Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba can continue to rely on the Association of Netherlands Municipalities’ (VNG) Caribbean Desk. The VNG is expanding the service to help strengthen the public entities’ implementation capacity and improve public service delivery. The desk, funded by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), will operate until the end of 2028.
The public entities face many of the same administrative challenges as municipalities in the European Netherlands. This makes it even more valuable for them to draw on the VNG’s knowledge, products, and services. But it works both ways: the islands bring their own insights and experience. To strengthen this exchange, the VNG launched the Caribbean Desk as a pilot in June 2024.
What the pilot has delivered
The pilot has proven its worth as a tool for making VNG services and products available to public entities. Support has been provided primarily in the social and legal domains, focusing on policy and implementation. In addition, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba have participated in consultations on new legislation and in implementation reviews, giving Caribbean practice a firmer footing in policymaking and decision-making.
Continuation and expansion
As of 1 October 2026, the Desk has been extended by 2 years. Over the coming years, the emphasis will be on adapting more VNG products for Caribbean practice, expanding the legal network, and organising exchanges and working visits with municipalities in the European Netherlands.
Structural embedding of the collaboration
Together with the Caribbean Exchange Facility, work is underway to embed collaboration between public entities, the VNG, and the Ministry of BZK. In doing so, municipalities’ knowledge and expertise in the European Netherlands are being better connected to the challenges facing Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.
