The second consultation round for the revision of the Public Bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Act (WolBES) and the Financial Management Public Bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Act (FinBES) will start soon. The Council of Ministers decided today on the proposal of State Secretary Eddie van Marum (Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations) that the consultation round can begin.
The WolBES and the FinBES concern the governance of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. They enable the island government to do the right things for the island and its residents. These laws provide frameworks that help ensure good governance and solid public finances. This includes checks and balances, such as oversight by the island council, a local Audit Chamber, and the National Representative. This contributes to better service delivery to residents, entrepreneurs, and social organizations.
This is a second internet consultation for the Revision Act WolBES-FinBES. A second consultation round is necessary because there are changes compared to the previous consultation version. The consultation round will last 8 weeks.
Changes in the Role of National Representative
In the previous version of the Revision Act WolBES-FinBES, the role of National Representative was removed. Now the role will be retained but will be restructured. This is part of the consultation.
Financial Frameworks
To provide Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba with more opportunities to adequately perform their tasks, the proposal is to expand the borrowing options of the island governments. Just like municipalities, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba will be allowed to take out loans from banks. This is only allowed for the execution of island tasks, such as social housing, better roads, and improved energy supplies. Conditions will be attached to borrowing. There will also be oversight on borrowing by the islands. This will limit financial risks.
During the consultation round, everyone will have the opportunity to express their opinion. The state secretary will also engage in discussions with the executive boards about the legislative proposals in the coming time.
The internet consultation can be found here starting next week: https://internetconsultatie.nl/