Island Governors Alida Francis, John Soliano of Bonaire, and Jocelyn Levenstone of Saba attended the meeting together with Acting Kingdom Representative Jan Helmond. They met with Professor Rick Lawson, Chair of the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights, and Dr Joyce Sylvester, Chair of the former State Commission against Discrimination and Racism.
During the meeting, Sylvester presented the State Commission’s final report, Discriminatie doorbreken (Dismantling Discrimination). Published in June 2026, the report examines how discrimination can become embedded within government legislation, regulations, systems, policies and everyday decision-making, and sets out recommendations aimed at strengthening equal treatment across both European and Caribbean Netherlands.
The presentation led to a broader discussion on what the Commission’s findings mean in practice for Bonaire, Statia and Saba, particularly in relation to the accessibility and quality of public services, the impact of national legislation and the capacity of small island administrations to respond to increasing responsibilities.
“Equal treatment must also mean recognising the circumstances in which people live and in which our island administrations operate,” Governor of Statia Alida Francis stated. “National legislation and policies can have very different effects when applied in a small island context. Continued dialogue is therefore important to ensure that the realities of Bonaire, Statia and Saba are considered when policies are developed and implemented.”
The Governors highlighted the importance of ensuring that national rules and policies are developed and implemented with sufficient understanding of the social, economic and administrative realities of each island. They also discussed the challenges of meeting growing expectations and responsibilities with limited human and institutional capacity.
The discussions come at an important stage in strengthening equal-treatment protections in the Caribbean Netherlands. From 2026, equal-treatment legislation was extended to Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, providing residents with stronger legal protection against discrimination and the possibility of bringing discrimination complaints before the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights.
Attention was also given to how the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights and other national institutions can support the islands as the recommendations of the State Commission are taken forward.
The Governors emphasised the importance of continued engagement between national institutions and the island administrations, particularly during the early stages of developing legislation and policies that will apply to the Caribbean Netherlands.
Such cooperation, they noted, is essential to ensuring that national policies are workable within the realities of Bonaire, Statia and Saba and that residents have access to fair treatment, appropriate public services and equal protection of their rights.
