THE HAGUE / PHILIPSBURG – All countries in the Kingdom recognize the importance of cooperation in strengthening the rule of law and good governance. That is why Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands and St. Maarten are working together to combat subversive criminality, corruption and fraud and to promote integrity. This is what Minister of Justice and Security (J&V) Foort van Oosten and State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations Eddie van Marum are writing to the House of Representatives today. The reason for this is a motion by the House of Representatives calling for a tougher approach to, among other things, combating fraud, subversive criminality and corruption.
Tackling subversion
Subversion is a form of organized criminality in which the legal and illegal spheres, the upper world and the underworld, become intertwined. The proximity to Latin and North America and the trade routes to Europe make the Caribbean part of the Kingdom particularly vulnerable to subversive criminality, e.g. drug and arms smuggling, human trafficking and people smuggling. The small scale of the islands also entails a greater risk of unintended conflicts of interest.
Cross-border and subversive criminality, combating corruption and fraud, and the promotion of integrity are autonomous matters for Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten. The countries are particularly vulnerable due to limited capacity in terms of personnel and resources. The Netherlands is therefore working with Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten to provide additional capacity, expertise and resources for combating subversive criminality.
State Secretary for BZK Eddie van Marum emphasizes the importance of the approach for residents: “The governments within the Kingdom share a joint responsibility to combat these forms of subversion. After all, subversion undermines the functioning of the public administration and the trust of citizens in a fair and honest government. Citizens throughout the Kingdom must be able to rely on a robust, resilient rule of law.”
The cooperation between the Netherlands and the three Caribbean countries in the area of subversion takes place in both the criminal and administrative spheres. In addition, there is cooperation in the area of good governance and integrity.
Criminal and administrative approach to subversion
Since 2017, the Netherlands has been supporting three chain partners in the countries in tackling subversion through criminal law: via the Investigation Cooperation Team, the Public Prosecutions Offices in the countries and the Joint Court of Justice. In the coming years, efforts are being made to increase capacity and expertise for conducting criminal investigations into financial and economic criminality. There is also a need for greater insight into criminal money flows. For an efficient approach, people and resources are deployed on the basis of targeted information. EUR 24 million has been set aside annually for the approach under criminal law.
A protocol has also been established for the approach to subversion under administrative law. The Ministry of BZK allocates EUR 1 million annually for this purpose. The three Caribbean countries have launched the Not On Our Island campaign, which aims to raise awareness about subversion in society. The countries also want to have established a platform by the end of 2026, modelled on the Regional Information and Expertise Centers (RIEC) in the Netherlands.
Good governance and integrity
In recent years, the Caribbean countries have taken various steps in the area of good governance and integrity. For example, St. Maarten has had an Integrity Chamber since 2019, and Aruba has had the Integrity Bureau Aruba since 2021. Curaçao is also in the process of setting up an integrity bureau.
Furthermore, the Caribbean countries have introduced rules for the financing of political parties and the screening of new government officials, and civil servants receive integrity training. From 2023 onwards, the Integrity Summit Dutch Caribbean is held annually to promote the expertise of integrity officers. The aim is to establish a Caribbean Knowledge Centre for Integrity Promotion by 2026, which can support both the countries and the Public Entities. Finally, in consultation with the countries, we are examining how best to monitor the progress of processes in the area of good governance and integrity. For example, through the National Integrity System Assessments that have already been conducted in the countries.
Further discussions are underway with Transparency International regarding possible monitoring tools, given their knowledge and experience in tracking trends and corruption around the world.
Source: Press Release
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