Grip on kingdom relations
The Netherlands Court of Audit has conveniently summarised the audit findings it has made on the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in recent years. Ahead of a debate by the permanent committee for kingdom relations in the House of Representatives on Wednesday 12 June, the Court has compiled 4 factsheets full of information on the Caribbean islands and their relationship with central government.
Each year, the Court audits and assesses policy on kingdom relations as part of its Accountability Audit. Its audits also cover operational management and other policy areas, such as the special purpose grants awarded to the Caribbean Netherlands (2022).
Since 2010, the audits have revealed a number of common themes. The Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) is responsible for coordinating financial affairs and policy in the Caribbean Netherlands, but it is a difficult task to fulfil. For some time, there have also been problems in the National Office of the Caribbean Netherlands’ operational management and performance. The debts owed by Aruba, Curacao and St Martin to the Netherlands, for instance, have increased since 2010, despite the Minister of BZK’s oversight of the countries’ financial management.
Factsheets summarising these and many other findings on policy on the Caribbean islands have been sent to the House of Representatives to serve as background information for its debate of the Annual Report and final budget act for kingdom relations and the BES Fund 2023. The debate is being held on Wednesday 12 June.
Ewout Irrgang, Board member of the Court of Audit, says the information is presented as accessibly as possible. “We have been auditing kingdom relations in the Netherlands for many years. The lessons we have learned can help MPs make new plans. By reducing more than a decade of audit reports to a few sheets of A4, we can highlight what they should be aware of. This will increase the likelihood of citizens and businesses on the islands actually benefiting from new regulations.”