KRALENDIJK – Commissioner Timoteo Silberie wants to consult young people on Bonaire more often, so that their voice gains a structural place in government policy and decision-making. He said this after receiving the Youth Council for the BES Islands 2026.
The council is based on research by UNICEF Netherlands and Ipsos I&O among young people on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Young people shared their experiences, concerns and ideas on various themes that affect their lives.
The research shows that young people on Bonaire feel the government does not listen to them enough. On average, they give the Public Entity of Bonaire a 5.4 for the way children and young people are listened to, while nearly half say they have little or very little trust in the Public Entity.
Among the topics young people consider important are mental health, bullying and safety risks from abroad.
According to Silberie, the government should not only talk about young people, but also with them. “The voice of young people is indispensable when making policy that concerns their future,” the commissioner said.
Silberie plans to keep talking regularly with young people, in order to take their experiences and ideas more into account in Bonaire’s policy.
