Prime Ministers Evelyn Wever-Croes of Aruba (left), Gilmar Pisas of Curaçao (second from left), Silveria Jacobs of St. Maarten (right) and State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalisation Alexandra van Huffelen (second from right) holding up the Mutual Regulation that they just signed in The Hague on Tuesday. (Ministry of BZK photo)
THE HAGUE--The legal basis for a sustainable collaboration to execute reforms in the public sector of the Dutch Caribbean countries has been created with the signatures of Prime Ministers Evelyn Wever-Croes of Aruba, Gilmar Pisas of Curaçao, Silveria Jacobs of St. Maarten and State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalisation Alexandra van Huffelen below a new Mutual Regulation.
The prime ministers and state secretary signed the Mutual Regulation in The Hague on Tuesday. Under this mutual arrangement, the countries commit to execute the country packages of reform and development for four years.
The Netherlands commits to contribute with support in capacity and means. Annually, the Dutch government will make 30 million euros available. Reforms in the countries are already taking place and will continue in the financial, economic and social area, as well as in education, healthcare and strengthening of the constitutional state.
The objective under the Mutual Regulation remains the same as was intended in the controversial Kingdom Consensus Law proposal to establish the Caribbean Body for Reform and Development COHO, namely to increase the economic resilience and governing power of the countries, in the interest of the people.
Stronger, more resilient countries are needed because the COVID-19 pandemic showed the vulnerability of the Dutch Caribbean countries and thereby the need for reforms. During the pandemic, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten became dependent on Dutch financial assistance which The Hague provided in the form of zero-percent interest liquidity loans, but with conditions attached.
The new Mutual Regulation, the instrument that is used for a sustainable collaboration within the Kingdom, is based on equality, equity and ownership. The Dutch Caribbean countries, through the prime ministers, will be in charge of the execution of the reforms, and not the three-member COHO as initially proposed.
Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten will each draft an execution agenda, with the assistance of the Netherlands. The execution agenda contains measures and projects to achieve the necessary reforms. The countries will also periodically draft execution reports with the results and progress of the implementation of the country packages.
In case countries cannot find common ground during the four-year period of the Mutual Regulation, they can turn to an independent mediator. This mediator will be selected jointly by the prime minister of the Dutch Caribbean country in question and the state secretary for Kingdom Relations. The ruling of this mediator, who needs to have strong ties to the Caribbean region, will not be binding, but the intention is that the countries keep to the mediator’s judgement.
