Commissioner Timoteo Silberie officially launched the Budget Planner (Trahadó di Presupuesto). The Budget Planner is a lesson material that various social organizations in Bonaire will be working with. It helps residents gain more knowledge about their financial affairs and better manage their income and expenses.
During the official launch of the Budget Planner, Commissioner Silberie emphasized the importance of financial awareness and prevention: “Financial independence begins with knowledge. By providing residents with the right tools, we can continue to build together with our partners toward a Bonaire where fewer people find themselves in a problematic debt situation and where more residents have control over their financial future.”
As part of the approach to financial problems, the Directorate of Community and Care of the Public Entity Bonaire organized a ‘train-the-trainer’ program in October 2025. This took place in collaboration with the National Institute for Family Finance Information (Nationaal Instituut voor Budgetvoorlichting – Nibud). Representatives from seven social organizations participated in this training.
Nibud is an independent knowledge and information institute in the field of household finance and strives to achieve a Netherlands free of financial problems. During this training, the foundation was laid to develop the Budget Planner. This practical lesson material supports professionals who guide residents when financial problems arise.
The development of the Budget Planner is linked to the program plan “Working towards Prosperity and Well-being of Bonaire” (“Werken naar Welvaart en Welzijn van Bonaire”). Based on this program, different working groups were formed, including the Debt working group.
This team consists of representatives from the Public Entity Bonaire, the Financial Social Work section of Sentro Akseso, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW), and NVVK (the trade association for debt relief and financial assistance). The working group is working to further develop the legislative trajectory, debt restructuring assistance, preventive support, and budget management. In addition, efforts are being made to achieve strong cooperation between the chain partners.
Within this framework, a work session was recently organized in the Netherlands, among other things. During this meeting, the partners got to know the involved partners from the European Netherlands. Possibilities for cooperation with various municipalities in the Netherlands, such as Tilburg, Utrecht, and Amsterdam, were also discussed.
The Public Entity Bonaire, in collaboration with Sentro Akseso and other partners, continues to make efforts to further develop preventive and curative debt restructuring assistance. Through new strategies, activities, and cooperation agreements, work is being done to strengthen the financial independence and well-being of the residents of Bonaire.
