Aruba largely meets the conditions set by the cabinet for new financial aid due to the corona crisis. Curaçao has taken steps in the right direction and Sint Maarten does not meet the conditions. That is the thrust of a letter from State Secretary Knops to the Lower House about how things are going now.
The cabinet and the Caribbean countries have been discussing more financial support for some time now. The discussion is mainly about the conditions set by the Netherlands: the cabinet wants to assist the countries, but believes that they should also take measures themselves to make the economy stronger.
Top incomes
Knops writes to the House of Representatives that Aruba will in principle receive new financial assistance. It does not yet meet the condition that the top incomes in the government may not exceed 130 percent of the salary of the Prime Minister, but the other conditions have been met. The country has until October 1 to come up with a proposal on top incomes, which has been approved by the States of Aruba.
Curaçao has taken “meaningful steps”, but has not yet met all the conditions. According to Knops, decisions have been taken and are being implemented on most of the cabinet’s requirements, but they still have to be laid down in law. This includes a salary discount for politicians and civil servants. Knops wants Curaçao to provide new information no later than September 1, with which the country demonstrates that it meets all the conditions.
Knops’ letter is the most negative about Sint Maarten: the body that supervises the finances has “again not been able to establish that the country meets the conditions”. This means that for the time being no more talks will be held with Sint-Maarten about new aid. “Should Sint-Maarten still want to have this conversation, it will have to demonstrate that all conditions have been met.”
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