State Secretary Zsolt Szabó (Digitalization and Kingdom Relations) wants to retain the position of Kingdom Representative but intends to restructure it. This adjustment will be included in the bill to amend the Public Bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Act (WolBES) and the Financial Management of Public Bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Act (FinBES). The bill aims to contribute to good governance and financial integrity.
Zsolt Szabó: “Intergovernmental oversight, where and when needed, requires intensive administrative involvement. This can be more effectively and appropriately shaped by the Kingdom Representative than by a minister in The Hague. The Kingdom Representative is much better able to be quickly on-site and understands the unique circumstances of governance in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.”
Content of the Kingdom Representatives Role Changes
The role of the Kingdom Representative remains, but the content of this role will change in several areas. The Kingdom Representative will focus more on promoting and ensuring good governance and conducting intergovernmental oversight.
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba have also indicated a desire to strive for their own permanent representation in The Hague. As a result, the coordinating role of the Kingdom Representative, as an advocate for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, is less or no longer needed. The executive councils have already been informed about the changes in the bill.
Timeline for the Bill
The coming weeks will see adjustments to the bill. A new internet consultation regarding the changes in the bill will take place in the second quarter of 2025. This means that the bill is likely to be sent to the House of Representatives in the first quarter of 2026.
The adjusted timeline will affect another amendment in the bill, namely the increase in the number of island council members. With the new timeline, it is expected that this amendment will not take effect before the island council elections in March 2027. Consequently, the increase in the number of island council members will only be able to take effect from 2031.