Reports that Dutch commercial banks are closing bank accounts of residents and companies in the Caribbean Netherlands have Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Par­liament Antje Diertens of the Democratic Party D66 concerned.

Diertens on Monday sub­mitted written questions to State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Rela­tions Raymond Knops and Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra about the reported withdrawing of Dutch banks from Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.

The Member of Parliament (MP) in particular asked about the intentions of ABN AMR() Bank to halt banking services for private persons and businesses in the Carib­bean Netherlands.

“Can you indicate what this means for the availability of banking services of Dutch banks for residents of the is­lands? To what extent do you consider it important that Caribbean Netherlands resi­dents have access to banking services of a bank that makes it easy to do banking busi­ness with the Netherlands, for example, by offering an account in euros?”

Diertens wanted to know whether residents of the is­lands can lay claim to hav­ing a basic current account, prescribed in the financial supervision law and a guide­line of the European Parlia­ment, and whether they can switch to a different bank account and have access to current accounts with basic functions.

The MP linked the banking matter to free movement of Caribbean Netherlands resi­dents in the European Union (EU). “To what extent do residents of the Caribbean Netherlands resort under the definition of being consum­ers that are legally staying in the EU? How do you in­terpret in light of that defini­tion the right of residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba to move freely in EU territories?”

In concluding, Diertens en­quired about consultations of the finance minister, in col­laboration with Netherlands Central Bank DNB, with the Dutch Payments Association and the four large banks.

The Daily Herald.