Residents of Caribbean Netherlands are happy but have money worries
The concept of well-being relates to quality of life ‘here and now’ and the extent to which this is achieved at the expense of the well-being of future generations or people elsewhere in the world. The Caribbean Netherlands version of the Monitor of Well-being<note> is still under development, and this year includes the ‘here and now’ dimension as well as nine of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The monitor focuses on the period 2016-2023.
Bonaire has a population of 25.1 thousand. Saba and St Eustatius are home to 2.1 thousand and 3.2 thousand residents, respectively.
| jaar | Bonaire (%) | St Eustatius (%) | Saba (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 32 | 30 | 27 |
| 2012 | 31 | 32 | 24 |
| 2013 | 31 | 32 | 28 |
| 2014 | 31 | 30 | 27 |
| 2015 | 29 | 32 | 26 |
| 2016 | 26 | 30 | 22 |
| 2017 | 26 | 29 | 26 |
| 2018 | 25 | 30 | 24 |
| 2019 | 24 | 30 | 25 |
| 2020 | 25 | 30 | 26 |
| 2021 | 24 | 29 | 25 |
| 2022 | 25 | 28 | 25 |
Life satisfaction in the Caribbean Netherlands was relatively high, but fewer people were satisfied with their financial situation. In 2021, 75 percent of residents on Bonaire were satisfied with their financial situation; on St Eustatius it was 70 percent and on Saba 62 percent. Some residents said they have difficulty making ends meet: 20 percent on Bonaire, 23 percent on Saba and 32 percent on St Eustatius. On Bonaire and Saba, 25 percent of children aged under 18 were at risk of poverty in 2022. On St Eustatius this was 28 percent. The share of children at risk of poverty on Bonaire rose between 2021 and 2022.
Significant income inequality
The average income in the Caribbean Netherlands in 2022 was around 60 to 70 percent of the average income in the European Netherlands. Disposable income on Saba increased to $23.8 thousand; on St. Eustatius ($21.2 thousand) and Bonaire ($19.5 thousand) it was stable.
| jaar | Bonaire (x 1,000 dollar per household) | St Eustatius (x 1,000 dollar per household) | Saba (x 1,000 dollar per household) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 18.4 | 18.9 | 18.5 |
| 2012 | 18.4 | 20.2 | 20.0 |
| 2013 | 18.7 | 20.1 | 19.7 |
| 2014 | 18.7 | 20.2 | 20.1 |
| 2015 | 19.4 | 21.6 | 20.1 |
| 2016 | 20.2 | 20.7 | 20.5 |
| 2017 | 20.3 | 22.3 | 21.5 |
| 2018 | 19.7 | 21.6 | 22.0 |
| 2019 | 20.0 | 22.4 | 23.0 |
| 2020 | 20.9 | 23.0 | 23.9 |
| 2021 | 20.8 | 22.4 | 24.2 |
| 2022 | 19.5 | 21.2 | 23.8 |
| 1)Standardised, in 2022 prices | |||
But while material wealth is comparatively low, income inequality is comparatively high. The 20 percent of households on the highest incomes received 7 to 9 times more income in 2022 than the 20 percent of households on the lowest incomes. Only on St Eustatius was income inequality decreasing. In the European Netherlands, the highest-income group earned 4.1 times as much as the lowest-income group in 2022.
High rate of employment
Material wealth in the Caribbean Netherlands is comparatively low despite high rates of labour force participation. St Eustatius and Bonaire had the highest net labour force participation rates in 2022, both at 73 percent. The labour force participation rate was therefore slightly higher than in the European Netherlands. On Saba, the labour force participation rate was 67 percent.
A relatively large share of the population of the Caribbean Netherlands had VMBO, MBO-1 or primary education as their highest level of education in 2022. On Bonaire and St Eustatius, this was more than half of the labour force. In 2021, more than 70 percent of residents aged 15 years and older were satisfied with the educational opportunities they have. Satisfaction ranged from 72 percent on Saba to 75 percent on St Eustatius. In the European Netherlands, this was 85 percent.
| Onderwijsniveau | Bonaire (% of population aged 15-74 yrs) | St Eustatius (% of population aged 15-74 yrs) | Saba (% of population aged 15-74 yrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary education | 51 | 62 | 36 |
| HAVO, VWO, MBO-2-4 | 30 | 22 | 27 |
| HBO, university | 19 | 15 | 32 |