Council of Ministers appoints Jonathan Johnson as acting Kingdom Representative

The Council of Ministers has approved the nomination of Mr. Jonathan Johnson as acting Kingdom Representative for the public bodies of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. Mr. Johnson succeeds Jan Helmond, who had held this position since November 2017. The appointment takes effect on 1 January 2027 and will be formalized by Royal Decree.

Mr. Johnson (50) was born on Saba and served as Island Governor of Saba from 2008 to 2026. In this role, he was responsible for matters including public order and safety, crisis management, the quality of public administration, and representing Saba. Prior to that, he served as, among other things, the principal of the secondary school on Saba. Mr. Johnson has also held various civic positions.

Mr. Johnson is being appointed as acting Kingdom Representative because the Public Bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Act (WolBES) is currently being revised. The proposal for the WolBES Revision Act stipulates that the office of Kingdom Representative will be retained but restructured. Appointing an acting Kingdom Representative ensures continuity of the office during this period.

The (acting) Kingdom Representative plays a connecting role between the central government and the public bodies, with responsibilities including good governance and inter-administrative supervision.

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