Under the new legislation, the number of Island Council members will be increased in phases, beginning with the next Island Council elections on 17 March 2027. During the first phase, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will each receive two additional Island Council members. As a result, the number of members on Bonaire's Island Council will increase from nine to eleven, while St. Eustatius and Saba will each increase from five to seven members.
The legislation also increases the number of Island Commissioners. Bonaire will be permitted to appoint up to four commissioners instead of three, while St. Eustatius and Saba will each be able to appoint three commissioners instead of two.
Strengthening Representation and Governance Capacity
The increase in the number of Island Council members and Island Commissioners forms part of the reform of the Public Bodies (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba) Act (Wet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba – WolBES). Since 2010, the number of council members and commissioners has remained unchanged despite population growth across the islands.
The islands have also indicated that the current number of commissioners is insufficient to manage the increasing workload. Expanding the number of elected representatives and administrators is therefore expected to strengthen governance capacity and improve public administration.
'Comply or Explain' Principle
Once the measures outlined in the legislation have been fully implemented, the number of Island Council members will be determined by the population of each island, while the number of Island Commissioners will be linked to the size of the respective Island Council.
State Secretary Van der Burg stated:
"This is a good example of the 'comply or explain' principle. Our intention is to introduce the same arrangements that apply to municipal councils in the European Netherlands. At the same time, we recognise the specific circumstances of the Caribbean islands and are therefore taking a phased approach. I am pleased that the Dutch Senate treated this legislation as a priority. By increasing the number of Island Council members and Island Commissioners, we are strengthening both democracy and the islands' capacity to govern effectively."
With the approval of the Dutch Senate, the Expansion Act has now been formally adopted and will come into force in time for the Island Council elections in March 2027.
