Members of the Island Council traveled to Bonaire in September to continue the BES Summit, a pivotal event that commenced earlier this year. The summit brought together representatives from Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba to address critical issues and collaborate on strategies to enhance the well-being of residents across the BES Islands.

This quarter’s summit saw participation from Saba’s Island Council members, including Vito Charles, Elsa Peterson, Julio Every, and Island Registrar Akilah Levenstone. The meeting served as a platform for exchanging ideas and best practices, focusing on improving public services, infrastructure, healthcare, and social initiatives.

Elsa Peterson, Chairperson of the BES Summit, opened the event with a welcoming message centered on unity and collaboration. She stressed the importance of inter-island cooperation to improve the quality of life for their communities. Peterson encouraged participants to engage in discussions with open minds and mutual respect, emphasizing that their collective efforts would strengthen relationships and foster positive outcomes for all. She concluded by expressing her hopes for a productive and unifying summit.

A portion of the summit was dedicated to reviewing the minutes from the previous BES Summit, held on June 24th, 2024, in The Hague. Cooperation between the islands remains a central focus, with this summit addressing key issues such as the BES 2025 Tax Plan and the establishment of permanent representation for the BES Islands in The Hague. The goal is to develop innovative solutions that benefit all residents through collaborative efforts.

Reflecting on the discussions, Island Council Member Julio Every remarked, “It became clear that, despite the different political parties represented, we all share a common goal: prioritizing the welfare of our islands and their people. The conversations on healthcare, taxes, and cooperation were particularly meaningful, and we will build on these areas moving forward.”

Elsa Peterson further commented, “We had meaningful discussions on the future of cooperation, the BES Tax Plan 2025, and permanent representation in The Hague. However, the most critical topic was healthcare, both mental and physical. We look forward to advancing these discussions at the next BES Summit in Saba this November.”

Vito Charles emphasized the importance of continued collaboration: “It was encouraging to see our ongoing efforts in fostering cooperation. Our commitment to regular meetings has led to improved collaboration, and I look forward to more structured progress in the future. We face many shared challenges, and it’s essential that we work together to overcome them.”

GIS