Dear Prime Minister Mercelina,
We have read your recent and passionate condemnation of the deeply offensive and racist remarks made by Dutch MP Thierry Baudet. We commend your courage in speaking out so clearly against colonial rhetoric, demographic engineering, and the degrading idea that the Caribbean is still up for “repopulation” or exploitation.
What you now condemn as a “colonial fantasy” for St. Maarten has been the lived, painful reality for Bonaire since 2010. Baudet’s statements are not a new threat – they are simply a blunt expression of a policy direction that has already been silently executed in Bonaire, with devastating consequences.
Since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles and the forced annexation of Bonaire as a “territorial public entity” of the Netherlands, we have endured:
A 400% rise in immigration, with Dutch Europeans granted voting rights in local election and referendum after 90 days after arrival.
The displacement of the native Bonairean population, reduced from approximately 80% in 2010 to less than 30% today.
Loss of land, economic access, political voicelessness and cultural identity, as Dutch law overrides local governance. A process that amounts to ethnic and cultural erasure, framed as modernization.
While the world hears your strong words against recolonization, we have been living the outcomes of it for over a decade – not as speculation, but as everyday reality.
In 2015, the people of Bonaire overwhelmingly rejected this imposed status in a democratic referendum. Yet that clear voice of self-determination was ignored. Our democratic will was dismissed. Instead of being treated as partners in the Kingdom, we were expelled from the Kingdom Charter aka “Statuut” framework, left with no protection or recognition under its legal or political structure.
Shockingly, this exclusion from the “Statuut” was agreed upon not only by the Netherlands, but with the cooperation or acquiescence – or silence – of our Caribbean partners: St. Maarten, Curaçao, and Aruba. While they continue to operate as autonomous countries under the Charter, Bonaire was effectively cast out of the “Statuut” and subjected to the full force of unilateral Dutch rule. Silence becomes complicity?
Prime Minister Mercelina, we must also address what many across the Caribbean witnessed with concern: your role last October as Chair of a United Nations session during the “Pact of the Future” summit. We, with UN ECOSOC Consultative Status, witnessed firsthand how your presence was used to project an image of Caribbean inclusion and harmony in the Kingdom – yet while you chaired that meeting, Bonaire and its people were being systematically erased – its people displaced, its democratic will denied, under policies that mirror Baudet’s ideology in practice, if not in language.
This creates confusion and even false legitimacy in the eyes of UN Member states, experts and the international community. When a Caribbean Prime Minister appears to endorse the image of a harmonious Kingdom, while sister islands are being recolonized and depopulated, the result is misrepresentation of the truth and undermines our struggle.
We urge you to extend your voice to those already suffering under the very policies Baudet now dares to say aloud. Acknowledge the human rights crisis in Bonaire, and use your position to speak the full truth – for all Caribbean peoples in the Kingdom.
Sincerely, with respect and hope, as a native Bonerian who has survived three assassination attempts and unlawful imprisonment, I call on St. Maarten, Curaçao, and Aruba to unite with us in the name of justice.
James Finies,
Bonaire Human Rights Organization
Barry Carlton Sample passed away on April 27, 2025, at his residence in Albany, New York. He was 74.
Barry leaves his beloved wife of 40 years, Jacqueline Lake-Sample, his dear daughter, Serwa Sample-Adams, and son-in-law, Corey Adams. He is survived by his sister, Jeanne Wilson; his nephews, Jason Wilson and Gary Wright; and a number of nieces, nephews, family, and friends throughout New York, Virginia, in the Caribbean islands of St. Martin, Curaçao, and Aruba, and in Europe.
Born in 1951, Barry “Chuck” Carlton Sample was a native of Long Island, New York. He came from humble beginnings on his family’s potato farm. During his early teens, he spent his summers working with Long Island fishermen, who initially thought he was too young for the demanding work – but soon learned that Barry was a hardy and determined youth.
