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In response to the recent news about the opening of a brand-new E-Flight Academy for electric aviation in Aruba, which is expected to happen in the second half of this year, formal parliamentary questions regarding the government’s intention to make flying more affordable in the Dutch Caribbean, have been presented to the House of Representatives in the European Netherlands. A total of ten questions was presented in writing to Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Mark Harbers and State Secretary Alexandra van Huffelen (Kingdom Relations and Digitalization) by two members of the House of Representatives, Jorien Wuite and Raoul Boucke (both D66).
Two years ago, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management announced plans for a masterplan in regard to electric flying in the Dutch Caribbean, called “Innovatieproject Elektrisch Vliegen in de Cariben” (Innovation Project Electric Flying in the Caribbean). One of the first initiatives in this direction was a sustainable flying challenge for teams of students, but has not been a real follow-up since then. The announcement of an E-Flight Academy opening its doors in Aruba this year does not count in that sense, as it concerns a private initiative. That’s why Representatives Wuite and Boucke presented the new cabinet Rutte IV with ten questions about present and future plans for the electric flying masterplan as it was announced by the Ministry back in 2020.
The questions presented to the House of Representatives
- Have you heard about the E-flight Academy for electric flying that is opening in Aruba this year?
- Can you tell us more about the results of the challenge that was organized by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management two years ago, for students to come up with action plans for electric flying?
- Can you tell the House about the current situation regarding the masterplan “Innovatieproject Elektrisch Vliegen in de Cariben” that was announced two years ago? What about the mentioned key points for aviation in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom?
- Do you agree with the statement that the Caribbean part of the Kingdom provides ideal circumstances for the development of, and experimentation with, electric aviation? Can you point out what the masterplan has taught us so far? How is this knowledge shared and applied in other parts of the Kingdom and outside of it?
- Do you agree with the statement that electric flying in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom is not only a sustainable development, but also a contributing factor to lower prices, better reachability, and economic development in the region?
- Can you tell the House about the situation of the announced investigation in regard to making the routes between the islands subject to a public service obligation? Is electric flying considered as part of the investigation?
- What can you do to speed up the mentioned investigation and when can the House expect its results?
- Can you confirm that some time ago, the Executive Council of Bonaire, among others, has requested assistance when it comes to the stimulation of sustainability plans, like electric driving? If so, have you responded to this request and can you tell the House about this?
- Can you confirm that the new subsidy conditions regarding, among other things, the production of energy and the purchase of electric cars are aimed at the European Netherlands and not at the Caribbean Netherlands? If so, what can be done to make this type of subsidies available for the Caribbean Netherlands as well?
- Can you tell the House about which steps the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations, as coordinating Ministry for the Caribbean Netherlands, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management will be taking to work together more actively with Public Bodies (Publieke Lichamen) to enable a faster and complete transition to sustainable energy, sustainable fuels, improved mobility, and improved reachability?
At Future Islands, we will keep you updated on what the House of Representatives responds to these written questions. If you have any questions or additional information in regard to this topic, just let us know here.
The basis for this article was originally published on www.dossierkoninkrijksrelaties.nl in January 2022.
