Bold choices needed to address migration, aging on Bonaire, S.t Eustatius, and Saba

THE HAGUE--The growing migration and aging population on the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba are having significant consequences for the local economy and overall prosperity. To tackle these challenges, both the Dutch government and local authorities must make firm policy choices in the coming years. Key priorities include addressing deferred infrastructure maintenance, ensuring a stable energy and fuel supply, and preventing staff shortages in critical sectors such as healthcare and education. While migration presents opportunities, it also brings challenges, so integrated policies on healthcare, education, and housing are essential.

The Dutch cabinet sets this out in a letter to the House of Representatives in response to the report Targeted Growth by the State Commission on Demographic Developments in the Caribbean Netherlands 2050. The report outlines expected population changes up to 2050 and provides recommendations for future proof policies. Both the Dutch government and the Executive Councils of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba endorse the commission’s conclusions.

Structural Funding Required for Investments

When developing new policies, demographic trends must be taken into account. The cabinet’s response outlines necessary short and long term actions. It endorses recommendations from earlier reports by the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli), the Council for Public Administration (ROB), and the research agency AEF, which emphasize the need for long term cooperation and structural funding for investments in housing, roads, and accessibility. For example, Bonaire’s population has nearly doubled in 15 years, from over 15,000 in 2011 to nearly 27,000 in 2025, placing increasing pressure on physical infrastructure such as roads, waste management, and housing, while also driving higher energy demand.

Maintaining Public Services

For the medium and long term, policy must account for the effects of aging, including investment in prevention and in physical infrastructure such as public transport and senior housing. Effective migration policies are needed to guide population growth and stimulate economic development. The islands’ limited scale makes it harder to sustain public services, so regional cooperation and better alignment between education and labor market demand are crucial.

Data Needed to Adapt Policy

To enhance the self sufficiency of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, the cabinet is already working to preserve and expand broad based prosperity and improve basic services. This includes making governance agreements on sound administration, healthy public finances, and digitization. Through Regio Deals, conditions for economic growth have been created, and funds have been allocated for food security initiatives. As more data becomes available, policy adjustments have followed, including an increase in the unconditional grant from the BES Fund. The next cabinet is advised to systematically monitor demographic trends and embed them in policy.

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