From November 3 to 6, the third Integrity Summit Dutch Caribbean took place in Aruba, organized by the Bureau Integriteit Aruba in collaboration with integrity professionals from the six islands and representatives of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK). The Summit was opened by Prime Minister Eman and Minister Dowers, Minister of Justice, Integration and Public Transport of Aruba. They emphasized that striving for the common good – “the common good as the guiding star” – must guide the actions of officials and public servants.
During the Summit, participants deepened their knowledge through presentations, role-playing exercises, interviews, and panel discussions on topics of great importance to integrity professionals. Topics included conducting and documenting integrity investigations, the increasing attention to transgressive behavior, the position of whistleblowers, and the importance of protection and effective communication in cases of (alleged) integrity violations. Participants expressed concern that societal factors—such as changing social norms and economic conditions—and organizational pressures—such as high workloads and limited resources and staffing—are increasingly straining the resilience of officials and civil servants. The crucial role of leadership in promoting integrity, and the need to support leaders in this responsibility, was widely acknowledged.
Alejandro Salas, Head of Global Movement at Transparency International, was the keynote speaker. He emphasized that countries may differ greatly, but corruption looks the same everywhere: “It always comes down to gaining personal benefit at the expense of the public good.” Salas highlighted the importance of systematizing and digitizing procedures to prevent abuse, and underscored values such as transparency, accountability, and collaboration—essential in an era of “democratic backsliding.”
He further emphasized that promoting integrity within organizations is not solely the responsibility of integrity professionals, but requires a joint effort from all stakeholders, including leaders, employees, and citizens.
His colleague Lousewies van der Laan, director of the Dutch chapter of Transparency International and a guest speaker during the Summit, reinforced this message by stressing the importance of an active and engaged civil society in strengthening integrity and good governance.
In total, 15 organizations were represented, including the Integrity Chamber of Sint Maarten, the Integrity Office of the Caribbean Netherlands (RCN), and the integrity offices of Aruba, Bonaire, and Sint Eustatius. In addition, Curaçao’s Ministry of Governance, Planning and Service and the Public Entity Saba were represented.
Integrity portfolio holders were also present, representing various national and collaborative services active across all islands, including the Joint Court of Justice, the Office of the Attorney General, the Coast Guard, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, and the Council of Police Chiefs.
During the Summit, organizations shared both successes and challenges. For example, Sint Eustatius recently opened its integrity office, and Saba is updating its plans to establish its own office. Curaçao provided a preview of the coming year, announcing plans to officially launch its integrity policy, further develop the Bureau Integriteit, initiate a government-wide awareness campaign, and establish a network of confidential advisers. Curaçao also presented its first concrete products, including an integrity scan and a podcast.
According to the organizers, this third Summit marks a new phase in the cooperation between integrity professionals in the Dutch Caribbean. In addition to exchanging knowledge, there is now explicit focus on sustainable cooperation within a platform, enabling the development of joint initiatives and the structural safeguarding of best practices.
Press release: SRA-Caribbean & Partners NV