On September 14 in Bonaire, Commissioner Timoteo Silberie was presented with the Youth Advice for the BES islands (Konseho di Hóben pa islanan BES). The advice was developed based on research conducted by UNICEF Netherlands and Ipsos I&O among youth in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. Young people contributed by sharing their experiences, concerns, ideas, and recommendations. With this presentation, these points were brought directly to the attention of the Executive Council of the Public Entity Bonaire.
During the meeting, Commissioner Silberie took the time to discuss what young people in Bonaire consider important. It was clearly emphasized that the government should not only talk about young people, but especially with them. The commissioner expressed his appreciation for the positive role of Ibrahim Valentijn, who presented him with the report, and explicitly thanked him for his dedication, commitment, and willingness to represent the youth voice.
The BES Islands Youth Advice 2026 shows that young people feel administrators do not listen to them sufficiently. In the study, youth gave the Public Entity Bonaire an average score of 5.4 out of 10 for listening to children and young people. Nearly half of the youth indicated having little to very little trust in the Public Entity Bonaire. At the same time, they mentioned concrete topics that require action, such as mental health, bullying, and security risks from other countries.
This makes the presentation an important step for Bonaire. The commissioner intends to hold conversations with young people more frequently so that their voice gains a structural place in Bonaire’s policy and governance. The goal is to better listen to what young people experience, what worries them, and what solutions they propose themselves.
“The voice of young people is indispensable when formulating policy regarding their future. This handover is a good start to involving the youth of Bonaire more frequently and effectively in decisions that affect them,” said Commissioner Timoteo Silberie.
In this way, young people want to show how important it is that they can share their experiences and be taken seriously. The Public Entity Bonaire considers the presentation of the Youth Advice as a concrete step toward strengthening youth involvement. By engaging in regular dialogue with young people, their input can be better reflected in policy and execution.
