The entrepreneurs’ organization Ondernemend Nederland (ONL) believes that too little has been done so far to help entrepreneurs in Groningen repair all the damage caused by the earthquake. ‘The money for Groningen goes to the bureaucracy, not the entrepreneur. I’m puzzled,” says ONL foreman Hans Biesheuvel.
Last Friday, the MP The Groningen Natural Gas Drilling Inquiry Commission released the damning report on the government’s role regarding gas drilling in the province. According to the commission, The Hague has for years seriously underestimated the seriousness and urgency of the problems. “And that needs to change immediately,” says Biesheuvel.
Skeptical about promises
Despite the firm conclusion of the commission of inquiry, according to Biesheuvel there are still sufficient grounds for suspicion on the promises of the Empire. For example, the report shows that less than a quarter of the recovery money released for Groningen actually went to residents and businesses. The rest – more than three-quarters – was spent on research, consulting and consultancy. “It’s kind of the disease the Netherlands suffer from: bureaucracy.”
“I came away sad.”
Previously ONL had already had an interview with State Secretary for Mines Hans Vijlbrief, but it was not positive. “I came away sad,” says Biesheuvel. ‘The end of the conversation may have been good, but it’s seeing and then believing.’
Furthermore, the cabinet has yet to respond substantively to Friday’s report, Rutte wants to have read all 2,000 pages first. It is not yet clear what he will change for Groningen. But until then, Biesheuvel is also not standing still: “We will make every effort to keep the promise, so that entrepreneurs can get on with their lives.”
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
