Windwardside, Saba
SABA/ST. EUSTATIUS/BONAIRE--The support and recovery package for residents and businesses in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba due to the COVID-19 situation has been extended by another nine months, until July 12, 2021.
Residents and businesses in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba are part of the Netherlands and can consequently make use of similar measures as in the European Netherlands, it was stated in a press release.
The COVID-19 crisis has had an enormous impact on the community of the Caribbean Netherlands. The three islands have also been hit hard economically. The tourism sector, which drives a large part of the economy, has come to a standstill. In fact, Saba and St. Eustatius have been closed for the outside world for six months.
The government of the Netherlands is therefore extending the subsidy regulation for wage cost and loss of income by nine months.
In addition, the public entities will be financially compensated for the loss of tax income and additional cost incurred due to COVID-19. There is also an extension and expansion of the fixed cost compensation regulation.
The extension of this support and recovery package was sent to the Dutch Parliament today on behalf of State Secretary for Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate, the Minister of Finance and the State Secretary of Social Affairs and Employment.
Knops said on behalf of the government of the Netherlands: “The medical and economic situation in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba remains worrisome. There is currently no prospect of improvement for the three islands. With this extension of various measures, we are protecting the incomes of residents and businesses for a long period of time. We hope that most jobs will be kept with this.
“These are difficult times, when a lot will be demanded of the community. At the same time, the government is convinced that even in this crisis the resilience of the islands will ensure that together, government and community on both sides of the ocean, we will get out of this.”
