Samenvatting

How to understand the disintegration of the Dutch Caribbean? The Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising three countries - the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba - will be reordered. The Netherlands Antilles will cease to exist as a separate country. Curaçao and Sint Maarten will acquire country status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, just as Aruba did in 1986, though theirs will be of a different status and with less autonomy. The islands <i>B</i>onaire, Sint <i>E</i>ustatius and <i>S</i>aba, the so-called <i>BES</i> islands, will be integrated into the Netherlands as public authorities (<i>openbare lichamen</i>); as such the BES islands will be administered by the Netherlands while retaining local government functions (just as municipalities in the Netherlands).This article outlines the history behind these changes and the factors that are at play. However improbable the <i>Dutch Caribbean</i> hypothesis, the Kingdom facilitates a connection of these islands with the international world. Against all odds and populist opponents, the <i>Dutch Caribbean</i> is a challenge to square the circle, a complex pact, impossible to balance, which will never come to a definitive conclusion.