SABA--Commissioner Bruce Zagers has called on members of the Dutch Second Chamber to move longstanding concerns affecting Saba and the wider Caribbean Netherlands from recognition to concrete action, warning that years of studies, advisory reports and political acknowledgement have too often failed to produce timely structural solutions.
In a September 17 letter ahead of parliamentary votes on motions concerning the Caribbean Netherlands on Tuesday, September 22, Zagers said many of the same concerns he raised with parliamentarians a year ago remain unresolved. He acknowledged significant Dutch investment in Saba over the years, but said a pattern has emerged in which problems are repeatedly recognized while progress stops when discussions turn to funding.
Zagers, who has served as Commissioner since 2007, identified connectivity, the cost of living, electricity, infrastructure and economic development among the areas where he believes decisions now need to follow recognition.
Connectivity remains a central concern
Zagers described connectivity as one of the clearest examples of the problem. He said that although the legal basis for a Public Service Obligation, PSO, for aviation is finally in place after years of discussion, structural financing is still lacking and meaningful implementation is not expected before 2028.
He argued that current airfares remain a direct burden on residents and the economy, noting that it can sometimes be cheaper to travel internationally to or from St. Maarten than to make the shorter onward journey between St. Maarten and Saba or St. Eustatius.
For Zagers, the issue goes beyond ticket prices. He said better connectivity would support economic development, employment, investment and the ability of Saba and St. Eustatius to increase their own earning capacity.
Questions economic concentration on Bonaire
The Commissioner also raised what he described as the economic impact of concentrating much of the National Government and Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland presence on Bonaire.
He said government employment, official travel, accommodation, conferences, transportation, procurement and related spending generate structural economic activity on Bonaire that Saba and St. Eustatius do not experience to the same extent.
Zagers called for a fair comparison between the annual economic value generated by this government presence on Bonaire and the estimated annual cost of a meaningful aviation PSO for Saba and St. Eustatius.
His argument is that if national policy decisions create structural economic activity on one island, part of that value should be considered when assessing investment needed to improve accessibility and opportunity on the other two islands.
Electricity relief remains temporary
Zagers also raised electricity costs. He said the tariff on Saba should currently be approximately US$0.56 per kWh, but intervention by the local government and Saba Electric Company temporarily reduced it to approximately US$0.46 through a six-month subsidy after a sharp increase at the beginning of 2026.
He warned that the local intervention is temporary and will not be available in 2027, while questioning whether similar delays in structural relief would be accepted in the European Netherlands.
Zagers used the island of Ameland as a comparison, arguing that if comparable electricity increases occurred there, waiting until 2028 for meaningful relief would likely be unacceptable.
Questions use of €30 million for livelihood security
Zagers also focused on the Dutch coalition agreement’s commitment to make €30 million structurally available to tackle poverty and implement recommendations from the Committee for the Social Minimum.
He questioned the allocation of €15.3 million of that amount in the 2027 budget toward energy measures, including €6 million for Saba’s solar and battery project and €6.1 million for St. Eustatius.
The Dutch 2027 budget confirms that €30 million has been structurally earmarked for improving livelihood security in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. It also confirms that €15.3 million will be used in 2027 for energy measures, including €6 million for Saba and €6.1 million for St. Eustatius renewable-energy projects.
Zagers said he welcomes the investments but questioned why energy infrastructure is being financed from funds intended to combat poverty and improve livelihood security.
He pointed to the SDE++ program in the European Netherlands, which has a multibillion-euro budget for renewable energy and carbon-reduction projects, and asked what comparable mainstream funding instrument exists for the Caribbean Netherlands when programs used in the European Netherlands do not apply there.
For Zagers, the “comply or explain” principle cannot end with an explanation of why a European Netherlands program does not apply. He said it should also produce an answer showing how the same underlying public responsibility will be met in the Caribbean Netherlands.
Maintaining relief is not the same as reducing costs
Zagers warned that if much of the new €30 million is used to continue existing subsidies, the measures may prevent costs from rising further without actually reducing the high cost of living residents already face.
He therefore challenged the National Government to identify what measurable reduction in the cost of living residents should expect from the additional structural funding.
“Maintaining existing relief and reducing the cost of living are not the same thing,” he wrote.
Infrastructure and water remain concerns
The Commissioner said infrastructure follows the same pattern of recognition without sufficient structural action.
He referred to the AEF reportKlein gebied, grote opgave, which he said quantified the structural gap in maintaining and replacing infrastructure in the Caribbean Netherlands.
Zagers also pointed to Saba’s recent drought, which brought the island close to the limits of its water production and distribution capacity. While investments have been made, he said greater redundancy, pumping and transportation capacity and strategic storage remain necessary.
The concern, he said, is that every year structural needs remain underfunded, the backlog grows and becomes more expensive to resolve.
“Recognition is no longer enough”
Zagers stressed that the concerns are not new and have been repeatedly raised by the islands, advisory bodies, the Ombudsman, the Institute for Human Rights, the National Coordinator against Discrimination and Racism, Parliament and the Dutch Government itself.
He acknowledged that decisions involve money, but argued that funding cannot repeatedly become the point where acknowledged problems stop becoming solutions.
After nearly two decades participating in these discussions, Zagers said he remains convinced that the relationship can improve and that Saba and the Netherlands can do better.
He urged Parliament to show political decisiveness and invest in what he described as “no-regret solutions” that strengthen local economies, reduce the cost of living and structurally improve residents’ lives.
His closing message was that the debate should no longer center on whether the gaps exist, but on what government and Parliament are prepared to do to close them.
