WILLEMSTAD - An independent commission has been appointed to evaluate the implementation of the so-called Landspakketten (Country Packages), reform agreements introduced at the height of the COVID-19 crisis. The review was agreed under the Mutual Arrangement for Cooperation on Reforms, established in April 2023 by Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlands.

The Landspakketten were introduced in late 2020 in exchange for liquidity support provided by the Netherlands during the pandemic. They include a wide range of reforms aimed at strengthening the economies and governance capacity of the Caribbean countries within the Kingdom. The upcoming evaluation will assess how effectively these reforms have been carried out, their impact, and whether the intended goals are being achieved.

The commission is chaired by Maria van der Sluijs-Plantz. Its members include Angel Bermudez (Aruba), Francis de Lanoy (Curaçao), Cees Slager (Netherlands), and Franklyn Richards (Sint Maarten). To ensure impartiality, the commission will also rely on research conducted by an independent external agency.

The final report is expected by March 2026 and will be presented to the heads of government of the four countries. Based on the findings, the governments will decide whether to continue, amend, or terminate the reform arrangement.

The evaluation marks a crucial moment in the ongoing cooperation between the Caribbean countries and the Netherlands, as it will determine the future of the reform process that has shaped much of the islands’ economic and administrative policy in recent years.