THE HAGUE — The meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers did not result in any decisions about the establishment of the consensus Kingdom law Caribbean Reform Entity (CRE). State Secretary Knops made clear that the establishment of this law requires approval by the governments and the parliaments of St. Maarten, Curacao and Aruba.
The kingdom is prepared to make €500 million ($565 million) available to the CRE for its operational costs and for investment in projects on the three islands. Knops’ press conference was streamed live and followed by almost one thousand people.
“These are special times,” Knops said in his opening statement. “Many people are without an income, but we will not let you down.” Knops is looking for solutions whereby the strongest shoulders will bear the heaviest burdens.
“The islands have to become less dependent on tourism and we have to make the right choices in the interest of the islands. This requires sacrifices and conditions for the zero-interest loans that won’t have to be paid back during the first two years.”
But Knops said that it is much more important to invest in the islands and that this requires attention for a period of five to seven years. He pointed out that the islands lack capacity and that this requires cooperation. We are going to reform, we are going to invest and we are going to make sure that it remains affordable.”
Knops maintained that the establishment of the CRE does not infringe upon the autonomy of the islands since it will need a legal basis to operate. That basis is the consensus kingdom law Caribbean Reform Entity.
In the meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers, Knops said, St. Maarten, Curacao and Aruba all acknowledged that reform is necessary. Decisions by the CRE will be taken “in consultation with the countries.”
Furthermore, Knops noted, all three countries are dependent on the Netherlands. “How autonomous are you then? In the past, too little has been done to put the government’s finances in order. We need to take measures to safeguard that autonomy.”
Knops repeated that the high salaries at government-owned companies must become a thing of the past.
Asked whether the countries will not receive liquidity support if they do not sign on to the CRE-bandwagon, Knops was evasive, saying that the offer by the kingdom is not compulsory. “Liquidity support will be needed for a longer time,” he added. “Our intentions are genuine.”
The CRE will be staffed with people from the Caribbean and the Netherlands, Knops said. It will have a management board and a supervisory board. “People from the Caribbean can play a role in it.”
Whatever happens in the decision-making process about the consensus kingdom law will not affect the kingdom’s preparedness to provide unconditional humanitarian and medical assistance until at least the end of the year, and longer if the situation requires it.
Knops: “My ambition is to stop sending food packages. If we can do that it means that people have a job and an income again.”
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