BONAIRE--After establishing an office on Saba in 2023 and opening a St. Maarten branch on Front Street, Philipsburg, in 2024, DEJONG has opened a law office on Bonaire.
The opening was marked at a private gathering on Friday, October 31, with family, colleagues, and partners. Attendees included His Excellency John Soliano, Island Governor of Bonaire, Commissioner Clark Abraham, Judge Jacques Keltjens, and Etienne van der Horst, former Minister of Government, Planning and Service of Curaçao and former Director of Spatial Planning on Bonaire.
Former Island Governor of Bonaire, the Hon. Herbert F. Domacassé, delivered the keynote address.
Opening remarks by Ms. Angeline Laurence outlined the firm’s growth since 2023 and its work across small island communities: “This law office, like those before it, Saba and St. Maarten, is more than just a space. It represents a promise, a promise of fairness, of advocacy, and of commitment to the people we serve.”
Mr. Amir Schuitemaker delivered a speech on language, law, and his own professional evolution. Drawing on his experiences from Amsterdam, Leiden, and Bonaire, he emphasized how the meaning of words, and justice itself, can shift with perspective. “Where I once spoke on behalf of government, I now also speak to government,” he said. “Law is not only about conflict, but about dialogue. Whoever listens to someone who says the same thing differently, hears not just words but growth, connection, and the law itself speaking.”
In his keynote address, the Honorable Mr. Herbert F. Domacassé, former Island Governor of Bonaire, spoke about the importance of access to justice and harmonious dispute resolution within small island societies. He highlighted how DEJONG’s physical presence across all three BES islands provides a very special and unique perspective, taking into consideration the special status of these islands within the constitutional structure of the Netherlands:
“When dialogue replaces distance, and understanding replaces division, even the smallest islands become part of something greater. That is the value of being present on all three BES islands.”
Attorney and business development partner Mr. Gerald Simmons-de Jong closed the event with brief remarks, partly in Papiamentu and English:
“Mi ta sinti mi berdaderamente bendishona i mi ta gradisi Dios tur dia. DEJONG ta un bufete di abogao local, konstrui riba konekshonnan regional fuerte. Nos lema ta ku nos ta wordu forma pa relashonnan personal i impulse pa resultadonan. E apertura aki, riba Boneiru, ta marka un momentu hopi special, komo ku nos ta kapas pa kubri un perspektiva uniko, esta esun di tur e tres islanan BES, Bonairu, Statia i Saba,” said Gerald.
Speaking partly in Papiamentu and English, he shared his own journey from a childhood in a semi-immigrant household in the Netherlands, raised by a strong Indonesian mother who taught him to always strive for excellence.
He concluded with a story from a recent trip to Indonesia, where a local guide affectionately addressed him as ‘Mas’, a Javanese word meaning older brother. Looking out over Mount Batur and its neighboring peaks, Gerald reflected on the deeper meaning of that word: “Are we not all each other’s brothers and sisters? And aren’t we all responsible to care for each other and to guide the younger ones around us?”
He added, “Our core motto remains, focused on relationships, driven by results. We will also be here now for Bonaire, for its people, and for its stakeholders. We strive to be your trusted legal partner and are ready to serve you.”
The Bonaire office will be coordinated by branch manager Ms. Lisandra Figaroa, first point of contact for clients and matters in Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba. Team members from St. Maarten, Saba, and Bonaire will serve clients on Bonaire.
About DEJONG
Founded in June 2023, DEJONG is a law firm with offices in Saba, St. Maarten, and Bonaire. The firm practices government administrative law and commercial law, and provides legislation and policy services across the region.
https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/dejong-opens-new-law-office-on-bonaire
