I have taken note of the recent statement by Mr. James Finies and the Bonaire Human Rights Organization (BHRO). I will not engage in an endless exchange of distortions, personal attacks, and ideological misrepresentations. Instead, I will take the responsible step of formally informing both CARICOM and the United Nations of my position—one grounded in documented fact, legal principle, and aligned with the aspirations of a majority of Bonaireans who seek responsible governance, social progress, and democratic maturity.
Contrary to the BHRO’s claims, the 2015 referendum on Bonaire’s constitutional status cannot be considered a legitimate or binding act of self-determination. The official Referendum Committee—appointed by the Island Council itself—stated explicitly that the outcome of the vote held on 18 December 2015 carries little to no binding force for Bonaire’s governing institutions. The Committee further concluded that no meaningful consequences should be tied to the 65% of voters who selected the “No” option, because it was not verified whether participants made their decision based on correct information or a fully informed and deliberate choice. The lack of international oversight, insufficient voter education and political interference, further rendered the process deeply flawed.
It is therefore both misleading and irresponsible to claim that the referendum outcome constitutes a clear expression of the Bonairean people’s will under international law. No such determination can be made on the basis of a process that, in the Committee’s own words, lacked the conditions necessary to ensure a valid and informed public mandate.
The BHRO continues to present itself as the voice of the people, but it lacks any form of electoral legitimacy or institutional accountability. While it invokes decolonization and self-determination, it offers no real answers to Bonaire’s most urgent social and economic needs—poverty reduction, youth opportunity, housing access, quality healthcare, or institutional reform. The path to true self-determination is not paved with slogans or historical revisionism, but through the strengthening of local institutions, investment in our people, and responsible leadership.
As a former Island Registrar and engaged citizen, I stand for a Bonaire that builds responsibly on its autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, achieves real legal and social equality, and preserves its cultural dignity through good governance and sustainable development. Yes, challenges remain—and yes, equality with European Dutch citizens must still be fully realized. But that must be done democratically, lawfully, and in cooperation with partners, not through theatrical claims or politicized declarations.
I will be sharing this position formally with CARICOM and the United Nations, not to inflame tensions, but to provide a reasoned, fact-based, and legally credible perspective on Bonaire’s status. Our people deserve clarity, not confusion. They deserve opportunity, not division. I remain committed to the only path that can deliver real and lasting dignity for Bonaire: development through law, truth, and democratic responsibility.
Dr. Willem A. Cecilia
Resident of Bonaire, former Island Registrar