Since the beginning of June, the evaluation of the Monuments Act BES has been publicly available online and has also been presented to the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer). The report offers new insights into the state of heritage protection across Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius.

Social Design Foundation was already involved in this project last year, contributing to the execution of the research phase. As part of this work, we commissioned heritage expert Lyongo Juliana to support the study by conducting interviews with local stakeholders across the three islands, together with the research team from Ecorys. These conversations with heritage professionals, policymakers and local actors formed an important part of the evidence base for the evaluation and helped to better understand how heritage legislation functions in practice on the islands.

Key findings

The results of the study show a consistent pattern across the three Dutch Caribbean islands. While a legal framework for heritage protection exists, implementation is often stalled or incomplete. Across Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius there is a combination of limited capacity, a lack of structural funding and insufficient institutional continuity. In practice, this means that many heritage sites remain unprotected or are gradually deteriorating, despite their cultural and historical significance.

The study also highlights a gap between formal protection and real-world awareness. In several cases, it is unclear which sites are officially protected, and heritage responsibilities are often embedded within broader administrative structures where specialized expertise is limited.

Urgency for action

These findings underline a clear urgency to strengthen heritage governance in the Caribbean Netherlands. Without dedicated expertise, stable institutions and long-term investment, valuable cultural heritage risks being further lost. At the same time, the research shows that local engagement is present, but not yet sufficiently supported by structural systems that enable effective protection and maintenance.

At Social Design Foundation, we consider this type of research essential. It focuses on vulnerable territories where heritage is not only about physical structures, but also about identity, history and community resilience. Evidence-based insight is a necessary step toward more equitable heritage protection within the Kingdom.