St. Eustatius:--- A shocking failure of governance has left the island of St. Eustatius (Statia) in chaos, with the Immigration and Naturalization Department (INS) shuttered since December 2024. Despite desperate pleas from citizens and businesses, local and Dutch officials remain paralyzed, failing to take action while livelihoods crumble and families face deportation.
The INS office, responsible for vital services like residence permits, work authorizations, and document renewals, now seems abandoned as visitors are met with its hurricane shutters permanently down and a glaring red sign that says, "CLOSED." This isn't just an inconvenience for hundreds of Statia residents—it's a ticking time bomb.
Families are being ripped apart. Wives and husbands or parents of young children awaiting residence permit renewals could now face deportation. Businesses teeter on the brink of closure as they cannot legally employ staff. Essential healthcare access is denied to those awaiting documentation as they require a stamp from the now-closed INS office. The collapse of the INS system is not just administrative—it is personal, urgent, and devastating.
Residents who have waited months for appointments are met with silence. Phones go unanswered, emails are ignored, and promises of rescheduled appointments are empty. Those who visit the office in person find no help, only frustration and despair.
"Every day, I drive by hoping they've reopened. Every day, I'm disappointed," said one local business owner. "If this continues, I'll have to shut my doors."
Shockingly, Statia's Government Commissioners have washed their hands of the issue, claiming it's not their responsibility. Meanwhile, Bonaire, which oversees INS operations for the BES islands, offers no support. Statia residents feel abandoned and treated as second-class citizens within the Netherlands Kingdom.
The situation highlights a broader discontent with the BES islands' governance. What was promised better support under the Dutch Kingdom has turned into a bureaucratic nightmare, with residents lamenting that Bonaire treats them worse than Curacao did under the Netherlands Antilles.
"Why is this happening? Are we not part of the Dutch Kingdom? Or are we being ignored because we're Caribbean?" asked a frustrated resident. Several residents who visited the office and met closed doors have gone to the Ombudsman, and more have threatened to follow.
The INS closure results from chronic understaffing, a problem known to officials in Bonaire for years. A December department notice posted on Facebook warned of reduced hours, but instead of addressing the issue, operations ground to a halt.
Before the closure, residents had to wait up to three months for essential services. Now, the backlog is insurmountable, with experts predicting it could take over six months for appointments to resume and documents to be processed.
The silence from both Statia's government and Dutch authorities is deafening. How can officials remain indifferent as citizens suffer? Why are essential services like immigration left in shambles while those in power collect their salaries?
It is time for the government to act—now. Statia cannot wait another day. The Dutch government, RCN, and local leaders must provide immediate resources, reopen the INS office, clear the backlog, and restore trust.
This is not just an administrative failure; it is a humanitarian crisis. The people of Statia deserve answers, action, and accountability. Anything less is a betrayal of the citizens the government is sworn to serve.
Statia demands justice. Statia demands action. Will the Dutch Kingdom listen, or will they let an island in crisis fall further into despair?
