Governor wraps up Dutch visit; Heyliger heads on to Ireland

Island Governor Joc­elyn Levenstone and Commis­sioner of Culture Eviton Hey­liger have been in the Nether­lands for a series of meetings, with Heyliger travelling on to Ireland for an island exchange programme.

Levenstone’s working visit be­gan on Monday, September 28, with a meeting at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations BZK alongside Gov­ernors John Soliano of Bonaire and Alida Francis of St. Eusta­tius.

The three governors visited National Programme Rot­terdam South NPRZ to learn about its long-term approach to social and economic challenges in the area, and took part in a programme hosted by Rotter­dam Mayor Carola Schouten, who as a former minister was involved in matters concerning the social minimum for the Ca­ribbean Netherlands.

They also met Joyce Sylvester, Chair of the State Commis­sion against Discrimination and Racism, and Rick Law­son, President of the Neth­erlands Institute for Human Rights. Sylvester presented the governors with the report “Discriminatie Doorbreken” (Breaking Through Discrimi­nation), based on four years of research into structural discrimination within govern­ment.

On September 29 and 30, Levenstone attended the annu­al congress of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities VNG in the Achterhoek, which drew some 3,000 municipal ad­ministrators and professionals. There, the three governors met Hubert Bruls, Chair of the Safety Council and Mayor of Nijmegen, on cooperation between Dutch safety regions and the BES islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba), includ­ing climate safety.

Levenstone and the Execu­tive Council also joined discus­sions with BZK and represen­tatives of Bonaire and St. Eu­statius on the 30-million-euro fund to help reduce the cost of living. The visit continued in Texel, with meetings with mayors of the Wadden Islands. Heyliger said in a video mes­sage that it had been an hon­our to meet the Saba Lace Ladies and to sign the Saba ar­chives agenda 2026-2030 with representatives of Bonaire and St. Eustatius, and called it “an important step in preserv­ing our history”. He also at­tended the VNG congress and the BZK talks and joined the Texel visit.

From October 5 to 9, Hey­liger is taking part in an Island Exchange in Ireland, visiting Dublin, Westport, Achill Island and Clare Island to meet poli­cymakers, local government and island communities and explore the historical connec­tion between Saba and Ireland.

`As your Commissioner of Culture, I look forward to building new relationships and bringing back new ideas and opportunities for Saba,” he said.

The Daily Herald.