THE HAGUE – Former Dutch Minister for Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk has sharply criticized Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten for spending extensive time visiting the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom while, according to him, major crises demand attention elsewhere.
In a column published Friday in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Plasterk called Jetten’s tour across the six Caribbean islands of the Kingdom “completely incomprehensible.”
The criticism follows Jetten’s recent working visits to Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Bonaire.
“Hyperactive” on the Islands
Plasterk argued that Kingdom Relations is formally the responsibility of State Secretary Eric van der Burg and not the direct portfolio of the prime minister.
According to Plasterk, a prime minister should generally avoid interfering too deeply in portfolios assigned to other cabinet members, except in areas such as foreign affairs where responsibilities naturally overlap.
He described Jetten as being “hyperactive” in the Caribbean and criticized the Dutch prime minister for publicly sharing photos, infrastructure updates, and policy positions from the islands during his tour.
Plasterk questioned why Jetten was dedicating so much personal attention to the Caribbean while the Netherlands faces major domestic and international challenges.
“The World Is on Fire”
In his column, Plasterk argued that global geopolitical tensions, war threats, migration issues, and housing shortages in the Netherlands should currently receive higher priority from the Dutch government.
“The world is on fire,” he wrote.
He also criticized Jetten’s political party, Democrats 66 (D66), saying previous promises regarding housing and domestic policy have not been fulfilled while many Dutch citizens continue struggling with affordability and migration-related tensions.
Plasterk questioned whether Jetten’s Caribbean tour reflects “lack of administrative experience,” “amateurism,” or even “escape behavior.”
Reflection on Mark Rutte’s Approach
The former minister also reflected on his own years overseeing Kingdom Relations during the governments of former Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Plasterk said Rutte generally maintained a distant and sober approach toward the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom and rarely intervened publicly in Caribbean political matters.
He recalled one disagreement with Rutte after the former prime minister reacted publicly to calls for independence from Curaçao by joking that the island could be “put on Marktplaats,” referring to a Dutch online marketplace platform.
According to Plasterk, he told Rutte at the time that maintaining relations within the Kingdom was already difficult enough without such interventions. He said Rutte immediately apologized and avoided repeating similar comments afterward.
Debate Over Kingdom Relations Intensifies
Jetten’s Caribbean tour has received significant attention both in the Netherlands and in the Caribbean countries of the Kingdom.
During his visit, Jetten discussed topics including:
- Geopolitical tensions around Venezuela
- Energy transition projects
- Sustainability
- Kingdom cooperation
- Security and drug trafficking
- Community development
- Slavery history and cultural heritage
The Dutch prime minister also proposed the idea of a recurring Kingdom Conference involving the four governments of the Kingdom as equal partners.
Supporters of the visit argue that the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom are becoming increasingly important strategically because of regional geopolitics, migration, energy security, and economic development.
Critics, however, say the extensive attention from the Dutch prime minister risks blurring ministerial responsibilities and distracting from pressing issues in Europe and the Netherlands itself.
The debate highlights continuing tensions within the Kingdom regarding political attention, equality between the countries, and the role the Netherlands should play in Caribbean affairs.