News item | 20-10-2025 | 2:30 PM
For the first time, there will be a physical location on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba where residents can go for free information, advice and support with legal questions and discrimination. The foundation that will provide this service has now been officially established. The name of the foundation on Bonaire is Lokèt Hurídikoon St. Eustatius and Saba Legal Desk. The foundation is a structural follow-up to the successful Legal Desk pilot, which has been running on Saba for a long time and also recently on St. Eustatius.
With this foundation you will soon be able to:
- Receive information and advice about legal matters, such as conflicts with an employer, rent problems or family matters;
- Report any discrimination you experience, for example when you are treated unequally because of your origin or your disability.
This is an important step to ensure that everyone in the Caribbean part of the Netherlands receives the same protection as in the European Netherlands.
What happens now?
In the coming months, the foundation will hire employees and set up locations on the three islands. The goal is to strengthen the legal protection of residents, so that you know where to go if you have legal problems or concerns.
The service will start in the first half of 2026. As soon as the locations for the counters and the opening times are known, they will be shared with you, including via www.rijksdienstcn.com.
Who will lead the foundation?
With its establishment, the first faces of the foundation are also known. Suhendra Leon, who has extensive experience in the field of legal protection, has been appointed director. In addition, a Supervisory Board has been established with Shirma Rouse, Reza Asgarali, and Marga Buys-Trimp as chairman.
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“For many people it is not self-evident to know where they can go if they have a legal problem or are treated unequally. With this foundation we want to change that. Every resident of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba must be able to obtain independent information and advice about rights and obligations.”
Chair of the Supervisory Board Marga Buys-Trimp: “As the Supervisory Board, we are extremely motivated to support the director to get this facility up and running quickly; the demand for this is high and it is important that the counter is accessible and widely known.”
State Secretary Rutte (Justice and Security): “This is a special milestone: Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba now have a foundation that will provide physical counters for help and advice with legal problems and protection against discrimination. With this we ensure accessible legal assistance and open the door to justice and equal treatment for everyone. A facility that has long been needed on the islands.”
Minister Rijkaart (Interior and Kingdom Relations): “On October 7, the Senate approved the Discrimination Protection Act on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. As a result, all laws that protect against discrimination will soon apply throughout the country. With this foundation we ensure that residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba also have an accessible remedy if they are treated unequally. That is extremely important and I have every confidence in it. that the new management and Supervisory Board will carry out this work with dedication.”
With the new Protection against Discrimination Act on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, the Human Rights Institute will also have a new assessment task on the islands. This means that citizens can submit a request to the Board to assess whether there is discrimination in their situation.