However, more than the farm and the sea, it was music that stayed with Barry throughout his journey from a teenager into adulthood. From a young age, he took to singing and playing the guitar. He performed in bands in high school and during his college years in the late 1960s and 1970s. He continued his passion for music throughout his life. An avid lover of jazz, blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and, of course, Jimi Hendrix, he attended jazz and blues festivals and clubs in New York City and Montreal yearly.
Barry was an ardent lover of the arts and the theater, especially the plays of August Wilson. He closely followed the development of the annual St. Martin Book Fair and was a great friend and confidant of the indie press, House of Nehesi Publishers.
Barry was an alumnus of the State University of New York at Albany, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, graduating magna cum laude in 1973, followed by a Master’s degree from the university’s School of Criminal Justice in 1977. From 1978 to 1982, he served as a lecturer in African American history, social science, and public policy at SUNY Albany.
His commitment to education and public service laid the foundation for an active career in public administration and political advisory roles – positions for which he became widely respected in Albany, New York City, and Washington, D.C., both in community and political circles.
While he did enter the corporate sector – serving as President of Instructional Systems Incorporated in New Jersey from 2013 until his passing – Barry Sample held several prominent public positions between 1993 and 2013. These included Chair of New York Gaming Commission; Deputy Director of State Operations for the New York State Executive Chamber; Chief of Staff at New York State Office of the State Comptroller; Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Community Relations of New York State Comptroller’s Office; and Deputy Budget Director at the New York State Division of the Budget.
Barry Sample’s public service career began at the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, where he held several roles between 1981 and 1993. These included Deputy Director of Criminal Justice; Executive Deputy Commissioner; Chief of the Bureau of Program Development and Planning; and Senior Criminal Justice Program Analyst.
In 1985, he married his devoted wife, Jacqueline Lake, marking the beginning of a lifelong partnership alongside his distinguished public service.
Barry counted among his friends, colleagues, and associates several prominent figures from his public and private careers. However, he remained a private, serious, and deeply caring man who held his family closest to his heart, with his beloved Jacqueline as its heartbeat. He offered a rare glimpse into this deeply personal side in 2012, at the funeral of his 26-year-old son, Bakari “Baki” Masso Lake-Sample, when he quietly said to the congregation, “Baki was my best friend.”
To several of Barry’s closest family and friends, he will be remembered not just with admiration, but as their dearest confidant. As his brother-in-law, author Lasana M. Sekou recalled: “Barry was my wise counselor.”
The funeral service for Barry Carlton Sample will be held at New Comer Cremations and Funerals, 181 Troy-Schenectady Road, Watervliet, New York 12189, on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The calling hour will begin at 10:00am, followed by the funeral service at 11:00am. Interment will take place at Graceland Cemetery, 680 Delaware Avenue, Albany, NY 12209.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Barry Sample’s memory to the Bakari Lake-Sample Scholarship at Macedonia Baptist Church, 26 Wilson Avenue, Albany, NY 12205. To leave a message of condolence for the family and for directions to the funeral live stream, please visit
www.newcomeralbany.com/obituaries.
Farewell, Barry.
House of Nehesi Publishers
~ Serves Dutch interests, not the people ~
Dear Editor,
Dutch Special Envoy Edison Rijna, former governor of Bonaire, is being deployed by the Dutch government to the Global Sustainable Island Summit (GSIS) in May 2025 in St. Kitts and Nevis. Framed as an advocate for increased funding to the Forum for Subnational Island Jurisdictions (SNIJs), Rijna’s real function is to advance Dutch strategic interests. His presence risks misleading CARICOM partners, as he represents the colonial state – not the voices or needs of the people in non-sovereign island territories.
It’s crucial to clarify the actions of the so-called Dutch Special Envoy engaging with CARICOM and St. Kitts and Nevis. While he presents himself as a representative of Bonaire, he truly serves Dutch interests, not those of Bonaire’s people. He is working on behalf of the Netherlands, not reflecting the struggles or voices of the local population.
