In recent years, the number of letters sent and received on Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius has declined by one-third, and the quality of postal delivery has fallen short. To make the postal service future-proof, Economisch Bureau Amsterdam has made several recommendations to the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The current concession holder, Flamingo Express (FXDC), holds the exclusive right to deliver mail under two kilos in the Caribbean Netherlands until the end of 2026. No provider has yet been designated for the period after 2026. EBA recommends issuing a new postal concession for each island.

Due to the lack of street names and zip codes, manual processes and logistical obstacles between islands, legal deadlines for mail delivery are often missed. The introduction of postal codes would be a major improvement. Zip codes at the island level help with the sorting of international mail. Mail codes at the street level, especially in Bonaire, can contribute to more efficient and automated mail sorting and delivery.

From an efficiency perspective, enabling mail delivery via community mailboxes seems inevitable. This will make mail delivery more cost effective and improve quality. Consideration will also have to be given to the possibility that a government operating subsidy may be needed in the future.