerges who believes that a loud opinion is a substitute for knowledge. Dutch Member of Parliament Elmar Vlottes of the PVV has now provided the latest example.
During a debate in the Dutch Parliament, Vlottes suggested that even one euro would be too much to ask if the Netherlands wanted to get rid of its Caribbean territories. He mocked island politicians as people who “do little” and only ask the Netherlands for money when problems arise. When challenged to name something positive about the islands, his answer was that “the weather is always nice.”
One could dismiss these remarks as cheap political theater. But they reveal something deeper: a profound ignorance about the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom and their importance to the Netherlands itself.
Elmar Vlottes
Let us begin with Mr. Vlottes’ qualifications to make such sweeping judgments. He was born in Apeldoorn, worked as a programmer, served as a policy aide for the PVV, and entered the Dutch Parliament only in late 2023. His political profile focuses primarily on taxation, migration, and domestic Dutch issues. There is no evidence that he has any significant professional experience in the Caribbean, maritime affairs, international trade, defense strategy, or regional economics.
Yet he speaks as if he has somehow become the ultimate authority on islands thousands of kilometers away.
The reality is that the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom are worth far more than one euro. In fact, they are strategically priceless.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands maintains its presence in the Caribbean through Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius. These islands provide the Kingdom with a geopolitical presence in one of the most strategically important regions in the Western Hemisphere. Defense, maritime security, anti-drug operations, coast guard activities, and international diplomacy all depend on this presence. The Dutch military maintains forces, naval assets, and security operations in the Caribbean precisely because these islands are strategically important.
If the islands were truly worthless, why does the Kingdom invest in military facilities, naval operations, coast guard missions, border security, and international partnerships throughout the region?
Curaçao alone sits just 40 miles from Venezuela, near some of the world's most important shipping routes and emerging energy developments. As Guyana and Suriname continue to attract billions of dollars in offshore oil and gas investments, the southern Caribbean is becoming increasingly important for logistics, maritime services, trade, and regional security.
The islands are not liabilities. They are strategic assets.
Economically, the argument is equally weak.
The Caribbean parts of the Kingdom generate billions through tourism, logistics, shipping, financial services, trade, aviation, and energy-related activities. Curaçao's deep-water port, international airport, refinery infrastructure, maritime sector, and financial industry all contribute to the Kingdom's broader economic footprint. Aruba and Sint Maarten are among the most tourism-dependent and successful destinations in the Caribbean. Bonaire is internationally recognized for its marine tourism sector.
Moreover, the relationship is not a one-way street.
Dutch companies do business in the Caribbean. Dutch institutions operate in the Caribbean. Dutch citizens live, work, and invest in the Caribbean. The Kingdom itself benefits from its global reach precisely because it extends beyond Europe.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of Vlottes’ remarks is not their inaccuracy but their disrespect.
More than 300,000 people live in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. They are Dutch citizens or citizens of Kingdom countries. They serve in the military, contribute to the economy, pay taxes, run businesses, educate children, and strengthen the Kingdom every day.
To reduce them to a sarcastic joke about being worth less than one euro is not only offensive—it is beneath the dignity of a member of parliament.
Even Dutch State Secretary Eric van der Burg recognized this, publicly stating that he was “extremely disturbed” by the comments and questioning whether similar remarks about regions in European Netherlands would ever be tolerated. The criticism came not only from opposition parties but from multiple members of parliament.
The irony is that while Mr. Vlottes mocks the Caribbean, Curaçao is preparing for one of the proudest moments in its history: participation in the FIFA World Cup. A small island nation accomplishing what many larger countries have never achieved.
That achievement alone should remind people that value is not measured by size, population, or geography.
The Caribbean is not a burden to be sold on an online marketplace.
It is a vital part of the Kingdom's history, economy, culture, security, and future.
Perhaps before deciding what the islands are worth, Mr. Vlottes should first learn what they actually contribute.
The answer, unlike his remarks, is worth far more than one euro.