The narrative being pushed is misleading and deceptive. The envoy is attempting to secure funding under the guise of representing Bonaire's climate vulnerability and challenges, but these claims are fundamentally false. Bonaire is not located in the hurricane belt, and our island does not suffer from major natural disasters like many other Caribbean nations. While climate change is a global concern, it is not the pressing issue that is currently affecting our people.
The true crisis in Bonaire is not environmental, but a human rights one. The Dutch government imposes high taxes and collects all with zero accountability to the people. Our schools are stripped of cultural identity, forcing native children into a system that ignores and erases their language and rights. Unrestricted migration from the European Netherlands is driving overpopulation on Bonaire, straining the island's infrastructure, resources, and social framework – an undeniable example of modern colonial exploitation.
Healthcare in Bonaire is no longer serving our people – it’s being used as a tool of Dutch colonial control. The forced imposition of Dutch European laws like “euthanasia” violates our moral and cultural values, leaving families traumatized and the elderly afraid to seek care. Since its enforcement, the death rate has doubled, and our native population has plummeted from 80% in 2010 to just circa 30% today. This is not coincidence – it reflects a deliberate policy of displacement and cultural erasure.
It is misleading and harmful for this envoy to present a false narrative to the Caribbean, diverting attention from Bonaire's real struggles and reinforcing Dutch colonial dominance. We urge CARICOM leaders and the government of St. Kitts and Nevis to distinguish between a Dutch envoy pushing for Dutch interests and the true voice of Bonaire’s people, who are fighting for their survival, rights and self-determination.
James Finies
Bonaire Human Rights Organization
Dear Editor,
The National Alliance extends heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Silveria Jacobs on her appointment as the Executive Director of Charlotte Brookson Academy for the Performing Arts (CBA).
Ms. Jacobs has long been a pillar of leadership and dedication in St. Maarten, having served as Leader of the National Alliance; Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport; and Prime Minister of St. Maarten. Her passion for education, culture, and the arts has been evident throughout her career, leaving a positive and lasting impact on the nation and its people.
The National Alliance recognizes that Ms. Jacobs’ commitment to uplifting youth and promoting creativity makes her exceptionally well-suited to lead CBA. Under her guidance, the academy is poised to continue its growth as a beacon for performing arts education in St. Maarten.
Her vision aligns perfectly with fostering innovation, supporting the Orange Economy, and empowering the next generation of artists and leaders. The faculty, students, and wider community of CBA can look forward to a bright future with Ms. Jacobs at the helm.
The National Alliance is proud to see one of its own take on this important role and offers full support as Ms. Jacobs embarks on this new chapter of service to the community.
National Alliance
Dear Editor,
Not too long ago I saw a response from our Prime Minster to the Dutch member of Parliament Baudet. I also did not receive what was said well, but … . Yes there is a but. I would have not expressed myelf in a manner which Baudet did, but there has to be a reason why Baudet believes that he is entitled to that kind of attitude towards us. We afforded him that opening. Since 10-10-2010 we have demonstrated what I consider unacceptable behavior on all levels of government. There was a lull for four years and then we went right back to our ignorant and irresponsible behavior, affording every politician of the kingdom of the Netherlands to ridicule us.
Even if there were tons of adjectives I could add to Baudet, that would not take away our shortcomings. The word is “list”. I would always want to be in the list of positives than on the list of negatives. If your name is on a certain list, no matter how you describe it, your name is on that list.
Unless someone proves me wrong the decline in the behavior of the people on St. Maarten began with the change of the government of St. Maarten. The different Ministers who did not know how to handle and maintain discipline would interfere with the maintainance of public order by the police and became enablers. In so doing they would interfere with the police work with all the ensuing consequences. To add to that in mind the behavior in general became more visible with the arrival of a Dutch chief of police who walked all over in uniform with his cap under his arm. There is a saying in Dutch “De kleren maakt de man” which also helped and is still vital in the decline and disregard of law enforcement. I lived through this so I know.
Beside that I constantly have to tell people who ask me why the police officers don’t wear caps anymore, I tell them to ask Chief John, he wears his cap when he is in uniform.
I will end by stating one of my father’s sayings: “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
Russell A. Simmons
