Foundation for Legal Aid and Equal Treatment Established in Caribbean Netherlands - Meet the New Director and Supervisory Board

At this foundation, you will soon be able to:

• Receive information and advice on legal matters, such as conflicts with an employer, rental issues, or family matters;
• Report discrimination you experience, for example when you are treated unfairly 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 European Netherlands.

In the coming months, the foundation will hire staff and set up locations on the three islands. The goal is to strengthen the legal protection of residents, so you know where to go with legal problems or concerns.

The services will start in the first half of 2026. As soon as the locations for the counters and the opening hours are known, they will be shared with you, among other things via www.rijksdienstcn.com.

With the establishment, the first faces of the foundation are also known. Suhendra Leon, who has extensive experience in legal protection, has been appointed as the director. Additionally, a Supervisory Board has been formed with Shirma Rouse, Reza Asgarali, and as chair Marga Buys-Trimp.

“For many people, it is not a given to know where they can turn when they have a legal problem or are treated unfairly. With this foundation, we want to change that. Every resident of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba should be able to turn to independent information and advice about rights and obligations.”

Chair of the Supervisory Board Marga Buys-Trimp: “As the Supervisory Board, we are highly motivated to support the director in getting this service up and running quickly; the demand for it is high, and it is important that the counter is accessible and widely known.”

State Secretary Rutte (Justice and Security): “This is a significant milestone: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba now have a foundation that will provide physical counters for help and advice on legal issues and protection against discrimination. This ensures accessible legal aid and opens the door to justice and equal treatment for everyone. A service that has long been needed on the islands.”

Minister Rijkaart (Interior and Kingdom Relations): “On October 7, the Senate approved the Anti-Discrimination Act for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. As a result, all laws protecting against discrimination will soon apply throughout the country. With this foundation, we ensure that residents of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba can easily turn to help when they are treated unfairly. This is extremely important, and I have full confidence that the new management and Supervisory Board will carry out this work with dedication.”

The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights will also receive a new adjudicative task on the islands with the new Anti-Discrimination Act for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. This means that citizens can submit a request to the Institute to assess whether there is discrimination in their situation.